Fuel Nanny FAQ

by Bill #1031, additional comments by DHP#711
Please read the Disclaimer before attempting any work in this FAQ.
updated & edited by Kristian #562

The Fuel Nanny (FN) is produced by Techlusion, http://www.techlusion.com. It is now called the Techlusion "Power Box". The purpose of this page is to NOT act as an endorsement for nor to provide advertising for their products, simply information. You make your own mind up! The analog version of the FN is the 83i, the new digital version the TFi-1030i.

The NEWEST version is (will be) called the R259, but no-one has one yet as Techlusion are still sorting out problems with it. It has OEM (Bosch) Connectors so you do NOT have to splice the Wires (i.e. you can remove it without trace when you take the bike to the Dealer, just do a BMW Reset after Removal and Before you take it to the Dealer). With The R259 you also do NOT have to disconnect the O2 Sensor, so it is supposed to be better than the 83i or the 1030i in the Cruise Range.

• What could the cause of the Stall and Surge symptoms be?

• Sometimes at constant cruising speeds where low throttle is required I experience a slight surging? Is another Stall and Surge problem symptom?

• I am looking for the wires leading to the fuel injector. Where are they?

• Where is a good point on the bike to ground the black wire.

• What about this “Control Mode” that Techlusion suggests.

• Where is the oxygen sensor? How do I disconnect it?

• What about the "Error Codes" I seem to be getting stored in the FI Computer.?

• What do the NEW TFi-1030 box settings look like, from the Factory, before any changes.?

• Any Installation Tips.?

• What about more information from/about Techlusion that's not on their site.?

• What about Idle Adjustment?

• Can I disconnect the Oxygen Sensor even if I do NOT have a Fuel Nanny

• Any Feedback from Users? LOTS!

• Fuel Nanny (Power box) Settings Database

• What about Freeway Cut-out with the Techlusion Box and does the new Box fix this?

• How do I remove the TFi box (and the little splice tap thingies)

• What about Warranty issues?

• What about Other Solutions like the Power Commander?

What could the cause of the Stall and Surge symptoms be?

• The ECU (Electronic Control Unit) operates in two modes, open loop and closed loop.

• In the open loop mode the ECU administers fuel to the engine based upon various sensors including throttle position, temperature and RPM.

• In the closed loop mode the ECU administers fuel to the engine based upon the oxygen sensor checking the exhaust gases. When the ECU switches between open and closed loop, it is thought that the signals from the oxygen sensor are sometimes unstable. This instability could result in improper control of the fuel injector. The results could cause momentary lack of engine torque. Sometimes the rider experiences a stall; sometimes the symptom is a hesitancy.

• It is further believed that the oxygen sensors vary a little from bike to bike, which results in different symptoms or most often no adverse symptoms at all.

See also Custom Fixes for s & s

Sometimes at constant cruising speeds where low throttle is required I experience a slight surging? Is this a Stall and Surge problem symptom?

• If the ECU has selected the closed loop mode and the oxygen sensor signals are stable and correct, the ECU could just be commanding a mixture that is simply too lean. Even good running fuel injected F650 display this characteristic to some degree.

• The Fuel Nanny can correct this symptom.

 I am looking for the wires leading to the fuel injector. Where are they?

• The injector cable runs along the rear of the “hump” just in front of the saddle.

• Remove the right and top plastic pieces that cover the hump.

• The following picture shows the cable lifted into view after removing the cable tie holding it to the rear, curved frame member.

• The picture beside it shows the two wires after the outer insulation has been stripped away.

Is there a non-destructive way to hook up the wires without using the Wire Taps. i.e. I don't want BMW to see it.

Version 1:

by Haakon #626

My non-destructive wiring is not something I am proud of. I just used stuff I had lying around. The narrow red connector that I use on the injector is widely used but I do not think you can get that type at a car accessories shop. That type is more commonly used on audio equipment and such. I will try to find both the male and female original connectors as used on the bike. With those, I could make a real nice extension wire to hook up the FN.

Version 2:

by Haakon #626

The Bosch dealer had a big box labeled "Bosch Motronic". It was filled with all sorts of connectors but the female one (to be used on the injector) was out of stock so he promised to order some. I got a couple of males, and he did not even want me to pay for those before I got the females too. He did not usually sell them, the box was to be used by the workshop when they had to change damaged connectors on cars - so he did not know the price. He was absolutely sure all Auto-electric workshops doing service on cars with Bosch electrics had the same box, as they all too often had to do service on the connectors.

The "writing" on the plug is: 09-4404-01 01 = Code 1 (there is a list of numbers, with just the last one changing, from ...-01 to ...-04 but this one is a "Code 1" -whatever that is).

OR

Where is a good point on the bike to ground the black wire.

• The ECU enclosure is a good grounding point.

• The following picture shows the Fuel Nanny tucked under the black rubber band, which also holds the ECU in place.

• Four screws holding the ECU enclosure together are located on the underside of the enclosure. Remove the rubber band so you can extract the ECU from its mounted location. Turn it over to gain access to the right rear screw. Attach the spade lug, which you have crimped to the black wire, with the right rear screw.

• The picture below shows the spade lug protruding from the right rear of the ECU enclosure.

• Note: The grounding point suggested by Techlusion does not provide a good ground. You can identify a poor ground by observing that the green or red LEDs blink when the engine is running.

Any other Grounding Points.?

Kristian #562 put it here, on the bolt, by adding a nut and a Spring Washer. Scrape the point off the ground point first though.

What about this “Control Mode” that Techlusion suggests.

• The ECU selects the closed loop mode for idle and low-torque cruising. When in closed loop, the Fuel Nanny is rendered useless because the ECU will simply reduce the fuel injector control signals to satisfy its desire for a super lean mixture. Only when the throttle is opened does the ECU switch to open loop can the Nanny effect the mixture.

• Consequently, if you want the Nanny to effect the mixture at low throttle settings AND eliminate the open/closed loop switching problems you must prevent the ECU from ever selecting closed loop. You do this by selecting what Techlusion refers to as the “Control Mode”.

• You force the control mode, which is another way of saying open loop, by disconnecting the oxygen sensor. Then all Nanny adjustments are involved along with the ECU in setting the mixture.

• Use Techlusion’s tuning instructions.

Where is the oxygen sensor? How do I disconnect it?

• The oxygen sensor is connected to the exhaust pipe under the front of the engine.

• The cable runs to a connector mounted to the lower right frame member.

• To remove the connector pry away the locking tabs on either side while pulling the two halves apart.

• The following picture shows the disconnected connector.

• You will want to wrap the two ends of the connector to keep them clean if you should ever want to reconnect them.

What about Error Codes?

by DHP#711

The error codes are caused by a BMW sensor reading and are not true "errors" but code comments. The existing Fuel Nanny is analog and as such doesn't adjust for where BMW has these set which are apparently too low or high (whatever). You can ignore these codes as they shouldn't do anything. Personally, I think that 10.x is too rich at low settings and overcompensates changing idle and other things. Give me 9.x plus Fuel Nanny any day. There will be an upgrade program to the new all digital fuel nanny so if you have one now, I'd keep it and upgrade when available. It does much more than just S&S as it helps performance as well (like existing FN).

What do the NEW TFi-1030 box settings look like, from the Factory, before any changes?

Here's the Older 83i Settings, for various Airbox Mods, from Techlusion:

Any Installation Tips.?

Sure.

• You can get the centre panel off alone, because all you want to access are the wires, right.? See the GS Battery - Easy Access FAQ for details. Kristian #562

What about more information from/about Techlusion that's not on their site.?

• Here is link to David Park's (DHP#711) conversation with them, which is on David's Site. Fuel Nanny. David's file is 2.62MB.

• I have re-encoded the file to mp3 format as Windows Media Player can read .mp3 files, but not .rm files. It is still pretty BIG at 2.5MB, even at 16kbps. (8kbps was too poor quality).

• For the Oilheads, but interesting anyway. Techlusion Install

• Do also a Search on "Techlusion" or Power Box" or "Nanny kills CPU" on the BMWRT BBS : BMWRT Search Threads. I have snipped what I feel are the most relevant post sand combined them here (ed.): Fuel Nanny Warranty/Technical Discussion

What about Idle Adjustment?

This section by Brad G.

From the responses below it would appear that idle is either slightly higher with the FN, or takes longer to come down to idle. Here is what their web site says about that.

"Idle/Cruise: As fuel injection is very efficient, it considers idle and cruise to be virtually identical as far as their A/F ratio requirement goes (as opposed to carburetion), so the low speed adjuster (Green Adjustment Screw) can be set similar to an idle mixture screw on a carburettor. As the motorcycle accelerates under light to medium load, the ECU maintains an A/F ratio consistent with its emissions focus, and the TFi box makes slight modifications to that focus based on your drivability requirements."

They relate that green pot to the idle mixture screw on a carb. It has been so long since I had a bike with a carb I can't remember for sure but it seems like that adjustment will affect idle speed on a carbed bike so I guess the same could be true here. Next I pasted their instructions for setting the green pot.

"GREEN FUEL POT (functions like a fuel mixture screw on a carburettor) adjusts for the motorcycle's fuel requirement during light throttle operation from idling through highway cruising and steady throttle. To adjust this pot, make sure the bike is up to a full operating temperature, then while in neutral, pick a fast idle where it is not easy to hold a steady R.P.M. (about 2500-3000 R.P.M. on multi cylinder, 1800-2000 R.P.M. on twins), then slowly and evenly turn the green pot while listening to the exhaust note. You should hear the exhaust sound change from an irregular, uneven note to a even and smooth one. You may also see an increase in R.P.M. If you continue to turn the pot past this point to where the idle R.P.M. starts to drop, you can then return the pot setting back to a point half way between where the idle first smoothed out to the idle fall off point. "

I'm thinking that if not done just right this adjustment might result in higher than normal low idle RPM. They do say RPM may rise but this adjustment is not done at low idle. It is done at FAST idle. Of course they don't mention a good RPM for a single here. I used about 1800-2000. I would not be happy with an idle RPM of nearly 2000.

Can I disconnect the Oxygen Sensor even if I do NOT have a Fuel Nanny?

• I learned a lot about the O2 sensor when talking with Techlusion, who make the fuel nanny. The Fuel Nanny FAQ contains various bits of information I learned. The short of it is that the O2 sensor comes into play only at very low throttle openings. So disconnecting causes the ECU to run open loop (see FAQ) AND it runs a little richer. Also with the sensor disconnected there is no stumble when the ECU switches between open loop and closed loop, because it is always in open loop. So disconnecting is fine. Disconnecting and installing a Fuel Nanny is better yet, especially if you modify either the air box or the exhaust. by Bill #1031 '01Dakar

• I'm told the O2 sensor is related to emissions control. It will have an affect on how the bike runs. I'm not clear on the affect it has on the bikes computer but it does take input from it. Techlusion (makers of the Fuel Nanny) recommend disconnecting it when installing their device. Mine has very run smoothly since doing so. I never tried riding it with just the O2 sensor disconnected. My fuel mileage is down as predicted with the richer mixture. I estimate it is down about 7-10%. I need to find a Dyno in my area to properly tune it. I'd like to find that spot that where it runs smoothly but as lean as possible. Still will be richer overall but I just hated even the little surge that remained after the last software update. BradG 1002

• I disconnected mine on my 01 GS. I also added a Staintune Exhaust, did the Air Box mod and added a Fuel Nanny...runs awesome now. Adding the Fuel Nanny will allow you to richen it up a bit, this will make a difference. JV, B.C. Canada.

• O2 Fault. Here is the answer I got from my expert contact at BMW (UK) regarding this problem. Message begins ..... The oxygen sensor or lambda probe should not cause this problem. It works by measuring the unburnt oxygen content in the exhaust gas and sends a signal to the control unit for processing. It works in a sine cycle. (When it measures a rich mixture the control unit shortens the injector opening time to lean off the mixture, when the sensor then sees the mixture going lean, it's signal makes the control unit lengthen the injector opening time to richen the mixture!) The voltage operation range is between 200 and 600 mv. If the mixture goes excessively lean or excessively rich the sensor signal will go beyond it's normal operation range and will register as a fault in the control unit memory. If the fuel pump pressure was too high then this could cause a repeated fault in the memory. It is worth noting that the starting procedure for the F650GS is very important. It is as follows. Turn on the ignition, wait for the temperature light to go out, (about 3 seconds) and press the start button until the engine fires. DO NOT open the throttle in this process as the throttle position sensor signal is not permanently remembered by the control unit (as with other systems). The control unit takes a reading during the first few crankshaft revolutions. If the throttle is opened, then the base throttle setting will be incorrect for the duration of the engine running. Replacing the oxygen sensor is often done thinking that this is the cause of the problem when in reality it can be something else affecting the injection process. ..... Message ends. Trevor George (UK)

• The O2 sensor seems to be definitely only a part of an emissions reduction system. I have never observed a difference between with/without. BMW says the F650GS is a CLOSED Loop system. Last summer I have tried to fool that sensor because there are other vehicles (e.g. Porsche) for which you can buy dummy O2 sensor plugs and the surging is gone. Robert #1071.

How do I remove the TFi box (and the little splice tap thingies)?

Q. If I upgrade to the latest TFi box with the OEM style connectors (i.e. the R259), I'll obviously be pulling out my original 83i. My question is, how do I 'repair' the stock wires if I pull off the splice taps? Won't there be a real weak point in the wires where the tap was? Should I just leave them in there and tape over the whole thing? Seems like a hack to undo a hack.

• The best way, if it's possible within the location is to get a length of heat-shrink sleeving which will fit over your wires. Put that on first and then neatly solder the original cut ends. Slip the heat-shrink over the soldered join and apply hair dryer to make if shrink snugly around the join. If it's done carefully it can look very professional :~)) Trevor999.

• The taps don't cut the wire only the insulation. Unless the taps damaged the wire itself I don't think you have to do anything more than seal up the gap to prevent corrosion. I can't imagine being able to use heat shrink unless you cut the wires in this location. I don't consider the taps as a hack and will do just this when I upgrade in a few weeks. If you're real concerned I guess you can pull the part of the wiring out far enough to cut, solder and install heat shrink. Brad, N. CA., 2001 F650GS - Inmate #1002

Any Feedback from Users.?

(Most recent info at bottom of list.)

• Feedback on Techlusion's Site is at this URL http://www.techlusion.com/bikepages/bmw/f650/index.htm# (Choose "Testimonials")

• Survey Summary by Adamx#1001

• Techlusion 81e Power Module. www.techlusion.com. Here's my Fix. 1. Install R1200c injector; 2. Open intake snorkel by either drilling two 1" holes in it or cutting off the front of it; 3. Install Staintune exhaust; 4. Install Techlusion 81e Power Module. Your surging will be completely cured (at least mine was) and the increase in hp and torque is extremely impressive, Now my bike runs like I thought it would when I bought it. I got tired of BMW's Sloth-like pace in fixing the problem, so I took matters into my own hands. I installed a Staintune exhaust (15 minutes) an injector from an R1200c, which is also the same injector as the R1100s ($115, 5 minutes) and drilled two 1" holes on the inside of the intake snorkel upstream of the air flow sensor (2 minutes while the parts are off for the injector swap). While the fake tank is off, disconnect the front snorkel (the hard black plastic hose that runs from the air filter forward underneath the headlight. Drill two 1" holes to the inside or bottom of this piece( while it is off the bike of course). Reinstall, reassemble , ride , enjoy. The reason for drilling these holes is that the air flow sensor gets a rich-lean, rich-lean pulsing as the air buffets the woefully small stock air intake which causes and/or significantly contributes to the surging. Whew! I'm pleased to report no stalling or surging and a dramatic increase (25-30% low to mid, 10-15% top end) in power and throttle response. My last tank returned 48mph after hard riding. Pat.

• Disclose Fuel Nanny to Dealer ?. I'd stonewall to the end. Got another dealer you can blame the tape on. That gives them an excuse for every problem you will ever have. Just tell them that you want to cure the surging with 10.1. I believe that the MoDiTec stores the last 200 faults...so they'll probably be there...but I sure haven't seen a tech around here smart enough to divine where they came from. Even the original posts about the nanny causing faults may be urban legend....there are faults, the bike has a nanny, ergo the nanny caused the faults. I remember himself carefully removing the Banks Engineering chips from the F250 turbo diesel each time he took it in for service. Didn't want to give them an excuse.

• While it could be leaking exhaust, I think it's just a fuel delivery issue. I've got the big injector and 9.3 upgrade. The combination eliminated the stalling and surging completely but not the soft backfiring (with the occasional pop) on deceleration, which I never thought much about until some others mentioned it. I installed a Fuel Nanny for extra insurance and maybe enhance the Staintune and snorkle mods. Guess what? The backfiring completely disappeared. I have the new injector, and S/W version 9.3. The injector cured the surging and the S/W upgrade almost solved the stalling - only occasionally. I installed a Fuel Nanny several months ago and have had no stalling since. Mike639

• The new injector and 9.3 software completely solved my stalling problem. I have since added the fuel nanny and that had almost completely eliminated the surging problem. My only remaining issue is the bike now idles at 1500RPM since installation of the FN. I haven't gone back to Techlusion with this, but intend to. My 650GS with version 9.3 did not stall and idled at 1000RPM. When I added the Fuel Nanny the idle increased to 1500RPM and sometimes settles slowly from 2000RPM. The problem with the 9.3 without the fuel nanny was not stalling, but was surging. The FN has almost completely solved the surging, still no stalling but the higher idle is annoying. Taking everything into account I will stay with 9.3 and the Fuel Nanny. JohnL #690

• Performance vs. Longevity. I'm not sure that aircraft engine speeds are analogous to bike engines. My impression is the any engine will have greater longevity when run continuously at constant speed (like an airplane) versus an engine that is constantly being accelerated and decelerated over a five gear speed range. It would seem more logical to me that a variable speed environment favors low engine loads. In other words, as long as you are not "lugging" the engine, the lower the RPM in any given gear, the less stress and therefore "wear" on the engine and drive train. Since installing the Fuel Nanny I find my F650GS cruising comfortably between 2000 and 3000RPM. My sense is that running the bike in this range most of the time will provide better gas mileage and more engine longevity. Naturally, at higher speeds in 5th gear we will be running at much higher RPMs and then the "constant" speed argument makes sense to me, to the extent that it is practical. A speed control device that holds the engine at a constant RPM would be helpful here, but not very practical in the hills. In a similar vein, it seems logical to me that a smooth application of power when accelerating, or hill climbing will also stress the engine less and lead to greater longevity. I have also heard the conventional wisdom that decelerating in gear causes less stress on a four stroke engine because it keeps it lubricated. Any comments on this? Of course, a lot of this is relatively meaningless to most of us. I would bet that very few F650GS bikes will see the far side of 30,000 miles - and that shouldn't come close to testing this engine. JohnL #690

• I am unsure of the number of the latest upgrade for the BMS computer. It is available on the latest MoDiTec upgrade which is disk 10 so it must be 10. something. It replaces the latest 9.something upgrade and has been out for a little over a month. I makes a great deal of difference on how the F650 g/s runs. It does seem to hold the engine idle speed up a bit until the motorcycle make a complete stop. Somewhat like a dash pot on a carburetted car. I am sure that there will be more upgrades to come if needed. This upgrade when used with the Fuel Nanny turned down to 3 o'clock makes an extremely fine running machine. Yes all service departments or managers are not created equal. Sounds like yours is trying but is yet to get the facts straight. Fact is most service managers have little hands on experience with this know mostly theory. The correct procedure for updating the BMS is to load the update, label the BMS computer, then stat the bike without touching the throttle and allow it to idle until warm not to exceed the time when the cooling fan turns on. Proper start procedure for the bike is to turn on the key, wait at least one second, never never touch the twist grip and start. I have supplied you with the true procedure no question. Enjoy and please be happy and enjoy you bikes. They will run quite well if this is followed. I love mine and have many others doing the same. Jo

• The fuel tank holds around 4.4 gallons. I get an average of 55 miles per gallon. That will give you 242 miles. Ridden on the highway at legal speeds I can get close to 60mpg. or about 264 miles if you run it dry. I have put 250 miles on a tank of gas many times. I ride a 2001 Dakar with 4.0 software and a Fuel Nanny installed. Supertech 16-Dec-01

• Sorry that I can not give you any real help, except to say that the Fuel Nanny does not in any way make any modifications to the program. As the injection valve has a positive current all the time and it opens when it is “grounded” by the electronics, all the Fuel Nanny does is to prolong that grounding time when needed. Of course, as you have installed a gadget not approved by BMW, they will blame the problems they had with the programming to that. The programming takes a long time. If it fails they have to start all over again. My tech. always removes the fuse to the lights to make sure the battery voltage does not drop too much in the process. If it drops too much the programming might fail. Anyhow, it is not your fault that they did not get it done so they ought to get it right and not blame it on the Fuel Nanny. When my “Motronic” unit failed they took one from a new bike, reprogrammed it and off I went. Haakon #626

• The AM29F040B is actually a flash memory device. It is meant to be written in place, although you could remove it and program it using an external programming device. But really the software is really quite good except that the signals from the oxygen sensor are sometimes erratic. The way to end these problems is to disconnect the oxygen sensor so that the control unit runs open loop. Then use the Fuel Nanny to set the mixture. See FAQ section which describes Fuel Nanny installation. It really does solve the problems. Bill #1031

• Cutting the snorkel - 650GS. The Fuel Nanny (aka Power Box) was selling for $150. I gave it a try but it is on the shelf now after getting the 10.1 update. Mine runs quite well now and I had tried the box to cure the surging problem, which it did. It also felt like the bike had better mid range (even compared to how it runs now). I suspect it was delivering more fuel. Part of the good feeling was just not having the surge any longer. However, now that it runs fine without it I have decided to run the bike stock a while longer to protect my warranty. I do believe that a cat-free pipe of any decent design, a increase in induction volume along with a box to let you bump the fuel flow over EPA limits will very likely produce a noticeable increase. The folks at Techlusion seem pretty knowledgeable and can provide you with more info. At the time the $150 was the best money I had spent on the 650. I have heard of a possible new all digital box in the works at Techlusion. It should be a bit more compatible than the current analog model (analog generates harmless error faults that get stored and will need clearing if you ever get new software). I'd ask about an upgrade plan if you buy now. I'm hoping to upgrade mine and go the whole route after I have got the most out of my warranty. I think the bike could really use another 10-20% to deal with the 400+ pounds (or I guess I could try and lose a 100 pounds instead but I'd look pretty sick). As far mileage goes, I think it depends on how you ride. The box enrichens the f/a ratio so there must be some additional fuel being used. At first I thought I had lost about 10% but that turned out to be a temporary change. My riding varies so much that meaningful averages are hard to measure (I don't keep a diary). I believe I'm getting very close to what I had before. Most longer trips with a good mix of terrain I see between 50-55 MPG (indicated). BradG 1002

• Oxy. Sensor & Canister. Last summer I tried to fool the FI by disconnecting the sensor. In addition I manipulated the signal in different ways. But there was absolutely no effect. The explanation could be that the FI is working as an open-loop system. That "open-loop" would also be the reason that the Fuel Nanny is working. BTW, a much better software IS available - it is the old European one. After remapping the FI with it the F650GS feels like a new bike. Robert #1071

• The F650GS/Dakar FI is lean! I had my Rallye bike at Techlusion in Las Vegas this past weekend. We played around with it on the Dyno and with the gas analyzer (CO2). It was running lean at many points along the curve. They fitted a new Fuel Nanny and adjusted it using the gas analyzer. I could see on the readout where the bike ran lean where it surged and where it could stall. The bike is now tuned much better and runs much better (even though before I thought it was fine). Moral to the story, the BMW FI programming while "okay" still sucks in many regards. I'm now 100% convinced that the best way to get the FI BMW's to run properly is to get a Fuel Nanny and spend the time to get the fuel delivery curve remapped properly by working with it on the Dyno and with the gas analyzer. This may seem like overkill to those who may not want to do this but when you've got the bike up and analyzed even with a bike that you think is "perfect" I think that you'll be surprised at how off BMW's fuel mapping can be for your particular bike. I've got the new digital fuel nanny. Works great but spend the time with the Dyno and a gas analyzer to really tune it. This is the best/only way to make sure that the adjustments are set to your particular bike's setup. davidhpark, #711

• 1. Having just gone through the process at Techlusion on their Dyno I don't think that it's best to do a Fuel Nanny without spending the time with a Dyno and a gas analyzer to tune the adjustment potentiometers. 2. The base map question I can't answer. I think that Robert from Austria might know best. I believe that for a given software version that all settings are the same and that variances are just for country settings. 3. I don't think that settings from one person's Dyno make any sense for your bike. You need to RUN the bike, listen to it but more importantly watch the CO2 output to see if it surges because of lean fuel and then dial in the right amount to get it up into tune. The only way that this can be done is on the Dyno with the gas analyzer. Air filter or other things may vary. Testing a bike is the only way and it's worth the time. My bike is in the shop for an electrical system check-up (warranty) so I don't have the settings, besides I have a different custom exhaust on the race bike, a K&N filter, different fuel tanks and lines, a disconnected exhaust sensor and a chopped airbox - these are variables that your bike doesn't have so my settings aren't applicable. 5. The digital box has more knowledge of what they learned in the previous stages and is easier to adjust plus adjusts itself better to the bike. They still aren't 100% finished with the product to where a non-mechanical customer can install it on ANY BMW without Dyno/CO2 work. They needed to go to the digital box to start to allow this. BMW has so many non-standard approaches  to their EFI especially in the area of O2 sensor feedback that required this. If you buy one make sure it is the digital box. 6. digital camera is broken. Too much sand. I drilled the holes in the ends of the levers for the adventure bike, the Rallye bike has shorter levers because of the handguards. will try to get you photos but at least two weeks. A picture of drilled lever is on the website under the Baja trip. davidhpark, #711 - 05-Feb-02

• Staintune on 02 F650 GS. No problem with the FI. While you're at it chop the airbox snorkel down to size. Your bike will thank you with better breathing. If you want to do the whole bit put on a digital Fuel Nanny and Dyno/CO2 tune the bike. You'll be amazed at the difference all three changes together will make. I would do airbox first (as it's free!), then pipe - this is the one/two punch. Then Fuel Nanny with tuning. They can help your tech with detailed testing/tuning procedures if need be. davidhpark, #711 - 05-Feb-02

• K&N Filter Install. I'm in the same boat you are in. Picked up my K&N from K&N directly as my dealer didn't /couldn't get one for my 2001 Dakar. (Their distributor didn't have it in their catalogue yet.) My guess about the foam insert is that the FI models have been having the SS problems due to leaning out the mixture for smog purposes and K&N just wanted to address that issue. Their filters breathe so much better than the paper elements, which could only serve to exacerbate the mixture problem . I'm not really savvy about the BMW FI systems and how they compensate for changes in elevation and K&N air filter installations.........but I believe there is a low speed circuit that has more of a constant in fuel value than the high speed circuit which I believe is variable....? Someone knowledgeable on the list has discussed this in the past.  I also have a fuel Nanny from Techlusion that I haven't installed yet to compensate for the surge stall problems (though mine is minor) and will throw that on as well to richen things up a bit. This will definitely compensate for any mixture issues and I have heard nothing but good things about this product . Perhaps I'll just put on the filter 1st and test it out to see if the SS issue worsens with the K&N installed. I'll let you know what I find out. By the way, how much did your dealer charge you for the K&N ? I had to pay full pop (59.95 retail) plus shipping......from K&N....Still worth every penny. White Raven.

• GS; tuning; Fuel Nanny. Concerning the tuning of the F650GS I did found some interesting threads on the net. The first one is a discussion about that Fuel Nanny. (See BMWRT Link above). The second on was discussed in the NNTP de.rec.motorrad, which started on Jan 22nd 2002 under the topic "Motortuning F650GS". In one answer the author, obviously a test rider and a former BMW employee, is saying that there are EPROM's, which give the F650GS 65 HP in combination with an open air filter and an open exhaust system. I would really pay a lot for such an EPROM. Robert #1071

• GS; tuning; fuel nanny. I bought fuel Nanny's for Icewoman's GS and my 99 Cagiva Gran Canyon. The GS has a Remus exhaust and a K&N, and it runs well, but well below what I'd normally expect for a high tech, big bore thumper. I find the performance to be more like a 400, not a 650. I haven't installed either nanny yet, but I did an EPROM change to the GC. It suffered from a surge problem, while under the slightest of load. After the chip change, it runs fantastic, with ALL gremlins gone. Better response everywhere, and no "hiccups" which was an occasional, but definite glitch. Gas mileage? Probably about the same if I'm cruising, which is very rare. It's all about the rush for me. I can ride it slow if I want, but I can't ride a slow bike fast, if I want. If ever there's an EPROM for the GS, I'm an owner. Iceman 975.

• K&N Filter Install: Having been into desert racing in the 60's riding both a 500 Triumph and a number of two-strokes, lower restriction air filters will result in leaner mixtures. In a two stroke this can bring about added heat and piston seizure. Four strokes are less prone; but you can get added performance if you rejet richer. With the FI F650s the Fuel Nanny is the easiest way to get control of the mixture. There is a section in FAQ section where the Nanny installation is discussed. K&N wants to make sure your engine does not run too lean so they include the restrictive foam insert. Get a Nanny and remove that restriction. Bill #1031

• Fuel Nanny in NZ. A GS rider here has installed fuel nanny and published an article in BMWOR NZ ( New Zealand ) to the effect that the bike is dynoing an extra 5 BHP at low revs. He loves it. GS's run much richer here than US, as witness the copious carbon deposits around the RH exhaust outlet, so it looks like a worth while upgrade from an economy standpoint. Cost in Pacific Peso's $500, or $200 US landed. PeeWee ( #716) - 11-Feb-02

• I long ago forgot the settings. I did call Techlusion more than once to discuss all possible settings. I liked the Fuel Nanny a lot on my old stock FI software. My current 10.1 software is so smooth, I don't need the FI anymore. Joe #1065 - 12-Feb-02

• Subject: RE: Performance upgrade. I've got a Fuel Nanny, K&N filter, modified airbox, and a custom titanium free flowing exhaust on my Rallye bike. Sure it has more HP but Flash is right, not the right tool/bike. For the Dakar we ported the Rotax to 700cc and changed the cam and valves. We remapped the FI in concert with this (and the major new airbox which was huge) and wound up with 70 bhp. However you'd spend at least $5k in engine mods plus another $2k in airbox, oil cooler, frame mods to get this to work with a non-Rallye ready F650GS. That's money much better spent on buying another bike IMO. davidhpark, #711 - 16-Feb-02.

• Idle speed. With the Techlusion fuel nanny you can change idle speed as well as other variables such as fuel delivery. IMO the Fuel Nanny really helps in this aspect (and others) of the bike because with the closed to mods BMW FI system you can't do something simple like an idle mixture screw. FI is NOT perfect and bike conditions change over time. Having an owner adjustability of fuel delivery is appropriate and worthwhile - which is why I ride with the Fuel Nanny. I tested with CO2 and Dyno to find where the idle was off and now have the bike dialled in across the full range of operations. davidhpark, #711 - 08-Mar-02

• Fuel Nanny to the rescue. I had several software updates, but my bike continued to surge and stall. I installed the fuel nanny and I no longer had the surging but the bike continued to stall at stop lights. After the fuel nanny the bike would cut out at freeway speeds for a second or two at a time, which was more frightening than any of the other problems I had before. I made an appointment with the dealer and before bringing it in I removed the fuel nanny and any signs that it was installed on the bike (I did not want to give the dealer or factory a chance to blame the fuel nanny for all the problems). After I got the bike back it didn't surge or stall, and I decided to leave the fuel nanny off of the bike. A couple weeks later the dealer tells me that they want me to bring the bike back in because a factory rep told them that they should have replaced a "control unit". Since the bike was finally running satisfactorily after 8000 miles I refused to bring the bike back for any changes to the software or hardware. The dealer told me that they may not get paid for the last "warranty visit" because they did not replace the module that was referred to. I don't know why the dealer went out of their way to get a hold of me and ask me to bring my bike back in to make changes even though I was finally happy with the performance of the bike, but my advice to those of you who finally get your F650GS running the way you like, don't let them change anything afterwards. Robbie #804 - 25-Mar-02

• Exhaust Mod. Hey Dave I had the same question a while back. I contacted David Park on this page. He seems to know a lot about this stuff. He said not to punch the exhaust out as it wouldn't do what I was wanting...more power, sound etc. I ending going with a Staintune Exhaust also did the Air Snorkle Mod and did a Fuel Nanny. I must say the bike runs sweet. No more sucking noises like its starving from air, strong mid range and sounds great. I have not been in the rain yet so I don't know what will happen with the filter, I think its not a problem as its still pretty sheltered in there....the pro's out weigh the con's Big Time. I did buy another snorkle for when I take the bike in for service I will but that back to stock. My 01 GS Surged and Stalled from day one. Had it in the shop for as long as one month at a time, they claimed it ran fine...Bull S_it. I explained it was unacceptable the way it was and demanded my money back in full including taxes or a new bike. After many letters too BMW and my Dealer they gave me a new 01. It was a fight all the way, I threatened them that I would go to Lemon Laws and my Lawyer etc etc. Having said all this my new bike had a small amount of surge but no stalls. The surge was marginal but still not perfect in my books. So instead of asking my dealer again and get a answer again that all was just fine I then ordered a Fuel Nanny...this thing is the cats ass. You can richen it up a bit with no problems. I have now done the Air Box Snorkle Mod, Installed a Staintune Exhaust and disconnected the Exhaust Sensor. I'm running the 9.0 software. The dealer told me with the new 10.0 software the bike would idle higher and take awhile for it to come down. I decided I didn't want that and kept what I have. *The bike now runs like it should...love it. *Go for the Nanny even if you don't do all the other stuff. JV Canada

• Vibration above 5K rpm. I had the same problem until I installed the Fuel Nanny. The (heavy) Wunderlich bar raisers seemed to help a bit, too. Anders

• 10/01 Dakar 12,600 Miles. Latest software set to low octane, stock exhaust and intake, Fuel nanny, No Surge or Stall. Runs like it should. Great Bike. Steve #1130

• 2001 Dakar demo, 4000 miles, had slight surging when purchased from the dealer. Problem corrected at 4600 miles. Problem returned at 8500 miles and is a little worse than before. 3500-4500RPM bike hesitates, and "bucks" intermittently. If ridden at 4800+RPM no problems. Currently have 9500 miles and am considering the fuel nanny to correct my problem. Sean-STL - 22-Apr-02

• Lots of annoying stalls. Added Fuel Nanny... no problems now.  Jim#1022

• Usable tank capacity. Amazing, only one response addressed your question, Gerry. I don't have an answer in gallons for you either. But I would say you could carry a spare gallon with you and just let it run out of fuel. Hopefully you would be pretty close to a station where you could immediately fill up and add that amount to the i gal. that you just put it. I would hope the fuel pump is self-priming; so you will be able to continue after putting in your spare fuel. I am getting over 50 MPG with my '01 Dakar with a combination of pavement and dirt roads. I do have a fuel nanny with the cross-over set pretty high at about 4000 RPM. So I am running on the low speed adjustment screw most of the time. I also have the O2 sensor disconnected, which allows the nanny to be in complete control at all RPMs. Bill #1031 '01Dakar, Oregon - 03-May-02

• $149 GS Surge-good enough fix. First the background: I am a new motorcyclist and bought my 1st bike, a 2001 F650 GSA (yellow) last month. Loved it (still do) but hated the 3500RPM surge (how can you cruise the blvd in style with your bike farting the whole way?!) I Read the tips here on the message board, had my 600 miles service and still the surge happened. The shop said my 7/00 build date bike (shipped to USA 1/01) actually had the NEW software and injector, and there was no "upgrade" to perform though they were willing. So I farted home and figured I'd try the Fuel Nanny from http://www.techlusion.com. I had heard about here. I called the guys twice, very nice, 30 money back trial, why not. (I do not represent them BTW).

• The kit arrive, I installed it in 45 minutes, left the three stock settings alone, put the bike back together, rode 25 miles around Seattle, and hey, no surges! (FYI, I never had a stall problem so don't know if this would help). I'm told I can further fine tune the fuel settings if I want but I'll leave it alone for now.

• The ride is DIFFERENT and BETTER, more smooth, steady, really cruisable and ready for the Blvd. Horsepower seems the same but more gentle (OK with me) Later, I might fine tune it or even try the other tricks from Techlusion (disconnect air sensor, enlarge air intake with hacksaw, upgrade to K&N filter). But for the meantime....I'm going to log-off for a few weeks from the Chain Gang and go ride my surge-free bike! Joe.

• I had several software updates, but my bike continued to surge and stall. I installed the fuel nanny and I no longer had the surging but the bike continued to stall at stop lights. After the fuel nanny the bike would cut out at freeway speeds for a second or two at a time, which was more frightening than any of the other problems I had before. I made an appointment with the dealer and before bringing it in I removed the fuel nanny and any signs that it was installed on the bike (I did not want to give the dealer or factory a chance to blame the fuel nanny for all the problems). After I got the bike back it didn't surge or stall, and I decided to leave the fuel nanny off of the bike. A couple weeks later the dealer tells me that they want me to bring the bike back in because a factory rep told them that they should have replaced a "control unit". Since the bike was finally running satisfactorily after 8000 miles I refused to bring the bike back for any changes to the software or hardware. The dealer told me that they may not get paid for the last "warranty visit" because they did not replace the module that was referred to. I don't know why the dealer went out of their way to get a hold of me and ask me to bring my bike back in to make changes even though I was finally happy with the performance of the bike, but my advice to those of you who finally get your F650GS running the way you like, don't let them change anything afterwards. Robbie #804

• Techlusion settings- my own: Digital Techlusion TFI-1030, Sebring pipe, no cat, cut airbox, stock filter, 10.3 (I think) software/ O2 sensor disconnected, Fuel Mixture (green) - 3, Acc Pump (yellow) - 3, Main Jet (Red) - 2, RPM - 5, no s/s, not yet optimal, brisk, better fuel delivery, but not earthshaking improvement. VRago # 328

• Techlusion settings. Digital Techlusion TFI-1030, Stock exhaust, no alterations, Stock snorkel, with K&N filter (no insert), 10.x software/ O2 sensor disconected. Fuel Mixture (green) - 4, Acc Pump (yellow) - 2, Main Jet (Red) - 1, RPM - 5+, Smooth as can be at all RPM's. I had an analog model and removed it when I got the 10.x software. It ran better with the new software but it still had that slight surge under light throttle so I upgraded to the newer model box. The new software felt flat in places too but the extra fuel added by the box has solved that one too. Surging & Stalling. 01/01 GSA. Had both problems - Techlusion FN fixed it. New 10.x software was much better so I removed the FN, but after a few hundred miles I got tired of the remaining surge under light throttle and upgraded to the newer FN. All is good now (Techlusion recommends disconnecting the O2 sensor). Not one stall since 10.x and the bike is very smooth at all RPM settings. 10% lower fuel economy at present settings. BradG 1002.

• First, the item I ordered from Techlusion is their new 83i PowerBox. So far it's only available for BMW F and R engines. According to their site and Mike (Mark's brother) it is designed to eliminate the light throttle surge in those engines. It will also make the most of any modifications you have done to the bike by allowing you to tune the fuel curve.

• I ordered the 83i on Monday and it arrived Wednesday by FedEx. Inside the FedEx bag was a USPS Express Mail box. No, I don't know why either. Inside the box was a baggie with the warranty, instructions, Velcro, some zip ties, enough connectors for a three cylinder engine (spares I guess) and the 83i itself. It was about the size of two Zippo lighters side to side. The instructions are identical to what is posted on their website here. http://www.techlusion.com/.

• Out came the metric tools and off came the body panels on my GS. On a side note has anyone ever noticed that those nipples on the side panels that go into the rubber mounts near the bottom front of the bike are flexible? I bent one and thought I would have to buy a new panel. Turns out bending it back worked fine. It’s made of a weird stiff but rubbery plastic. Anyway, off came the body. I found the pair of wires coming off the injector and peeled back the electrical tape. The wires were green/blue and yellow/blue instead of the green/white-yellow/white found in the instructions. No matter, I just subbed blue for white and charged ahead. I snapped on the self-splicing connectors and drilled a whole for the ground. I secured the ground wire down with a SS #10 x 3/4” bolt and Nyloc nut. I mounted the 83i on the stock Motronic. The Velcro seemed to do well but I secured it with the factory rubber band for good measure.

• Next came tuning the box. I had mounted the 83i upside down to make opening it easier since the cover screws are on the bottom. The three pots inside are unlabeled but the pictures make it clear which is which. I noted what positions the pots were clocked to then I bolted the ground cable back in place (they want it removed to allow the stock ECU to reset). And fired the old girl up.

• Now things got interesting. Not “Wow, maybe girls have more to offer than cooties” interesting but kinda neat from a tech standpoint. According to the instructions you don’t do anything until the bike gets warmed up. Then it should show a steady green light. During warm up I watched the box as the bike did its high idle thing. The green light and red light went crazy. The red light would be on, the engine would waver and drop slightly in speed, the red light would turn off and the green light would turn on. Then the red light would turn on and the engine would speed up. Repeat. Faster and faster this cycle happened until the engine warmed-up and settled down at idle (~1500 RPM on my GS) with the green light on. I should note that the changes in speed up and down during warm-up were a bit less with the 83i than what the bike would normally do while it warmed up. I had the distinct impression of an invisible hand trying to even out the slightly rough idle my bike always had during warm-up.

• Next was setting the point where the red light comes on. It was already coming on at 1750 RPM or so just like they recommended. I played with it anyway to see if I could change the shift point for the red LED. Sure enough I could wind it down to idle (made it a little rough sounding) or bring it up past 5000 RPM (didn’t seem to do anything). I set it back to where it was from Techlusion and made sure the other pots were too. The last step is to check surging at road speed. I buttoned up the seat and took off.

• This is what you were waiting for right? Well it went like this. My bike always surged between 2000 and 4000 RPM. It was worse when the engine was cold or the air was cold or I was using less than ¼ throttle but it always surged. A hot engine on a dry 70-degree day with a heavy right hand had the least surging but it was always there. Hot cold, wet dry, hi or lo octane; it didn’t matter. The first trip down the street with the 83i the surging was gone. Rock steady at idle, no surging during any part of an upshift (I usually upshift at 4000 RPM and let the next gear catch around 3000 RPM) and easily modulated RPMs at less than ¼ throttle. As the engine warmed up this good behavior continued. I could gun it from a stop sign and it didn’t hesitate in the lower half of the Tach. I could go through the gears lazily and it wouldn’t surge in any gear. Cruising in 5th at 3000 RPM the engine was smooth and steady. I was so happy I forgot I didn’t have a helmet until I ran through a swarm of gnats. I went home, picked up the Shoei and headed out. After doing everything I could think of (2nd gear starts in silt, popping the clutch while moving, killing it with the brakes at a stop sign and then restarting) I even tried 5th gear at 30 MPH. Not a happy engine but it lugged with the steady thump of an elephant’s heartbeat.

• So my final conclusion? If your GS surges and the dealer can’t or won’t fix it, get the 83i. So far (only 50 miles) it seems to cure every gripe I had about the GS’s engine. It now runs like I thought it should. I don’t know for sure if it cured the stalling but I should find out this weekend. I’m taking a 500-mile trip and my GS always stalled in less than that amount of miles. Usually in a corner. I’ll also have good MPG data and next week I might even have G-tech comparisons if my buddy’s new toy arrives. Later. Bob#752

• I can now finally enjoy my GS the way it was meant to be enjoyed, without regrets! I finally bit the bullet and had the guys at Cal BMW install the Fuel Nanny and it was the best $240 I've spent in a long time. I rode the bike home in the rain on Friday so I can't attest to all of the engine's performance characteristics but it doesn't surge anymore. I enjoyed it so much I kept riding in the pouring rain (some credit goes to all this modern riding apparel stuff - what a combo, bike and gear that works). What a great little motor, I can now imagine putting in some long hours in the saddle and enjoy the 55-60 mph range, where it used to surge, on our great back county roads. My hat is off to the people at Techlusion! Now if BMW could just humble itself and license/buy this little "black box" maybe they could get rid of some of this black cloud hanging over them. Since I'm not an electronic wizard and don't re-program anything on my own cars/bikes that I can't do from the driver's seat I'll just tell you what I've been told. My bike surged at even throttle at around 3,500 to 4,200 rpm. In my research it only did this during a "no load" situation either on a level or slight downhill grade. Accelerating or riding uphill (or even into a strong headwind) kept it from surging. For my situation I thought that the Fuel Nanny would be the solution since my understanding of how the Fuel Nanny works is that it just sends a signal to the FI system telling it that there is a load. I have not noticed other performance changes that would normally be associated with enrichening the fuel delivery. I also did not get a chance to wring 'er out since it was just starting to rain and was still slick. I did open 'er up a couple of times in a straight line but didn't notice any difference. Chonk#821

• Fuel Nanny installed! I did the air-box butchery after tweaking the Nanny for a week or 2. It sounds wild but doesn't seem to run much different. The techs at Techlusion were a big help. They don't really recommend hacking the box unless you're doing an exhaust upgrade as well. They've made a few changes on their F650 page. It's worth taking a look. If not for the Fuel Nanny I'd have burned my bike or sued my dealer by now. Troutrider.

• FI Upgrades - Fact and Fiction. I am unsure of the number of the latest upgrade for the BMS computer. It is available on the latest MoDiTec upgrade which is disk 10 so it must be 10. something. It replaces the latest 9.something upgrade and has been out for a little over a month. I makes a great deal of difference on how the F650 g/s runs. It does seem to hold the engine idle speed up a bit until the motorcycle make a complete stop. Somewhat like a dash pot on a carburetted car. I am sure that there will be more upgrades to come if needed. This upgrade when used with the Fuel Nanny turned down to 3 o'clock makes an extremely fine running machine. Yes all service departments or managers are not created equal. Sounds like yours is trying but is yet to get the facts straight. Fact is most service managers have little hands on experience with this know mostly theory. The correct procedure for updating the BMS is to load the update, label the BMS computer, then start the bike without touching the throttle and allow it to idle until warm not to exceed the time when the cooling fan turns on. Proper start procedure for the bike is to turn on the key, wait at least one second, never never touch the twist grip and start. I have supplied you with the true procedure no question. Enjoy and please be happy and enjoy you bikes. They will run quite well if this is followed. I love mine and have many others doing the same.

• Why should BMW use that Fuel Nanny?. That surging is because of the lean mixture, what is needed to comply with the emission regulations. If you have a look in the internet you will see that there are a lot of vehicles affected with surging. The solution for it is a very sophisticated and expensive DME or you can enrichen the mixture. Exactly that enrichening is performed by the Fuel Nanny but then the F650GS does not fulfil the emission laws. A cheaper way is to use the original European software of spring 2000. That will cost you about US$ 10,- for the EEPROM. Robert #1071.

• None of us has the source code for the ECU software; so we can only speculate what it does at start-up. But being an experienced (20 years) embedded software designer, I will speculate. I think the software senses throttle position at KEY-ON. I don't think it waits for pressing the start button. So make sure you don't have open throttle when you turn the key on. After that I would think you could open the throttle any amount you choose to get it started. (When cold I frequently have to open the throttle to get it to start.) I have observed the Fuel Nanny LED indicators and know that any abrupt opening in the throttle causes the high speed mixture LED to light up. This tells me that the ECU senses the abrupt opening and provides a short period of fuel enrichment. (Like the accelerator pump of an automobile carburettor) This feature provides good throttle response when riding. When I have cold starting difficulty, I will let it crank over two or three time; and then I abruptly open the throttle to provide a shot of fuel. Then I immediately close the throttle to let the engine home-in on it's idling parameters. Often just pressing the start button gets the engine fired up immediately; so I don't need to use the abrupt throttle open technique. This plan works beautifully on my '01 Dakar. Bill #1031

• I don't have any farting, just regular small "drop-outs" in power 3500-4200 which are annoying. I collected the FN a bit earlier today and had a 4-5 hour ride with it connected and set at STD settings. All the "farting" were gone.

• Earlier the engine often refused to pick up if I suddenly opened the throttle wide up with the rpm below ca. 3400 rpm. Now it started to pick up at once but a bit slow until 3600- 3700 rpm, and then it just got going faster all the way up. The stumbling and power variations at rpms 3500- 4200 at low throttle opening has almost all disappeared. This with more or less std. settings. I did not have the adjustment instructions so I will do some "fine" tuning of the FN tomorrow and let you know.

• I will also change to my old software box to make sure the FN works as I say. With the old (Motronic Box, Haakon has a spare with the old s./w ed.) box, it was impossible to ride the bike. Imagine the slight but irritating stumbles and jerking multiplied by 2 or 3. Not ride- able at all. I have tried out the boxes several times and the "malfunctions" appear at exactly the same rpm range and throttle openings. The difference is the magnitude. I have an "image" in my head that might explain it: With a slow, heavy, low power engine slight variations in power output is a lot less annoying than in a high power engine with light rotational mass. When the power comes back in the high power engine it really jerks forward. I think I must agree with Robert, the old (European?) software is much more agile than the 10.1 software. Several times before, I have advised people to keep the 9.3 and get a FN to get rid of the S/S. Did some more riding today and the dropouts are definitely gone with the 10.1 software and "old" FN.

• I am sure (I think) that all the other "malfunctions" are partly due to the ABS and so on. Even though both the farthing and other flaws I have had also mostly disappeared with the FN. My other software is the 8.3 or whatever it was called. The first one as used early year 2000. I have not had the courage to unsolder the chip and replace it with a socket. I just got my old box (changed under warranty) back and repaired it. The FN did not work with the 8.3, but I discovered something strange as I was swapping back and forth between the boxes. Every time I had put the 10.1 box in, the bike refused to start at the first try after the swap. Had to put ignition on and off and the second time it fired up at once. Techlusion states you should disconnect and reconnect the earth wiring at the battery after installation.

• I believed removing the big connector on the box would do the trick. When I (only once) hooked up the 10.1 box and did the earth wire thing it started at once. With the 8.3 box, I had no starting trouble. The two boxes are obviously more different than I ever imagined. Maybe the 8.3 also is more sensitive to signals from the ABS unit? I hope so and look forward to Monday with a new ABS and injector installed. I forgot to tell you that when the BMW diagnostic computer was preparing to install the new map it told us I have had 81 instances of "Lambda probe value mismatch". The meaning was that the lambda probe had detected values that did not match the CO values expected by the ECU or that the ECU had, without success tried to make the fuel/ air ratio leaner. This was presumably due to my testing of the Fuel Nanny prior to my visit at the workshop.

• If you have a bitchy dealer, be sure to remove all traces of you using a FN before you visit them. They might refuse to do any "warranty" work as you have used gadgets not approved by BMW. I have used my bike for two days now with the rear speed sensor disconnected. To the best of my ability, I cannot say I feel any difference in how the engine behaves. This is with the new ECU map. I will try it out a couple of days more before I switch to the old box and software.  Just a short "notice" of a happy day and the results of me ( my bike that is) getting a new ABS.

• I have a new bike - not all happy though. The pinking (pre-ignition) I have heard before, as a sort of background noise, nearly made me ditch the bike and holler for help. I got a new ABS unit, a cleaned up and repaired ABS connector, a new (from a R-1150 or something) injector and a new, low grade petrol, software. By choosing the low octane petrol software I had a hope the ignition timing would be lower and the air/ fuel ratio a bit richer than the high octane software. I think I will go back and have the high octane program installed instead. The bike responded at all rpms at once, I could not feel any hesitation or surging or uneven running. I maybe could get used to the pinking but do not think so. It was just too much! The happy thing is that I changed the Motronic box to the one with the early software. The pinking was almost all gone and except for a small all over hesitation when accelerating, the bike was , all over, faster- when it first got going. As it was pouring down with rain and getting dark I did not do any real testing. Haakon #626.

• You don't have to touch the snorkle to get the FN to work for you. Mine was stock for months while the FN worked its magic. I only altered the snorkle last week on a whim and I didn't drill any holes, just made the intake end bigger. I agree that it is a shame to have spend the money on the FN but think about how much you have already spent on the bike. If it makes it run like mine I think you will be happy you did it. They probably have a money back guarantee but I'm not sure. BradG 1002.

• That surging cannot be cured if BMW is trying to meet the exhaust regulations. For this the CPU of the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) is too weak/slow, there is missing a further sensor and moreover that ROTAX engine was NOT designed for the use of a 3-way-catalytic-converter. I have ridden a lot of different F650GS with the newest software and new injector and they all had that surging, some more and some less. If you are a sensible driver you can always feel it. So forget it! The only possibilities seem to be the use of the Fuel Nanny in combination with the disconnecting of the lambda sensor or you get the old European software (http://www.geocities.com/robertosat). I have done the latter one and I am very satisfied with it. Robert #1071

• The Spade connectors were dreadful, I had to stick a screwdriver in to spread the contacts just a tad, NO WAY were they going on by themselves. Now UNLIKE the Pics on the Web site / Setup info, there are NO NUMBERS on my dials. I assumed that the settings are just the same orientation-wise with 12 o'clock at the top by the row of lights. Otherwise GREAT, no Stumble, still fiddling with the settings. Kristian #562.

• The fuel nanny unit is a ripper! (Aussie jargon for terrific). OK, my Techlusion fuel digital fuel injection thingo arrived from the land of the free in the mail - in a large UPS cardboard box, inside which was mostly air bag packing then another box the size of two cig packets. They could have just used a postpak and saved me the freakin $98 postage bill from the US, but alas... Anyway, the unit fitted easily, with wire taps into the fuel injector wiring and one to ground, pretty straightforward. I adjusted the settings based on a balance of suggested settings from discussions lists on the net. The O2 sensor was disconnected from the exhaust manifold, and once I checked my recently fitted home made foam air filter (which had managed to get sucked into the air housing and proven itself useless, so got replaced with a standard paper element) it was off for the test ride. I fitted the Staintune replacing the OEM and Cat converter system a few months back and noticed little power difference. Cutting the snorkel on the air intake to allow more inhale added some noticeable extra power. The so called "fuel nanny" unit today made a significant difference again in two respects. First, the surging and occasional stalling I've experienced was replaced with a much smoother application of power throughout the range. Generally more of it, with much less delay - it's there the moment you twist the grip. I can see myself wearing out rear tyres even faster now. Second, well there's just more power full stop. I don't know how to quantify it from stock, but I reckon there's about 10% more and better smoother running into the bargain. I ran the bike up towards its redline a couple of times and noticed it cut out. I've also noticed in traffic this arvo the fast idle stays on slightly longer than it used to - something more noticeable as I used to use the slow idle as engine braking in traffic. These things can be fine tuned with experimenting with the settings, which simply turn like the face of a clock. Ross F650 Dakar - a go faster version :-). WR400F - goes fast all the time.

• 1. Having just gone through the process at Techlusion on their Dyno I don't think that it's best to do a Fuel Nanny without spending the time with a Dyno and a gas analyzer to tune the adjustment potentiometers. 2. I don't think that settings from one person's Dyno make any sense for your bike. You need to RUN the bike, listen to it but more importantly watch the CO2 output to see if it surges because of lean fuel and then dial in the right amount to get it up into tune. The only way that this can be done is on the Dyno with the gas analyzer. Air filter or other things may vary. Testing a bike is the only way and it's worth the time. My bike is in the shop for an electrical system check-up (warranty) so I don't have the settings, besides I have a different custom exhaust on the race bike, a K&N filter, different fuel tanks and lines, a disconnected exhaust sensor and a chopped airbox - these are variables that your bike doesn't have so my settings aren't applicable. 3. The digital box has more knowledge of what they learned in the previous stages and is easier to adjust plus adjusts itself better to the bike. They still aren't 100% finished with the product to where a non-mechanical customer can install it on ANY BMW without Dyno/CO2 work. They needed to go to the digital box to start to allow this. BMW has so many non-standard approaches to their EFI especially in the area of O2 sensor feedback that required this. If you buy one make sure it is the digital box. DavidHPark#711

• TFi-1030 AKA Fuel Nanny. I put the Nanny on my 2001 F650GS at 14,000 miles. I am very impressed. My motorcycle did not have any surging after the injector change/V10 SW upgrade (this was done around 1000 miles) but it did make little popping noises and would die at stop signs once in awhile. I always thought the low-end power should be more as I had other thumpers. Well, with the fuel nanny the popping is all gone now, more low-end power with very smooth delivery all the way to max RPMs and no stop-sign dying. Idle is very smooth and I can start from a dead stop letting out the clutch slowly and no gas if I want. After I installed the nanny and played with the setting I was able to do some wheelies. First gear only. I then removed the snorkel and did some more adjustments and noticed even more low-end torque. So I did the snorkel mod. I am very happy with this device. I will do the exhaust mod next week. IMHO: The snorkel mod will add more to your low end and exhaust mod should improve top end. FTF: (for the FAQs) G=6 Y=3.5 R=2 RPM=5.5 O2 disconnected. Idle about the same 1200 or so. Andre - 16-Sep-02

• I pulled my nanny after the bike refused to start, acting like it was flooded. I also noticed that I was getting a large cloud of black/gray smoke when I revved it in neutral (yea, yea, just don't do that, I know). I had made no other mods to the bike and the settings were as indicated in the install manual. The bike did run a whole lot better then it did without the nanny, but due to the starting worries I'll leave it off and just live with the surge. Kelly #1005.

• Done. Took two hours. Removed baffle. Disconnected O2. Cut snorkle around air temp sensor. Installed fuel nanny. I have not turned any of the adjusters. I wheelie wheelie like the way it runs. My idle before the fuel nanny was 1400 rpm now with nanny close to 2000. Colorado GS.

• I attempted to do the tune tonight. I had to go find a road that the police wouldn't be on by the time I found good road I was at 9,000 feet elevation and on a hill. Needless to say I didn't do well with the tweaking. I think I will go at during a two day ride or maybe 3. Pinging is gone. Bike is so smooth. The only way this thing is coming off is if someone steals it. I would say horsepower is up quite a bit. 1st gear is over quick. Gearing seem off now dump it into second and you need to shift as soon as you get it in gear. Not complaining. 1st and 2nd gear wheelies at will. And I live at 6,500 ft elevation. Man you sea level people must be all grins. Patrick.

• I've got the fuel nanny on my 2000 Dakar. I only have it on the recommended settings to get rid of the surging/stalling and it does a good job of that. I also did the K&N filter, airbox mods (snorkelectomy) and put on a Staintune. I find that Staintune a bit too noisy for everyday use so now I only put it on when I am going away and use the space underneath for an emergency fuel container. The bike seems a bit more responsive but I reckon that it is a result of all the changes and not any one specific mod. Ziegfried.

• Next.

What about Freeway "Cut-out" WITH the Fuel Nanny and what about the NEW Fuel Nanny?

• Hey Jim, the "fuel starving" you're talking about... does it sometimes happen at 5k RPM while you're on the freeway? Every so often mine will do that, it's like the fuel just shuts off for a second or two then picks right back up again. It only does it with the 83i in there, if I disconnect it I don't have that (particular) problem. Kelly #1005

• Kelly, The problem you are asking Jim about seems common for people with TFi boxes. I have experienced it with the newer TFi box. I'm not sure it is fuel starvation but it feels like it. My perception is that it only happens 2-3 times after I reset the BMS. I have gone thousands of miles with no hiccups and only to have them return after some maintenance that required disconnecting the battery. It would be interesting to know if this only happens to people that ALSO disconnect the O2 sensor as recommended by Techlusion. I know that this missing O2 sensor causes soft faults to accumulate in the BMS memory. I'm wondering if that might be the cause. Maybe after a few faults and the results of them, the BMS ignores the missing sensor or changes mode so that it no longer cares. Follow up query: Do you have this problem and if so, do you also have the O2 sensor disconnected? Add any other pertinent comments on your symptoms.

• YES! That's exactly what happens. This last weekend I rode about 200 miles and it happened about 5 times, usually on the freeway running about 5k to 6k rpm for a stretch. I close the throttle for a second and it recovers. This time I disconnected my oxy sensor before the trip, but it didn't make any difference that I could tell. Next time I'll disconnect the 83i and test that. I believe I have the original 2001 software that came with the bike. I bought it in July '01. Jim #1022, Aptos, CA

• I have my O2 sensor connected and have the problem. I've not tried it with it disconnected so I can't comment there. I do know that the cut-out doesn't happen if the 83i is disconnected so I'm 95% sure that it's not a BMW issues but a Techlusion issue. Still, I'm happier with the 83i in than I am with it out as the 5k cut-out doesn't happen much anymore. Wow, how's that for a bunch of mixed information. :( kelly1005

• The new TFi box is supposed to be digital and the two designs probably share very few components. I guess the best thing to do is to call Techlusion and ask them. I'll try to call them tomorrow if I can remember to do it. I'm not too sure the box could do something like what is being described. They are only supposed to augment the delivery of fuel by triggering the fuel injector a few milliseconds longer than the BMS does. If this is actually a fuel issue then the TFi box would have to be able to cause the injector to not even deliver what the BMS is requesting. Obviously if you say you only have the problem with the box installed then it has to be at least part of the cause. One other idea is that it is related the TFi's handling of the cross-over which is one of it's settings. Most of us have the cross-over (RPM) set in the 5k range. Enough speculation, I'll call them and see what they have to say. Brad, N. CA., 2001 F650GS - Inmate #1002

• Rick agreed to let me post his response. My thanks to him for spending the time with me to explain things. Here is my summary of the discussion. "The occasional "freeway cut-out" as it seems to be known has been a bit of a ghost problem for them. They have been looking for the culprit for quite some time. It was first thought to be related to BMS memory and soft faults that occur with the 83i box. The all digital model, the TFi 1030, was supposed to cure this by avoiding the soft faults. Well obviously that wasn't it either. They are just finishing up a new design for the F650 that they are hopeful for. It includes an additional wire that will connect into the O2 sensor circuit. I think that means that they will no longer suggest disconnecting the O2 sensor. According to Rick, the FI system on the F is more sophisticated than that found on the twins and is more sensitive to changes or other faults." What he said he would do is upgrade everyone that has either box when the new model is available. He figures they are about 30-45 days from being ready to ship product. So, make a note in your calendars to give Techlusion a call in late December or early January to see about an upgrade to your box. Thanks again to Rick for sharing the latest plans. Cheers, Brad, N. CA., 2001 F650GS - Inmate #1002

• I just called Techlusion. They said the new box is expected to be starting to sell end of February. Retail price will be $249. Major difference is that it comes with OEM connectors, so it's easy to take it out without any traces and you don't have to disconnect the O2 sensor. I didn't ask about the "freeway cut-out". I saw the old analog version 83i on sale for $75. I don't really have a problem with surging, I'm more worried about running lean and hot. My engine felt very hot last summer and that was before I added a Staintune and a K&N (I also want to do the snorkel chop). It also seems much more noisy when accelerating at lower revs when it's warm (is that detonation?). I'm hoping that I could fix some of that by letting it run a little richer. Anyway, the Techlusion guy said that the digital box (1030i) would enhance the roll-on performance and also fix some of the detonation. So it's $75 vs. $189 vs. $249. Hm. 2001 F650 GSA, its_xls

• I have not requested an upgrade yet. I figured they would not be ready until January. Now it sounds like February. I get the freeway cut out nearly every long ride I do. I'll be going for the latest model because of the possibility of a fix for that. The change in muffler is unlikely to have any affect. The K&N WITHOUT the extra foam insert they provide will cause your bike to run a bit lean and maybe hotter. Any of their boxes will allow you to run richer to resolve that. If you want to have the ability to tweak it a bit more and maybe get a tiny bit more torque the digital box gives you more control. The newest design seems to offer best OEM integration and may prevent the occurrence of occasional cut outs. I certainly prefer to leave my O2 sensor connected if I can to prevent faults accumulating in the BMS unit. However, as for your possible overheating concern I would also make sure the cooling system is operating well. The thermostats, fans and water pumps are all known culprits. My fan quit on me recently and I got a temperature light on a slow going off road trip. And this was on a nice cool winter day. These bikes are right on the edge for cooling so everything has to be right to avoid a problem when you it run hard and slow. Brad, N. CA., 2001 F650GS - Inmate #1002

• From: "Gil Naverez" <Gil@techlusion.com> To: <snip>  Subject: Re: Products Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002. Kristian, We will keep everybody updated on the release of the new BMW unit on our web page, I would say it won't be released till the end of winter!. As far as your bike now with our unit it sounds like you don't have it adjusted correctly and it sounds like you ether have a throttle body sync problem or a misadjusted TPS sensor!, for our unit to work everything need to be set back to stock or factory specs! Let me Know!! Thanks.

• Next.

What about Warranty issues ?

Of all the research I did on the Techlusion TFi box (aka Fuel Nanny) before I installed it, I have never encountered any definitive answer to whether or not it will cause BMW warranty problems. (i.e. getting hassled by the dealer when you need warranty work on the engine.) Have any Techlusion users had any problems/hassles along these lines ? DakotaDakar#1198

• When I had my Power Box (fuel nanny) installed by my dealer on my R11R, I had to sign a waiver that said my warranty was void, should I experience any engine problems. Richard #230

• I would expect no warranty on any engine parts that conceivably failed due to lean or rich mixtures. The Techlusion nanny may work great, but you have no way to prove to BMW that the mixture stayed within their design and test parameters. I would expect full warranty on any failures outside of the engine. I think you will find this attitude to be shared among all vehicle manufacturers. If BMW got real sticky about this they could also deny warranty for ANY non-approved engine/accessory or modification. There are actually laws in Germany on getting approvals for changes as simple as a windshield. Take a look at all the TÜV paperwork and stickers on a WUDO brand shield. Oil-head owners may remember BMWNA denying engine warranties of people who used Autolite sparkplugs per Lentini's tech article. If I were going to add this box. I would make it a quick detach item to remove and hide it from a dealer. Chuck-Iowa 1124

• If you installed it yourself, uninstall it before you take your bike in. Mark #403

• The only PITA about making it quick-release is the O2 sensor. Got to pull the belly pan (and guard if you have it) to get at it. The other sticky bit would be the T-taps on the injector wires. No way to hide those short of replacing the wiring harness. We'll just hope nothing blows up. DakotaDakar#1198

• Disconnecting the O2 sensor will also leave faults in the 'Mo' which they will see when they connect to check things out for some services. My dealer skipped that part of the 6K service when they discovered it. I had left my TFi box installed. BradG 1002

• My dealer is cool about having the box on. There is no reason why they should get their shorts all up in a bunch just because you have fixed your s&s problem with a TFi. Davidhpark, #711

• (Snipped ed.) BMW just called me and said that another customer blew up his computer and they think it's the fuel nanny. He had 200+ fault codes stored before it died. They want me to come in and let them check my computer as I'm the only other person they know that's running the nanny. Part of me thinks they're just trying to blame the box for the problems and want to use me as evidence, but part of me wants to know if my bike is racking up the same sort of errors... what to do? They also told me that BMW was very clear in that what I'm doing is voiding my warranty, but we already knew that. Hmm... ride an unsafe and un-fun bike or risk a computer? They sure make it tough to own these damn things. Scott, 2002 R1150RT (Silver). from http://bmwrt.com/ (ed. This dealer is "snipped" as it is a number of Inmates Dealer. The incident involving a "another customer's bike" was resolved after "snipped" BMW talked to Techlusion after a CG Member facilitated the call. It turned out to be an over-reaction on the part the Dealer. They no longer make a fuss over it. They just don't bother to check out the Motronic unit if you have messed with either the O2 sensor or have a TFi box installed.)

• If BMW believes the Techlusion 83i caused damage to an ECU, they are either misinformed or misquoted, or trying to place the cost of repairs on the customer. I would like to think they are either misinformed or misquoted. The 83i adds no real power to the electrical system, so it can't damage the ECU. Working off the power side of the left fuel injector, the 83i operates by using a power inputs measured in the milliamps and milli-volts, or thousandths of an amp or volt. The BMW injectors are ground-triggered devices. This means that the injectors have 12 volts of power supplied to them at all times. The 83i box simply provides a ground circuit to continue power flow through the injector even after the motronic has turned its transistor off. Since the 83i is extending the length of time the injector circuit has a ground, it is extending the length of time the pintle is open, therefore increasing the amount of fuel flow. It’s important to note that the 83i never sends an electronic signal to motronic. The 83i is not an input device. It's mounted on the output side. So, there’s no possibility that an 83i can damage your motronic. So what happens if an 83i fails? There are only two possibilities. The first is the box fails to operate. If this happens, an R1100 series motor will operate as if the 83i wasn’t hook-up up. The second possibility is the 83i sends too high a voltage to the fuel injectors; causing a very rich fuel mixture. The worst that can happen is the bike floods the plugs. This is very unlikely, since the 83i operates at a very low voltage. Since there is no possibility that an 83i can harm a BMW’s sensitive electronics, BMW dealers are now selling the 83i. They are Engle Motors in Kansas City, MO and Gina’s BMW in Iowa. By now, there may be more. My dealer, Engle Motors, installs 83i on customer bikes. The owner for the past 40+ years is Norman Jones. Norman, a trained BMW mechanic would not install an aftermarket product on a customer's bike if he thought it could damage its sensitive electronics. He would have nothing to gain other then eating the cost of a very expensive repair. Ken Krumm. One correction on the following sentence I wrote, "The second possibility is the 83i sends too high a voltage to the fuel injectors; causing a very rich fuel mixture." The 83i sends no voltage to the fuel injectors. Again, they remain at a constant 12 volt. The 83i only extends the time the injector circuit has a ground, extending the length of time the pintle is open, therefore increasing the amount of fuel flow. Hanging a chip in the motronic (tuning chip) is a far cry from intercepting a signal on the output side of the ECU and extending the duration a fuel injector is open (Techlusion 83i).  Since there is no electrical input to the ECU, there is no potential for damage. If an 83i fails, it will most like short and fry itself like any other transistor unit. If this happens, the 83i will simply fail to work and bike will operate as if nothing was attached. You have to ground those devices to something, don't you. The 83i does connect to a fuel injector, but again, that's not an input device to the motronic. Sorry if I'm being condescending, but let's go back to basics. Input devices include the hall-effect sensors, oil temperature sensor, oxygen sensor, air intake temperature sensor, and throttle position sensor. The amount of fuel injected is controlled by the injector open time period of 1.5 to 9 milli-seconds and is controlled by an OUTPUT signal from the motronic. An 83i intercepts this signal and extends the time the injector is open without the knowledge of the ECU. Like any transistor, if it fails it most likely will fry. The 83i will fail to operate and the bike will run lean. The worst that can happen is transistors fail and complete the ground (as you know Stan, transistors will usually burn up not completing a circuit) the injectors will stay open and THE BIKE WILL FLOOD. That's an extremely rare WORST CASE. The motronic DOES NOT ACCEPT AN INPUT SIGNAL FROM THE FUEL INJECTORS. Even if it could, the completed ground is a constant 12 VOLTS. When you set up an 83i, the motronic defaults to a LEANER setting then an RT normally uses. By setting the center and right pots, you flatten the fuel curve providing no extra fuel then normal. The last tank of gas averaged 47 MPG! Does that sound like I'm dumping an excessive amount of fuel into the motor. By the way Ted, my bikes running COOLER in traffic and it no longer pings over six bars. Doesn't surprise me. A properly tuned motor will last longer and is much safer to ride. Ken Krumm, from http://bmwrt.com/.

• See the following Fuel Nanny Warranty/Technical Discussion collated from the http://bmwrt.com/. Message Board (MB). The above last two posts were extracted from that MB.

Fuel Nanny (Power box) Settings Database:

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