EFI Mods

[jkhomes]

Just in case the Booster Plug issue has not been beat to death on this board, Motorcycle Consumer New recently had a technical test on a BMW for both the Booster Plug brand and the Accelerator Module by Solid Solutions.

The write up indicated that both products worked equally well and the Accelerator Module is only $45 compared to the Booster Plug's $149 price tag. To compare apple to apples, the Accelerator Module has an "extended" version with a remote temperature sensor comparable to the Booster Plug which drives the price up to $60.

MCN indicated that in addition to improved low speed throttle response, they were surprised that overall fuel efficiency increased, up to 10%. They indicated they Accelerator Module is noticeably smaller, more compact, and easier to install.

Booster Plug http://www.boosterplug.com
Accelerator Module http://www.sol2.be

[abambach]

You got my attention, has anyone installed one of these? The "accelerator" that is. Thanks.

[roger l]

Is there any way to post a link to the technical test? If not what issue is it in?

Thanks
Roger L

[dbrick]

December 2013 (vol 44, no 12), at page 31. The magazine's website http://www.mcnews.com/mcm/ doesn't show content until it's six months or a year old.

[hlebowi2]

I just purchased a booster plug but did not install it yet.
Anybody have enough first hand knowledge of both devices to offer an opinion on whether I should return the much more expensive unit and order the other?
Howard

[deilenberger]

Just posted on this topic on the BMW-MOA Hexhead forum.

A few thoughts about MCN's test:

- If you want to feel the effect these devices have on the hexhead/camhead engines, go for a ride in 40F temps. They fool the BMS-K (aka DME) into thinking the air temperature is about 20-25F cooler than it really is. In response the DME richens the mixture when the engine is NOT in closed-loop mode.

In closed-loop mode - the engine mixture is controlled by the O2 sensors. The hex/cam heads go into closed loop mode quite quickly compared to older EFI designs. You can monitor it on a GS-911. About the only time they aren't in closed loop mode is when the engine is increasing in RPMs.

I love how my engine feels in 40F temps - the combination of a richer mixture and denser air (more oxygen to support combustion) makes it accelerate much smoother.

The thing I question is - how do these devices know they the air is ALREADY cold? The BoosterPlug comes with a thermal probe (probably a negative-coefficient-thermistor) - that would help compensate for temperature change. The other device appears to have something like this as an "option"..

What I didn't see in the MCN article, and I do consider it a not very good article - is any DATA on what's going on. There are no dyno plots and mixture plots, at different temperatures.

I know a number of people here who jumped on the Booster Plug when it first came out a number of years ago. Some of them (Hi Harry!) at the time - didn't notice a real big difference with it installed, others claimed it was better than sliced bread. I think part of the satisfaction with the device is dependent on the temperature when the device is installed on the bike. If it was cooler when it was installed, and IF the device is temperature compensated - there will be way less noticeable enriching of the mixture. In the MOA thread one poster was generally pleased with the results, except at high ambient temps, where he said it appears to be ineffective.

Would I add one? I've actually given thought to building one myself - with a variable resistor (potentiometer) so I could try dialing the mixture in, just to see what the effect is, and what value gives the best results at what temperature. About all that's holding me back is I don't want to hack up the wiring harness so it means finding the connectors for the air temperature sensor (and the wiring harness.) Once I had that setup, it shouldn't be difficult to design a temperature compensated one with all "passive" components (resistors and thermistors) for a whole bunch less money than the retail price of the booster.

[AncientMariner]

Don,

You electronics guys amaze me: FM.

Bruce

Happy Thanksgiving!

[johnvw]

Hi to All,
I did purchase the Booster Plug and found a significant (to me) improvement in the low speed throttle response. Fuel improvement ? possibly not and not expected if the ratio is artificially richened.
The Accelerator must be easy to install, the most awkward portion of the Booster plug install was slightly raising the tank .

Don,
The oil pressure and temp gauges have not been shelved. More in the New Year.
Regards to All
John

[deilenberger]

Someone over on the MOA discussion pointed me to the BoosterPlug website, where there is an explanation of the operation of the BoosterPlug. If it was half the price I'd be interested in trying one. It does have a thermistor (temperature sensitive resistor) that compensates for ambient temperatures. I actually could see building this sort of device rather simply if one could find the optimal thermistor - and simply put it in series with the output of the existing temperature sensor. Or - alternatively - replace the existing temperature sensor (which is a thermistor also) with one with a slightly different output per degree.. that might be the simplest way to go.

If anyone has a spare stock temperature sensor kicking around, it would be a trivial exercise to plot the resistance vs temperature and then figure out what might work to achieve R1200R nirvana..

[Mike Figielski]

Someone over on the MOA discussion pointed me to the BoosterPlug website, where there is an explanation of the operation of the BoosterPlug. If it was half the price I'd be interested in trying one. It does have a thermistor (temperature sensitive resistor) that compensates for ambient temperatures. I actually could see building this sort of device rather simply if one could find the optimal thermistor - and simply put it in series with the output of the existing temperature sensor. Or - alternatively - replace the existing temperature sensor (which is a thermistor also) with one with a slightly different output per degree.. that might be the simplest way to go.

If anyone has a spare stock temperature sensor kicking around, it would be a trivial exercise to plot the resistance vs temperature and then figure out what might work to achieve R1200R nirvana..

Don,
Roger 04RT over on the BMWMOA forum has done a couple years worth of research and data logging on this topic. He has shown definitively that a simple thermistor switch will not fool the BMSK (or Motronic) and that the info from the O2 sensor will ultimately result in the changes from a air temp fooler device being reversed (through BMSK adaptation). He has found that info from open loop sensors is also applied to closed loop fueling. Here is the BMW MOA thread:
http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread. ... O2-Sensors
The best way to actually alter AF ratios and permanently change EFI fueling on these bikes is through an O2 sensor Lambda shifting device like the LC1 or LC2 devices which are not close to plug and play or Roger's new to the market AF-XiED plug and play O2 sensor Lambda shifting device made by Nightrider. Full disclose, I do now sell these at beemerboneyard. One might think I am biased but we previously sold (and are currently closing out) the Dobeck fuel injection devices and I have personally used everything from a booster Plug type device to a Dobeck controller to a Power Commander on my R1200R and R1100RS and have switched to the AF-XiED units on both bikes with outstanding results. Don, PM me or email me at the Boneyard if you want to discuss it further, but you really need to try one of these devices on your R1200R. If you are not happy with it I will personally take it back as I have 2 other R1200 bikes here that I still need to switch over to the AF-XiED when I get time. That is how well they work. Here is the link to the AF-XiED devices at beemerboneyard: http://www.beemerboneyard.com/bmwafo2sema.html
Mike

[dbrick]

If it was half the price I'd be interested in trying one.

The Accelerator Module - http://www.sol2.be/Performance/ENG/Home/index.html - was the other unit tested by MCN, at less than half the price. Seems to me - no EE I! - that it does the same thing.

This is pretty academic for me - the bike runs fine.

[mogu83]

I haven't posted because I have no experience with the "accelerator" , however I have the Booster Plug on the machine for well over 50K. In fact I don't remember how the bike ran without it, but I do understand how it works and what it does. IMHO I think that any gasoline powered vehicle made in the last decade will run better if it's running a little richer than when it came out of the factory (thank you EPA).
I routinely go up a size or two on my carburetor equipped bikes and that's what the Plug does, but only under acceleration. Seems like the best of two worlds, power when you want it and economy the rest of the time.

I bought mine during a group deal on Adventure Rider for a good discount. The way I see it - after a $500 seat,almost $2k in suspension,$500 GPS,Tire Monitoring system, $800 Parabellum Fairing and God knows what else (and hope SWMBO never finds out) another $150 doesn't matter.

[johnvw]

And I thought the Booster Plug was a little pricey.......at $380 the AF-X`s improvements must make for some interesting reading.
Regards
John

[badbs101]

I have the Accelerator Module (compact version). I have no doubt that the Xied's work better than simple temp spoofers (Accelerator Module, Booster Plug, etc) , but have my doubts about whether the system adapts out the Accelerator Module or Booster Plug devices. If it does, it may be just partially. All I know is my bike runs better with the Accelerator Module. It shipped to the US in less than 2 weeks and I am happy with it. The Booster Plug does the same thing and costs 3x as much. There are plenty of happy customer's testimonials for both these products all over the web. This thread has lots of info about a competing product (IICE Air) but the info applies to all the different temp spoofers.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=667661

[SDMAX2]

Posted on this before. I put on the booster plug and the bike smoothed out.....a lot....I think it works.

[celticus]

I got my Booster Plug for $100. Have had it installed for 20K and I like it , it seems to work fine. I don’t do much riding at 40ۨ but it is nice at 70 and 80 and 90.