NO OTHER COMMON RAIL TUNING MODULE GIVES YOU ALL THESE FEATURES

DESIGN AIMS

The Synergy 2 connects to both the Maf sensor and fuel pressure sensor in the same way as the Synergy 1 and MF75p but all signal processing is done in the digital domain. Its multichannel processing means that replaces separate Synergy 1 and Mafam.

Theses charts from 2005 show the BHP and Torque of my 75CDT in standard form (yellow line) and with Synergy module fitted.

The Synergy 2 is shown with just the mafam section (Dark blue line) and with the power section switched on as well. (Setting 6) Purple line.

You can clearly see the effect of the maf section on low down torque - the turbo comes in from 1600rpm and the torque is boosted significantly between 1600 and 2250rpm. The effects of the intake mod and Pierburgh maf are probably responsible for the higher revving ability.

THE CONTROLS

The separate switches mean that either section can be bypassed. The rotary control has 10 positions but its easy to find the right one - see table below.

First you determine the best mafam setting with the tuning section switched off.

The majority of engines with over 40k miles will show some maf sensor deterioration and this will be affecting the performance and driveability below 2000rpm. Sometimes the loss is quite small and you may not even be aware of it. 

You should be able to pull away using no more than 1000rpm and accelerate smoothly and linearly without any hesitation or delay before the car pickups. If not - your maf sensor is responsible. Trying to get any sense out of a dealer is often fruitless because maf degradation never shows up on diagnostic tests and any query about lack lustre low down performance is usually met with a "they're all like that sir" reply...!

"It never ceases to disappoint me that many dealers seem (or pretend?) to be blissfully unaware of this well known maf issue"

Only when you have driven a Rover, MG or Freelander diesel with the optimum maf signal, will you realise what you have been missing.  Many owners come very close to selling their car due to frustratingly poor performance below 2000rpm, only to rapidly change their minds once a Synergy 2 has been fitted.

Please visit my 75 Maf page here to find out how to decide whether your maf is faulty.

If you find that no improvement is felt using the mafam section, it can be left switched off or even disconnected until required.

SWITCH SETTINGS FOR THE 2009/10 MODEL: 

The maf switch must be on when a Pierburgh maf is fitted. If you have an egr bypass fitted you may find settings 1 to 5 useable with a Pierburgh maf.

You can try settings 6 to 10 with a Bosch maf but this usually means its due for replacing.

The old analogue mafam is no longer available, use a Synergy 2 or 2E instead or Digimafam DGM2 if on a tight budget and no extra performance or fuel saving is required.

MPG UPDATE. 27-08-06

I have now had a Synergy 2 + Pierburgh maf, installed for 6months and my intake mod done for about 2 months. On my daily 12mile round trips to the Post Office  (max speed 60, numerous 30mph bends and a steep hill) I average 44-45 mpg based on fuel actually used. I drive 'briskly' and make no attempt at saving fuel, but only use max power for overtaking.

On longer runs sticking to the speed limit + 10% (or so!) and making 'good progress' with plenty of overtaking, I get around 49-50mpg.

Generally speaking, I avoid large throttle openings below 1500rpm, don't change down until the tacho reads 1100rpm on the level and 1250rpm on hills, the aircon is not often used, or only for short periods. (we are talking Perthshire UK, not Perth Australia!)

I always add Millers Diesel Plus to the fuel.

FUEL ECONOMY COMMENTS

The Synergy 2  in most cases will improve fuel economy above that stated by the manufacturer, depending upon how you drive. Most owners will save 5-15% - more on longer journeys, less or zero in heavy urban traffic. Those who use the extra performance often usually find they can do this and still achieve the factory figures and still save fuel when they take it easy. Fuel consumption in the mid 50s is quite common with a manual saloon on long journeys.

However the following factors can cause the mpg to be below normal and also will reduce any improvement due to the Synergy:

Maf sensor too far out of spec; Maf sensor overfuelling; clogged pcv valve; clogged or sticking egr valve; binding brakes; incorrect tracking; incorrect tyre pressures; excessive use of high rpm & too many gear changes; overdue oil change; changing to wider / bigger tyres; make of tyre.

For best possible fuel savings keep the windows closed, aircon off and change gear less - no need to rev over2500rpm when a Synergy is fitted and still make quick progress.

Fitted a new Bosch maf and /or Synergy 2 + Pierburgh maf  and the performance is still not right?

Here are some other possibilities.. more info here.  Synergy tips pdf

 Lack of performance improvement. The Synergy has been proven 1000s of time to work as claimed so if you do not get the same result as all our other customers this will almost certainly be  due to some issue with the vehicle:

·          Sticking / leaking or clogged egr valve - remove and clean, refit but leave vacuum pipe off (the 10mm braided rubber tube)

·          Leaking turbo or intercooler hoses or seals, also internal delamination of the turbo inlet hose can occur often causing a brickwall rev limit on snap throttle opening.

·          Sticking wastegate or faulty actuator (75/ZT) The linkage has been known to come apart, leaving the wastegate open.

·          FREELANDER ONLY: Sticking turbo vnt mechanism, faulty actuator or solenoid, leaking vacuum pipes. If the vnt mechanism has jammed, the performance will be poor at low rpm (but no smoke as boost pressure is low) if its stuck in the high rpm setting, or vice versa. Try some Innotek turbo cleaner.

·          Clogged injectors or worn nozzles. If the injectors cannot flow the extra fuel you will not see any increase in performance. Injectors should be considered a service item once they’ve done over 100k miles. Its probably worth trying some injector cleaner in the fuel first . Add when the fuel level is low (to maximise the concentration) and give the engine a good thrashing several times. NB I recommend sending them to Alan at Lynxdiesels.com for overhaul. Its pointless just having them ultrasonically cleaned if there is wear present.

·          Clogged catalyst. These have been known to collapse or disintegrate and therefore cause back pressure that ruins the performance. Hard to diagnose, however.

·          Faulty fuel rail sensor. TD4 more prone due to water ingress in the loom - see LR Tech bulletin 00052.  Very common problem on the Td4, even more than the maf problems according to some LR dealers, not common on the 75/ZT.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED TO CHANGE THE MAF FOR A PIERBURGH? click here

NB: DO NOT FIT PIERBURGH MAF 7.22684 09.0 with or without a Synergy 2 as this ONLY for BMW vehicles.

The maf compensator connects to the maf sensor shown below and accessible once the air filter cover has been removed.

We supply a long reach 5mm Hex (Allen) key to make air filter cover removal and refitting easy as the rear 2 bolts are lower down than the front 3.  

 Finally install the module in the battery box using the supplied velcro where its out of sight and well protected. (Leave the box lid off until you have found the best setting.) 

HERE IS A HANDY GUIDE TO GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR SYNERGY 2. DOWNLOAD PDF

STOP PRESS JAN 12. Please state in the box on the checkout screen or when ordering if want the 'MAX' model. This one is programmed for maximum possible bhp & assumes your engine's fuel system is in first class 100% working order. If you don't state this, we will send you the standard Synergy 2a+.

DASH SWITCH OPTIONS from £20. MORE DASH SWITCH INFO

Current ones have a 3 position toggle switch, not the rocker type shown here.

EXISTING SYNERGY 2 OWNERS:  FOR UPGRADES PLEASE VISIT THE DASH SWITCH PAGE

We've decided to offer this version because some owners only want to use the maf compensation and have better throttle response, reduced turbo lag and improved low down torque (ie never rev the engine over 3000rpm so don't need more bhp) and also because some have insurers who won't cover power boosting mods so they should accept this version. You should advise them you are fitting a Synergy 2e, for improved driveability, towing and economy and not for performance as there is no bhp increase.

It is exactly the same as the standard Synergy 2 but has been programmed to provide only low and midrange torque improvement to help driveability, towing and economy. There is no increase in bhp over the factory figure. The maf compensation section offers 3 settings compared to the standard Synergy 2 and setting 10 - eco may provide even better economy than the others but this will depend upon your maf sensor.

The revised label on the module will show that there are only torque settings available so you will still be able to adjust this and the maf compensation, but not the bhp.

When ordering, choose Synergy 2E.

SYNERGY 2B+.    2 CHANNEL common rail tuning module with electronic boost pressure adjustment.

The power section is based on my Synergy 1 module - more info here. The info below relates to the turbo boost controller section.

INTRODUCTION:

It makes sense when adding extra fuel for better performance, to also consider pumping in more air by a modest increase in boost pressure. Manufacturers are conservative with boost pressures as they are with the state of tune of their engine generally and so in the same way its safe to increase fuel pressure, so to can the boost pressure be increased.

The turbo pressure is controlled in 3 ways: -

a) The most basic form rarely seen nowadays is where the ecu has no direct control - the maximum pressure is limited by a pressure driven actuator which opens the wastegate (exhaust bypass valve) to limit any further rise in pressure. Adding more fuel by tuning will increase the sub maximum pressure, which is a good thing and very safe because the maximum pressure remains the same unless you also fit a stronger wastegate actuator spring or a  bleed off valve (BCV) to mechanically raise the max pressure.

b) The earliest type of ecu control uses a vacuum operated wastegate actuator with an ecu controlled solenoid valve fitted to control the vacuum and therefore boost pressure. This works very effectively and is still used on the lower power versions of most smaller diesels but most 1.6L & above nowadays use a variable geometry or variable vane turbo.

c) This type has the advantage of providing more boost at lower rpm with the vanes in one position whilst still being able to maintain boost right up to maximum power rpm without over speeding by having the vanes move to the other position. A vacuum operated actuator or an electronically controlled servo motor moves the vane adjusting mechanism.

 There is often much scaremongering by dooms & gloom merchants on forums which probably stems from petrol turbo horror stories. These armchair experts fail to appreciate that diesel engines are not at risk from the detonation that quickly wrecks a petrol engine if too much extra air makes the engine run lean. In fact, on a diesel with its unrestricted air intake, more air has a cooling effect and also helps to ensure more effective and cleaner combustion. This is why manufacturers are using ever high standard pressures - up from around 1bar / 14.5psi 10years ago to 1.3 bar / 19psi these days. I've seen a peak of 22psi on my X-Type. Some engines also have an overboost feature where the ecu allows the boost pressure to increase above the normal maximum for upto 10seconds. This overboost feature should tell you that the standard boost is not the safe maximum but manufacturers, being ever conservative, only want you to have the extra torque for 10seconds!

Increasing the part throttle pressure a little also reduces turbo lag & improves throttle response since the turbo is spinning faster and can further reduce fuel consumption on a tuned engine, but this is usually only possible where a vnt turbo is  fitted. (You should be wary of doing this if a dpf is fitted)

The MAP sensor (Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor) is used to monitor and / or provide the control signal. On non ecu controlled turbos the map sensor is used to detect an over boost event if the wastegate jammed closed, or a major air leak for example, from a leaking turbo hose. The ecu will then reduce the fuelling and hence power.

With ecu controlled turbos, it also forms part of the control system and influences the pressure directly.

AVAILABILITY & COVERAGE

 NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE 75/ZT/Td4. Download my new helpful pdf for Rover75/MG ZT boost adjustment.