Cat-Code plug

Olaf · 11-03-2002, 07:37 PM

Has anyone removed the Cat-code(sp) from the fuse box?

My dealer did to help cure the surging, lean back firing, abrupt throttle response (fuel shuts off when you slightly feather the throttle). Worked like a charm. Running much better and much smoother. Does not smell too rich, simular gas mileage but runs how it should have from the factory.

By the way it is a 2002 SBX

Your thoughts?

pdonnell · 11-03-2002, 08:01 PM

Yep.

Micky Motor · 11-04-2002, 02:53 AM

Yes.

M Motor

Josey · 11-05-2002, 05:31 AM

Where, exactly, is it on the fuse panel? TIA

pdonnell · 11-05-2002, 06:27 AM

Sitting on the bike its the left bank of fuses under your left turn signal housing. The plug is yellow and nearest to your headlight within the bank of plugs. Its the one that says "get rid of me, I'm a piece of sheet"

jclark · jclark's Garage

Um, just what else does it say in its defence? What is its purpose?
Has this been dealt with before on this board?
IBMWR site has dealt with this part–*but nothing current as the R1100S.
http://www.IBMWR.com/r-tech/oilheads/R11pwmod.shtml

They talk about REPLACING the "as shipped" plug with a different model plug –*kinda hit & miss, dontcha think?

jeff
loves to lighten his bike, but also likes to know why, why, why...

Josey · 11-06-2002, 04:34 AM

That's exactly what I picked up from the web posting - that replacing the CAT Code plug with one from another model switches the chip's map; it doesn't mention anything about running w/o a plug. Does it reset to a "base" map without the plug?

Dale Flowers · 11-06-2002, 05:40 AM

I seem to recall reading that removal of the plug causes the system to default to a base line map (limp home mode) which is richer than original. It sounds like a bandaid to me. Check your plugs after running it without this plug for a while for signs of fouling.

Dan Greene · 11-06-2002, 06:26 AM

I'm just a dumb country boy, but if removing this plug improves the bike, even just a little, why does BMW put it in int the first place?

roger albert · 11-06-2002, 07:20 AM

Hi,

I've yet to see a definitive explanation of what simple removal (or for that matter, substitution of a different one) does for the R1100S, or for that matter, any motronic 2.4 equipped oilhead.

I have seen reports that some older models default to a limp mode, and others to the R850 map. Nothing on the older ones.
I've never seen a single bit of credible info on what the S does without a plug. Would be cool to learn though. Does seem to richen a bit at closed throttle, that's the only effect I've observed in playing with a CO2 sniffer. Didn't see significant enrichement higher, but my setup was crude, so I wouldn't call it definitive, at all. I'm still pretty ignorant on this.

regards
roger

shoemakj · 11-08-2002, 04:05 AM

Pulled mine out yesterday, too. (the cat code plug...whatdya think I meant?

) Wish I hadn't waited 2,700 miles to do it! It's not "a completely new bike", but it sure helped the binary nature of the fuel delivery at just off idle. That's all I was looking to fix at this time. Ultimately, I'll go the pipe & chip route, but that's just not in the budget yet.

I'd read all the other posts on this issue and the answers seemed to range from, "I couldn't tell any difference" to "you will surely be cast into the fires of Hell if you remove this plug." So, I figured the truth was somewhere in between.

--Jim

Derry Walsh · 11-10-2002, 07:45 AM

Yesterday I pulled the "cat-code" plug from my stock 01' R1100SL. Prior to during this I had been just been living with a bike that under medium or hard acceleration was fine. A bike that in tight corners when decelerating for the corner would just chop the fuel delivery abruptly. I bike that under 4000 rpm was frustrating to ride.
Now, after pulling this plug the bike is VERY different! No longer is the fuel delivery "binary" (as was described in an earlier post). There is very little or no surging. The bike is very different.
However, I may have taken a shot in the midrange department. It seems now that there is not as much of a "hit" in the midrange. My "seat-o-pants-o-meter" may just be revealing the fact that I now have a more linear power delivery but I cannot say for sure. I will try to ride with Dr. Curve today and swap bikes for a comparison.
Roger, we really need to know more about this subject. I find it very interesting that as posted above, one dealer removed the plug from a new SBX. Also, perhaps there is a better choice of plug rather than running without one. Mine in Yellow and is marked as follows:

Siemens
v23134-z1014
61.36-8 366 282
(The last number being a BMW part number I believe)

Josey · 11-12-2002, 08:11 AM

That's it. Mine's out this weekend. I'll willingly sacrifice a little midrange oomph for smoother low-rpm throttle response (I do a lot of city riding). Thanks to all; will advise after I play for awhile...

Olaf · 11-12-2002, 01:03 PM

Josey,

Let me know how it works for you?

For me it is a good fix until I chip and pipe it next spring.

Olaf

brad black · 11-12-2002, 09:01 PM

in an aust delivery s, which is the only one i have seen maps out of, all the maps themselves are the same. even the one with ch or whatever they use to identify the swiss ones.

but, there is obvioulsy a difference. i can only think it must be in the closed loop logarithms or something like that. we do ccp swaps on rt's to stop them surging, so there must be some variation in how closed loop closed loop really is, altho i have trouble understanding that myself. and, on the odd one, it doesn't work anyway.

i haven't actually hassled duane to go right thru any other, not so obvious variations between the 8 available maps. i'm sure he'd give me the "**** off, i'm far too busy to look at stuff like that" look, but i would be interested to know for interests sake.

on the older r1100rs for example, 4 maps were variations of open loop, 4 variations of closed loop, which the us got. none of our 1100 models - before the s - that ran motronic 2.2 were ever closed loop.

none of the aust r1100s come with ccp fitted anyway.

brad

Micky Motor · 11-13-2002, 02:10 AM

Gang,
Its my understanding that the plug is there not to affect the fuel map, but to "customise" the ignition advance curve to suit the many and varied levels of fuel quality available around the world.
With the plug out, (mine was yellow Brad) you get the maximum preset factory advance curve. If you were to run your engine on too low an octain fuel with the plug out, then you would get some pretty serious detonation happening and probably some nice holes in your pistons, hence the plugs. I can feel the difference between 96 ron and 98 ron fuels with my plug out. I will even get some pinking on 96 ron fuel under big loads, the line is that fine.
If I wanted to ride across the African desert, then I would fit (I think) a green plug to retard the timing to suit the fuel types I would find there.

M Motor

Derry Walsh · 11-13-2002, 04:25 AM

More "plug out" observations....
I paid a visit to Dr. Curve's laboratory the other day in hopes that he and I could switch bikes (both stock, his '99 and mine '01, my plug out and his in). He was just finishing a rebuild of his paralever pivot when I arrived so there would be no swap. On the way out to see him though, my S felt very strong everywhere except up top. It seemed as though she would not run above 125M.P.H. (indicated). The Dr. mentioned that this would be the case with the plug out as the bike was in a "protect mode".
As the only time I am ever above that speed is chasing the Dr. and I spend most of my time well under that speed, my plug is staying out.

Derry Walsh · 12-09-2002, 07:00 AM

I can now confirm that without my cat-code plug in place my S has less top end.
This week end I set out on one of our regular circuits and I had several opportunities to make top speed runs. As Dr. Curve had predicted the earlier to me, I was unable to best 7,300 - 7,500 RPM in top gear. I made bi directional runs on several stretches to test.
However, the bike does appear to have more in the mid range and best of all has no surging and rolling off the throttle now does not result in a sudden chop off of fuel delivery.
Anyone else have similar observations?

roger albert · 12-09-2002, 07:08 AM

Yes, and reconfirmed very recently. Mid/Low seems richer.
Plug reading for full load and higher rpms and full throttle opening however didn't show the plugs rich at all. A bit lean, on the contrary. Therefore, not a particularly safe 'fix'

Ripping the plug out seems to richen some areas and lean others.
I haven't been able to verify what, if anything, it does to open/closed loop operation at moderate throttle.

Roger

Dingo Joe · 12-09-2002, 07:25 AM

Maybe someone could call BMW in Germany and get a definitive answer for this issue. I would be happy to do this, but I don't speak German...