Did BMW really build this CAT Code plug incorrectly?

[local-explorer]

Hi,

Here's a mystery I'd love to get some feedback on.

Background
I bought a lovely 2002, single spark R1150RS a few weeks ago. Configured as:

1. de-cat with y-peice
2. delvik end can
3. John Gemi chip to suit this setup

Even though the previous owner said it ran well, I noticed:

1. It would always feel tense
2. In town especially or 30/40mph zones I would have to run it in higher gears than I expected and even then it would feel like it was always about to 'sneeze' even though it never actually did
3. It would pop on overrun

Even though it never actually jerked, I hated the way it felt and was going to sell it.

The mysteriously mismatched Cat Code Plug
Then I pulled this plug out (scroll, there are four pictures)

Plug shell characteristics:

1. It's pink
2. Part number 61,36-8366625
3. It states on the plug that it bridges pins 30, 87, 87a

This matches perfectly with the real part:
BMW Pink cat code plug

Plug internal characteristics

1. Two pins, 30, 86

This does not match the part number, nor does it match the shell's stated pins. It actually matches the internals of this OLIVE plug:
BMW Olive cat code plug

So my plug has the shell of a pink plug and the internals of an olive plug.

When I removed the plug and applied the steptoe mod, it's like a different bike. It's perfect and exactly as I'd have expected a big lazy twin to feel. It's so good now that I'm not even going to bother balancing the throttle bodies and I'm looking forwards to riding it again rather than hating it and wanting to sell it.

Incidentally, the bike has had 15 previous owners! And part of me is wondering:

1. Did someone on the assembly line put the wrong internal into my pink plug?
2. Is this the reason people bought the bike and, like me, sold it again pretty swiftly?
3. Could BMW have messed up loads of these plugs such that it explains why some bikes get the dreaded surge and some don't?

Questions for you all
How did this come to be? Have you ever seen anything like this mismatched shell/internal plug?

Thanks,
local-explorer

 

[Wrigsby1]

Off the top of my head I remember pink as Swiss market? Therefore tight as arseholes emissions wise and a fun sponge of a plug... You have unleashed the full potential of you mighty steed and if you are a long term follower of UKGSer it could point 3 ways...
Possible mismatch to market
Import... There are quite a few out there...
Fecked with by someone who didn't do their homework.... Likely...!
All fixed and hope you paid low to some disappointed ex owner...

 

[AnotherGSGSGS]

I don't think you'll get beyond speculation.

You'd need to "crack" the ecu and see what Injection and ignition maps any given combination runs.

It was generally accepted that this coding plug array allowed easy reconfiguration of the bike for what we assume to be regional variations.

What I'm less conviced about is whether the configuratations were mapped and proven.e.g. poor fuel, tighter emissions.

There had been over the years observations around commonality and that on some bikes adding the jumper cable gives a performance boost.

 

[Wrigsby1]

I don't think you'll get beyond speculation.

You'd need to "crack" the ecu and see what Injection and ignition maps any given combination runs.

It was generally accepted that this coding plug array allowed easy reconfiguration of the bike for what we assume to be regional variations.

What I'm less conviced about is whether the configuratations were mapped and proven.e.g. poor fuel, tighter emissions.

There had been over the years observations around commonality and that on some bikes adding the jumper cable gives a performance boost.

"When I removed the plug and applied the steptoe mod, it's like a different bike. It's perfect and exactly as I'd have expected a big lazy twin to feel."

That's the bit that matters and as long as the plugs are the right colour and it uses approx 45-50mpg then all is rosy...

You can take it all apart to check but really they are simple tractors and even from the factory with the same parts, they vary slightly in operation...

 

[AnotherGSGSGS]

"When I removed the plug and applied the steptoe mod, it's like a different bike. It's perfect and exactly as I'd have expected a big lazy twin to feel."

That's the bit that matters and as long as the plugs are the right colour and it uses approx 45-50mpg then all is rosy...

You can take it all apart to check but really they are simple tractors and even from the factory with the same parts, they vary slightly in operation...

My 02 single spark made no difference but it already rode well. The AFXIED did make it a bit more "polished"

 

[Wrigsby1]

My 02 single spark made no difference but it already rode well. The AFXIED did make it a bit more "polished"

It always a case of knowing where to stop... I had an 11GS I set up largely by ear in the driveway of my parents in law and didn't tough it for 18 months... Others I've tried everything with.
A few weeks ago I bought a budget scruffy 1150 RT changed a coil pack, serviced it, quick balance, again as much by ear as anything and it runs a peach... What it has hardware wise doesn't matter to me as it's sweet as it is... It'll only get meddled with if someone goes wrong... And probably cleaned even less...

 

[local-explorer]

Thanks for the comments. I did get it for a good price. The previous owner didn't think there was anything wrong with it and in-fact made a point about how smooth it was around town, which was exactly the opposite of my experience. It never jerked but it always felt like it was unsettled and I know I'm not imagining it because the effect was enough that I was going to sell the bike and even I can't bullsh1t myself into imagining how much difference changing the map has made.

I don't know which map it's running, as you say, especially as it's not got a standard chip either, which means I may just have gotten lucky with the steptoe mod, although I spoke to the designer of the chip and he seemed to think that the config it was on would be selecting for low octane fuel.

Either way, I'll have changed the fuel and timing map to _something_ else and it's spectacular. Bike is like a kitten around town now and no more backfiring on runoff too.

The big mystery will always remain though
Why does my cat code plug have the internals of an olive plug with the shell of a pink plug and the shell itself says 30,87,87a yet the pins are 30, 86. How this could ever come to be is such a mystery. Part of me really does wonder if this was a factory error or done by someone very early on as the poor bike has had 15 previous owners, and I was about to become number 16.

Anyway, thanks again for the engagement.

 

[Wrigsby1]

The guy on the assembly line dropped it as he has putting it in and broke the cover... Reached for his box of spares and hey presto...
Even in the trusted engineering of German vehicles there are the odd weirdo vehicles... I'm in auto parts and have come across the very infrequent car that's the same... A certain era of French manufacturing could mean lottery time...
For oilheads even the factory tolerances could give you variations in smoothness, performance and the variety of little rattles they can come with... Colloquially called "character"...

 

[DrFarkoff]

The guy on the assembly line dropped it as he has putting it in and broke the cover... Reached for his box of spares and hey presto...

Renault 9 and 11

Customer "Can I have distributor cap and rotor for my 1987 1400 petrol Renault 11?"

Me "What Colour is it ???"

Customer "Metallic Green, it's outside!"

If I recall there were at least 4 variants of caps and rotors on these cars Bosch, Delco. Femsa, Ducellier, possibly even Lucas

 

[Wrigsby1]

Where I used to work had been a Pug dealer during the 70s and 80s and said cars could come with different brake manufacturers on either side... Only had a couple of VWs over the years but any BM with SE credentials is a way of getting rid of the parts before the next model...

 

[local-explorer]

The guy on the assembly line dropped it as he has putting it in and broke the cover... Reached for his box of spares and hey presto...
Even in the trusted engineering of German vehicles there are the odd weirdo vehicles...

I really believe this is what's happened. As there's no plausible way somebody would have a pink shell and an olive internal and combine them in any other setting. If you're going to make one yourself then you could buy the part for £3 or use a jumper or if you have an olive internal then it's probably inside an olive shell.

2002 bike, I'm the 16th owner and was about to sell it after owning for a week, until I figured this out too.

With the mixup stories:
A friend of mine collect classic cars and says he heard of someone finding a half-eaten sandwich inside the door-skin of of an Austin Allegro.