Cat delete, is it worth the money

[AndysF3S]

I installed a cat bypass yesterday and had no problem with the springs (3) using the proper tool. I believe I bought this tool from skidoo accessories: it is about 19" long and has a couple of openings on the end for pulling or pushing the spring. It took a couple of minutes to remove the springs and about 5 minutes to install because I tried the top spring first and my pipe kept sliding out of the bracket; secured both bottom springs first and then the top spring with no slips or cuts.

The second pic is my lift that I used to install the pipe and the sway bar.

I installed the cat delete pipe without the baffle, stock muffler and did a couple of block rides without my helmet. I found the exhaust sound to be noticeably louder and more rappy. I will go for a longer ride with my helmet on to see if I can tolerate the new louder sound or not. If not, I will research a new baffle and or go back to the cat.

Removing the cat saved about 14 lbs (16-2) and the stock muffler weighs about 10 lbs.

The baffle that came with the pipe is about 48mm (1.89 in) in diameter and if installed with the end removed it reduces to 23mm (.90"ID). This baffle reduces the area of flow from 2.81sq" open pipe to 0.65sq" baffle installed with end open or about 23%. The back pressure would be almost 4.3 times that of the open pipe so for me that is a non-starter if I am trying to add a freer flowing exhaust. I don't know what the back pressure is of the stock system with cat and muffler so to be fair I don't know how the baffle installed with open end would compare back pressure wise. I realize that the baffle will reduce the noise level some but at what back pressure compared to stock? I will check out the Quiet Thunder Monster Baffles before I give up on the open pipe.

I have not ordered the stage 2 from MFI as Tuesday we have snow flurries in the forecast so riding season is pretty much over until late April or May

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[AndysF3S]

I drove to the dealer and back this morning about 60km/40 miles to have my handle bar warmers installed and the temp. was -8C/18 F. The cat bypass without any baffles was loud especially when downshifting, WOT or blipping the throttle like the guys working on the bike got a kick out of. At steady RPM of 3500 the sound was much quieter and tolerable. Start working on the bypass next spring.

 

[Voodoochild]

I have a 2016 Spyder RSS SM5 w Baja Ron Open Air Kit, 10mm plug wires w/ E3 plugs , a Stage 2 Monster Tune an Twin Kaos pipes. My final plan is to install the RLS Cat Delete. As of right now I feel the 20-25% more torque w/o the Delete. I am looking forward to the installation and performance. My bike feels like a hot rod and sounds like it too. I already gapped a couple BMWs and a Ford Platinum 250. Good times

 

[BajaRon]

I have a 2016 Spyder RSS SM5 w Baja Ron Open Air Kit, 10mm plug wires w/ E3 plugs , a Stage 2 Monster Tune an Twin Kaos pipes. My final plan is to install the RLS Cat Delete. As of right now I feel the 20-25% more torque w/o the Delete. I am looking forward to the installation and performance. My bike feels like a hot rod and sounds like it too. I already gapped a couple BMWs and a Ford Platinum 250. Good times

You should look into the turbocharger. I don't know if they are still available. But that makes a fair amount of difference.

 

[Cobranut]

You should look into the turbocharger. I don't know if they are still available. But that makes a fair amount of difference.

Has anyone come out with a turbo kit for the F3S?
I'd love to have a significant bump in horsepower, and the 1330 Rotax should be capable of 180+hp, but real performance mods for these seem pretty scarce.

 

[BajaRon]

Has anyone come out with a turbo kit for the F3S?
I'd love to have a significant bump in horsepower, and the 1330 Rotax should be capable of 180+hp, but real performance mods for these seem pretty scarce.

Other applications using the 1330 have turbos. We have a side-by-side in the shop right now with one.

 

[Cobranut]

Other applications using the 1330 have turbos. We have a side-by-side in the shop right now with one.

Which SxS model is that?
I wish someone would come out with a kit. I have too many other projects going on to develop one from scratch right now.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Has anyone come out with a turbo kit for the F3S?
I'd love to have a significant bump in horsepower, and the 1330 Rotax should be capable of 180+hp, but real performance mods for these seem pretty scarce.

Given what's readily achievable from the V-Twins with just a good ECU Upgrade, 180+hp should be readily achievable from the 1330 Rotax motors by doing the same, without resorting to a turbo & the reliability, longevity, and heat issues that might bring. And it'd be a whole lot easier too, altho you might need to clean up the air intake & the exhaust a little, to make the air flow in & the exhaust flow out somewhat better, it's all a bit convoluted & choked atm. So whatever way, it sure looks like a Cat Delete is still worth the money, and there's the added weight loss advantages

There again, back on power output, the 1330 motors are much tighter & lazier engines to start with, designed and built for relatively low revving torque instead of outright screaming power, so maybe...

Innnnterrrresting... but not going there this year - and probably not next year, either!

 

[Cobranut]

Given what's readily achievable from the V-Twins with just a good ECU Upgrade, 180+hp should be readily achievable from the 1330 Rotax motors by doing the same, without resorting to a turbo & the reliability, longevity, and heat issues that might bring. And it'd be a whole lot easier too, altho you might need to clean up the air intake & the exhaust a little, to make the air flow in & the exhaust flow out somewhat better, it's all a bit convoluted & choked atm. So whatever way, it sure looks like a Cat Delete is still worth the money, and there's the added weight loss advantages

There again, back on power output, the 1330 motors are much tighter & lazier engines to start with, designed and built for relatively low revving torque instead of outright screaming power, so maybe...

Innnnterrrresting... but not going there this year - and probably not next year, either!

I already have the cat delete and a custom tune.
I know I could disassemble the engine, port the head and possibly mill it for more compression, as long as the timing chain and piston/valve clearance will allow.
Trouble is, I'm not aware of any aftermarket hot cams, or a larger throttle body, or IRTB setup available for this engine.
Without those changes, it just wouldn't be worth the effort, as power gains would be limited.
I'd love to have a high compression, lopey idle, 10,000 rpm ACE motor, but until the aftermarket decides to support the platform, forced induction is likely the only route for big power gains.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Even without doing anything internally to the engine, you could get significant gains from a good, more aggressive, custom ECU Tune/Upgrade, something beyond the mild offerings that are more readily available as ECU Upgrades, and you can often still do that while remaining within BRP/Rotax's own 'known reliable' design parameters!

The engines we get in our Spyders are pretty much choked down and de-tuned to limit what they could be putting out (cos clearly, you'n me can't be trusted with too much more than 115 Hp! ), and the mild upgrades you can get readily do unleash some of that; but these same 1330 ACE Rotax engines are used in other Can Am products, where they are available from the factory producing even higher horsepower output figures with what amounts to little more than a much better/more aggressive 'custom' computer tune and maybe some better/different bolt on intake & exhaust components - possibly at least some of the restrictions we see are due to emission & noise control requirements etc, but hey, not ALL of them!

Very few of the readily available 'ECU Upgrade/custom tunes' out there really are all that great, and not many get too near the higher end of those outputs already seen in other Can Am/Rotax products, let alone surpass them; but there are tuners out there who can help with that... It's really only when you start getting into the forced induction versions of these engines that you start getting into the need for any real internal changes to get significant gains.

 

[Cobranut]

Even without doing anything internally to the engine, you could get significant gains from a good, more aggressive, custom ECU Tune/Upgrade, something beyond the mild offerings that are more readily available as ECU Upgrades, and you can often still do that while remaining within BRP/Rotax's own 'known reliable' design parameters!

The engines we get in our Spyders are pretty much choked down and de-tuned to limit what they could be putting out (cos clearly, you'n me can't be trusted with too much more than 115 Hp! ), and the mild upgrades you can get readily do unleash some of that; but these same 1330 ACE Rotax engines are used in other Can Am products, where they are available from the factory producing even higher horsepower output figures with what amounts to little more than a much better/more aggressive 'custom' computer tune and maybe some better/different bolt on intake & exhaust components - possibly at least some of the restrictions we see are due to emission & noise control requirements etc, but hey, not ALL of them!

Very few of the readily available 'ECU Upgrade/custom tunes' out there really are all that great, and not many get too near the higher end of those outputs already seen in other Can Am/Rotax products, let alone surpass them; but there are tuners out there who can help with that... It's really only when you start getting into the forced induction versions of these engines that you start getting into the need for any real internal changes to get significant gains.

My bike was custom tuned over multiple runs by Fuel Moto. It's not a canned tune from DynoJet or Monster Fuel Injection.

It has made a very noticeable difference in response and power, as well as raising the RPM and top speed limits significantly.
It pulls much harder, will easily blow off the tire with a throttle twist in second gear, and spin well into third on a hard shift.
I'd guess it's up at least 10-20hp over stock.
Fuel Moto also offers free additional tuning whenever I need it, due to future mods or elevation changes.
I also adjusted the throttle response curve to reduce the amount of twist needed for full throttle. I have some arthritis in my hands that make it hard to get all the way to the throttle stop, so now I get full power at only about 75% rotation.
Adding the vacuum clutch assist also made the clutch lever a bit lighter and easier on my left hand.

The cams feel VERY mild, however, with a dead smooth idle and much low end torque, but power falls off rapidly above 8,000rpm, indicating small cams or restrictive intake system.