| Author | Message | ||
     Jdubxb |
My 08 XB12 pings so badly I rarely get to use the upper half of the throttle when on the freeway. Downshifting to 4th still causes pinging before I get very far into the throttle. Doesn't matter if ambient temps are hot or cool. Same gas I've always used. Never used to happen when bike was newer. Is there a timing adjustment that I can adjust? Could it be carbon buildup in the combustion chamber due to high miles (126k)? | ||
| Shoggin |
Are you sure it's pinging? Checking timing is easy. The service manual can be found at Buellmods.com or Buelltooth.com | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Our bikes have no adjustment for timeing like the older ones that use the "points cover". Ours get the timing off of the crank directly like the twincams. Mine didn't ping but it did start to sputter badly like it had a timing issue. After a healthy amount of debuggery, I found that it was the ECU itself. I bought a "race" ECU from IDS and it fixed it right up better than new. | ||
| Ducbsa |
http://idspd.com/xcart/products-buell/xb12 | ||
| Jdubxb |
Thanks for the info and the link. Is there any way to determine my ECM is bad before I spend money on replacing something that may not be the cause of the problem? | ||
| Phelan |
Definitely time for at least a top end refresh at 126k miles. Carbon could easily be built up causing contact between the piston and head at that point. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
If it's carbon buildup, perhaps the old windex sprayer full of water trick would knock it loose. I've only done it with old lawnmowers. Get the engine up to a good operating temp with the intake open. Hold RPM to 1500-2000. Spray clean water in a mist down intake. It works on old lawnmowers but I would fear that a dingleball would come loose in your engine and end up somewhere worse. | ||
| Toro |
I hate to ask the obvious but could it be a bad fuel issue? If you switch to higher octane gas does the pinging go away? | ||
| Sagehawk |
Go with Phelan suggestion. Start out with compression and leak down testing if you feel better for doing work. Minimum , pull your plugs and use a inspection scope to see what's there. If you have golden colored spots on top of a carbon loaded piston, that's probably the spots that carbon hitting carbon . My road king developed a pinging issue like yours and that's what I found. Bad enough that disassembly is required for cleaning. | ||
| Jdubxb |
I know if I start into a top end refresh, I'll be tempted to replace every wear item in the entire motor, or all of the bearings at the very least. So I'd rather not go that route if I don't have to just yet. Is the Harbor Freight scope worth getting for this purpose? | ||
| Sagehawk |
Hf scope is too big. Can't get camera / light into a 14mm spark plug hole much Less 12mm for buells. I got one of the ee6000 scopes advertised on internet for 49 bucks. Haven't used it for plug holes yet but head is advertised as 8mm . Has a light for brightness in dark hole. Sometimes hard to hook up with phone on Bluetooth as I haven't quite got it mastered yet. I'll see this weekend and try to post it up. Use wifes bike as a guinea pig . | ||
| Screamer |
Ryobi has a scope that has a small head - fits through the plug hole. "Factory Direct" carried re-mans for about $75, but I don't know if they still offer them. | ||
| Sagehawk |
This is pix of wife's 96 sporster sport rear cylinder. 22 years and about 27000 miles. Heads n cylinders never been off the bike.   | ||
| Shoggin |
Am I looking at carbon molecules in those huge pics!?!  | ||
| Livers |
FOCUS! FOCUS! | ||
| Sagehawk |
That would be a few carbon molecules on top of a 3.5" diameter piston yes. Haven't discovered the clarity yet with this scope. Just have a straight on view and camera doesn't move about without a moveable camera in head. This was the highest dpi setting that this head has. |
