| Author | Message | ||
     Texascolt45 |
anybody else notice there xb9's pinging even when you run premium.mines got the race kit,just noticed it a little more when ya first roll on the throttle after leavin the stop sign. | ||
| Cataract2 |
Doubt it's pinging. Your probably hearing the lifters. Least, mine's never pinged. Makes the same noises from day 1. These engines are noisy engines. Comes with the HD theme I guess. Oh well, they work for me. (Message edited by cataract2 on January 22, 2005) | ||
| Cyko_bob  |
Agree with Cataract. I have had Sportsters, and now this Buell. Harley engines are kind of noisy anyway, but the quad cam engines (Sportster and Buell based engines) seem to make more noise than the others. Remember, these engines sprang from race engines back in the 50s. I am not a Harley mechanic (except for my own bikes), but I think it is mostly the lifters and the cam ramps. Great bikes...just kind of have to forget some of the noises...hope you don't hear any hammering  , like a rod coming loose, ha ha! Cyko Bob | ||
| Glitch  |
Mine pinged like crazy last summer. Don't hesitate, take it in and have the Air Fuel Value, and the timing checked. My timing was off and it was running lean. It mostly happened when I would accelerate hard in 5th or sometimes even 4th. You can kill it if it's pinging. Be safe, have it checked out. | ||
| Fireballsocal |
Running lean can cause pinging just as high compression can. If you haven't had your air/fuel mixture checked for proper ratio, it would be a good idea, just like glitch said. At best, you find out it's just a noise characteristic the engine makes. At the worst, you don't check it out and hole a piston at 6 grand.  | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Glitch/TexasColt Does the pinging sound just like a car? I have never had a Harley that pinged. Just curious so I will know what to listen for myself. Thanks | ||
| Blake |
Not "just like a car", similar though. Like there are a couple of loose steel ball bearings bouncing around in the combustion chamber. I had a leaking intake manifold seal once that caused a stock '00 Cyclone to run lean and ping. | ||
| Ingemar |
I've heard of the 12 pinging, but never heard of the 9. I have a 9 and it never pinged, and I've stepped down from 98 to 95 octane fuel. My 1200S sportster pinged though. Badly. But that's a different story. | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Well, I was curious. Here in Korea we can get some bad gas when we are on trips...away from a good source of gas or stop at a station in the boonies...never had any problem with pinging in my Sporty or Buell. With the Sporty, it just flat did not run good...died every now and then, but no pinging. The Buell just keeps on going  Love the little beast | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Okay, since we are talking gas/maybe carbs, I have a Sportster related question/problem. Ingemar indicated he has or had a 1200S also. I have a 1200S back in the States. Before I left I ran into a problem I am trying to analyze. I will have to work it out when I get back. One night I was running the Sporty against a tube frame Buell (1st mistake). With the RPMs at redline it kind of coughed once then went on...I shifted about that point. I thought I had just hit the rev limit. However, I noticed it begain to spit back more when it was started cold, plus when I first drove it on the street and cranked on it, it began to kind of cut-out. Before, it cranked up good...no spitting before it got warm, plus I never had it cut-out on me when I twisted the throttle. As it got warmer, and I am talking about running it so it is really hot/warm, it seems to run better, but does not seem to have the edge it did before the cough when I ran the Buell. I have the usual Sportster mods...K&N, rejetted, and a Thunderheader. Otherwise stock. Anyway, I am thinking I either have a coil that went bad on me at the high RPM (the S has two coils), or maybe the seal on the intake (between the carb and the manifold) is now leaking. Someone else has suggested grit in the carburetor/one of the jets. I was getting ready to come over here, so I never got into really solving the mystery. Again, it ran great until it coughed on me that once at high RPM, then it started acting up. Any ideas out there? | ||
| Charlieboy6649  |
Mine pings at WOT when it's 115-120 deg outside. I just don't run it so hard on hot days. If I could afford it, I bet water injection would solve my heat problem... | ||
| Hanses25  |
Hey Cyko Where are you at in Korea? I was stationed at Camp Humphrey's for a year back in 1999. Riding a buell in Korea would be fun except for in the populated areas which seemed to be everywhere, at least everywhere I went. | ||
| Cyko_bob |
I am at Osan. Yes, know the Hump... Riding the Buell is great fun here, even in traffice...get to split lanes, drive like a madman, and no one pays any attention. You know how the Korean drivers drive! | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Oh, the best riding is in the Korean mountains and hills. I have now been pretty much all over Korea on a bike. There are some curves and twisties equaling some of the best in the world. When you get away from the cities, there is some great country here. Was here before...rode a Sportster then...knew I wanted the Buell when I found out I was headed back this way. Because of the size of the XB, it works great in traffic. I can split lanes with the best...go to the front of the line at the red light...or ride on the sidewalk like the rest of the Koreans, ha ha!  | ||
| Trenchtractor  |
'You can kill it if it's pinging. Be safe, have it checked out.' Definately... This is the sound you can hear when a shockwave is sent down through the piston when the it's on it's upward path, causing it to shake about, or oscilate inside the bore... So it really is the sound of the piston slapping about in the cylinder... VERY BAD... Have it fixed... 'Not "just like a car", similar though. Like there are a couple of loose steel ball bearings bouncing around in the combustion chamber.' While I've never heard this description of the sound before, it's a great one... If you hear this sound have it looked at... 'Running lean can cause pinging just as high compression can.' As can an advance curve that is too aggressive... My bike had chronic pinging issues and it turns out my bike is just not compatable with the Pro Series ECM... | ||
| Texascolt45 |
believe me its not the lifters,its spark knockin.sounds just like my ranger when i get some cheap gas.doesn't do it all the time,and i wasnt aware the timing was adjustable on these things.thought the computer controlled all that. | ||
| Lovematt  |
The computer does a lot of things but there is a static timing setting that is done mechancially as a starting point. It involved removing a plug and cover on the right side of the bike (as you are sitting on it). Basically the plug is removed and a indicator bar can be moved left/right until it is in the right position. If this is not in the right position then the starting point is not right and the computer is advancing from the wrong baseline. My bike was advanced even in the static setting from the factory which had to be fixed. I didn't have pinging but it just didn't feel right... | ||
| Texascolt45 |
the mystery is solved.the fasteners that hold the timing plate on had loosened a little and it let the timing advance.i could see were it had been before so i put it back.tightened the 2 fasteners and made a couple marks to see if it slips again. |
