| Author | Message | ||
     Trxtodd |
I have a 2005 XB12R with the aftermarket Buell race exhaust, K&N filter, and race ecm, with 1900 miles. My question is if I go on a 30 minute ride or more and if I accelerate in any gear under a load, it starts to ping or detonate. I have personally witnessed what detonation does to a piston after a while and I do not what my brand new Firebolt to end up that way! I have been running 93 octane. My dealership says it is just the quality of gas these days but I doubt that. Can you guys help please!!! It is annoying.. Thanks. | ||
| Odinbueller |
Is your engine light illuminating? If so, constant or does it go on, off on then off? Did this just start after the race kit install? If so, did you get your TPS reset (though I don't think an out of whack TPS would cause this)? What is the part number of the race kit you purchased? Did you pull the snorkel out of the frame? Let us know and we can go from there. | ||
| Njbuell |
Sounds to me like it may be getting hot. Have you noticed if your cooling fan is coming on normally? Is this only happening on around town riding for extended periods of time or is it all the time? Did you happen to change the plugs? | ||
| Jedwele |
I agree with NJ, it sounds like it is getting hot. Whats making get hot is another question. You might consider switching to synthetics if you havn't done so. I notice on mine only in heavy stop and go trafic and its hot outside every once in awhile I get a ping taking off from a stop. | ||
| Tomd |
Hi, I have an '04 12s that does the same thing. If I ride it around town for about 5 miles, (some lights, mostly 20+ mph, idle to 4k rpm) I can hear a few pings from the rear cyl when I roll away from a stop. I'm not hammering it off the lights, just letting it roll out and motoring away. I hear a ping or three, if I hammer it, I get a whole bunch more pinging. After 20 or more miles, it pings no matter how light I come off the light. The fan dosen't come on until the bike is way hotter. I didn't notice it this bad until the race kit went on. I would say that the initial timing may be more advanced and the curve steeper. I also live at sea level so my cylinder filling and pressure may be higher than average. I notice when I head to the hills, it pings less. I've tried all brands of pump premium, same results. I think they may have an issue with heat loading the rear cylinder via the exhaust pipes and/or poor combustion chamber design. I also think the right side scoop needs to be the same size as the left one to grab air for the rear cyl. We have a hot weekend coming up so I'm going to surprise my dealer and go for a TPS reset. Then try a tank full of Sunoco 100 octane. If it goes away, I know it's the 93 pump gas in combo with the race ECM. Tom | ||
| Bbstacker |
Trojan Horse makes a right side air scoop. Bruce Lee has nothing but good things to say about it. Says his fan doesn't even come on any more. Might want to check out their link. I'm waiting till Al gets the carbon one dialed in. That way it'll match the left. | ||
| Typeone |
my 12S had a consistent ping under load at ~3800-4000 RPM from day one. ping was consistent in stock form and in its current form with intake/exhaust mods. I finally checked the timing last weekend... she was set too advanced from the factory. reset the static timing and the bike is MUCH happier rolling on hard (or soft) through 4K RPM | ||
| Fullpower |
typeone: how far off was timing? mark still visible in window, but advanced some, or all the way out of view? did you use an LED and resistor to check? | ||
| M1combat |
"and/or poor combustion chamber design." Not bloody likely... You don't get to pass CA emissions standards w/o a catalytic converter w/ a poor head design... Check your timing. | ||
| Typeone |
Fullpower: it was off quite a bit it seemed. I used Steve-O's method with a DMM hooked into the back of the ECM. Worked like a charm. As for 'how far off', all i can remember is the larger notches you see above where the marks are engraved... things got shifted to the next notch. i wasn't using that as a guide but it was easier to see/remember since I didnt scribe a mark near the engraved lines. i could easily go back to where it was and mark though. prob should do that just for the sake of having better data. unless that 'notch' i'm talking about is a moving part. I didnt think so, but i'm clueless as to what that is without digging in manual. not sure if this helps. sorry i dont know how many degrees exactly but i was expecting a little shift when i dug into it. wasnt the case. EDIT: ah, i reread your post FP, sorry, thought you meant other marks... the vertical timing mark through window was visible but pretty far to the left. (Message edited by typeone on June 23, 2005) | ||
| Joojoo |
I had it too on my 12. New plugs. All fixed. Jack | ||
| Eurotwins |
My 05 12r does the same thing and is going in this Sat. to dealer for the 3rd time. Both previous times they said it was normal but when I talked to Erik at the Glendale Demo Days he said "no way is that normal". Spoke with an engineer at Buell and he is instructing the dealer to reset timing and TPS. If they can't or won't fix it, I'm going to take other avenues. I love the bike but won't live with it this way.....John | ||
| Typeone |
John, my local dealer said the same thing but i couldn't take it so I checked on my own. I KNEW there was potential for damage if left in that condition. happy to hear you spoke to Erik about it, wish the HD network was better for us Buellers  | ||
| Fullpower |
ok, " visible but pretty far to left" probably around 3 degrees advanced then ( my guesstimate) so static timing IS pretty critical with these motors. have to check mine soon. | ||
| Trxtodd |
When I bought my 05 12R it was used, so the race kit was already installed when I purchased it. I have not changed the spark plugs or I dont even know if the TPS was reset. All I know is a couple of my friends also just bought'05 models IL4 bikes with no trouble what so ever, so they just laugh at me.. Its getting a little discouraging. Oh I am also running non-synthetic motor oil, do you think the oil that I am running would make my bike detonate? | ||
| Trxtodd |
Oh yeah, my engine light is not coming on when I am riding. | ||
| Typeone |
Trxtodd, make absolutely sure you check the static timing or have the dealer do it. Don't accept an answer of 'they all do it'. There have been quite a few cases on BadWeb where ping was related to static timing being set incorrectly at the factory. Not all cases of course but enough that it got me to check. Not saying this is causing your particular issue but its the next place to look for sure since you've already tried the 'get better gas' route. | ||
| Tenaciousb |
my 2004 xb12 does it all the time. If the rpms go past 3000 it will not stop pinging, and has progressively getting worse. I have also gotten the "its normal, they all do it", speech from the dealer, but i know that it cannot be right. Ever been passed by a 88 ci twin cam softail because of power robbing pinging, now thats embarrassing | ||
| Trxtodd |
Thanks for the help guys, you have been a huge help! I will keep you posted and I am going to my dealer this weekend. | ||
| Thin |
My bike is at the dealer right now for some of the same problems. They seem to think that it's in the fuel system. They said that it's losing fuel pressure. This will be third trip to the dealer for this problem. Now they are finally admitting there is a problem. It took them a week to figure this out. I may have it back next week. I feel everyones frustration. My previous bikes haven't been fuel injected, so I did my own service. I'm at the mercy of the dealer right now. | ||
| Elyaswolffxb9s |
Have you tired going to a colder plug? That might help stop the pinging. | ||
| Opto |
It's funny? how it all goes round and round. Check this link from 10 months ago re: XB12 pinging. There's a photo of pieces of combustion chamber embedded in the outer electrode of the sparkplug. There is heaps of info in the archives if you want to do a search. The motor involved with the mentioned photo is still going very strong at 12,000 miles and no more pings...It may still have a limited life however... http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=32777&post=297302#POS T297302 | ||
| Eurotwins |
Went to dealer today and tech stated that he checked the timing and reset TPS. It still pings,the tech says "they all do it". After he finished I went to leave and went about a mile and the bike was idling at about 850 RPM which he again said normal.I showed him the owners manual that said 1050-1150,he huffed and pulled the bike into the back to readjust, this time I left and made it another mile and at a stop it was idling at 1,850 rpm. P****d I went to meet with the GM of the dealer. Nice guy but I'll find out next week what is going to be done. I have no intention of keeping this bike with this condition. Does the 9R have these same concerns?...John | ||
| Bbstacker |
Even when it's over 100 degrees out and I'm putting in between lanes in heavy traffic with the fan screaming, I've never had it ping. It tends to chug more readily if you underdrive a gear, but it's never pinged. BTW 2003 9R. | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
My first summer, would ping under heavy acceleration. Cure, softer spark, syn oil, high octane fuel... | ||
| Trxtodd |
what is the spark plug that you use?? | ||
| Hogs |
HEy Charlieboy, SuP? Oh what do ya mean by a softer spark? | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
Let me do the looking and get the PN. You may beat me to the discussion if you look. Al at American Sport Bike joined a thread on here that discussed the PN's for various plugs, hotter/milder spark. I went to the auto shop and put the milder ones in when I got the pinging; in addition to better fuel choices... I've always used 91, but I've learned that not all gas stations are the same quality of fuel. I stick to 76 or Chevron now. | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
Some performance nuts I've talked to around here also agree that plug design plays a role. Those splitfires and other like gimmick plugs are said to actually block spark because there's more material in the way and the spark only goes to one prong anyway, not multiple. That's just what they say...I'm no brainiac. Bosch platinum is popular with them. | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
Found it: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/85656.html#POST349371 | ||
| Tenaciousb |
I previously owned an XB9SL before I traded it in for my 2004 XB12R. I Never had any problems with the xb9. Both bikes were set up with factory race kits. (ecm, pipe, air filter). The xb9 made it through the summer here in arizona with 110+ degree temps and that bike never skipped a beat. However with the XB12 I have had nothing but problems with the bike since it was new. I dont think that ambient temp has anything to do with the pinging on my bike. Just the other day it was a rather cool morning at about 80 degrees and the bike would still ping. Also, the cooling fan was not even on. Has anyone taken off the race kit on their bike to see if it helps? I really love the rumble of a big twin and don't want to silence it with the stock exhaust. ..................................I think I want my 9S back  | ||
| M1combat |
I think your static timing is too advanced... |
