Octane booster, is it worth a try?
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 329
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From: Inland Northwest
Octane booster, is it worth a try?
I have an '08 Road King with Rush 1.75 slip ons. I am running the stock AC. I do get some decel popping (gurgling) when I'm feathering the throttle and I also get some occasional pinging when the bike gets warmer. Without going to IED's or a fuel management system, would an over the counter octane booster help in the pinging department?
I only experience pinging on warmer days 85 degrees plus and the bike is under load (accelerating hard---and no, I'm not lugging the bike). For example, I am in 5th gear and hitting the throttle at say 55-60 mph. I am running 92 octane (highest I can get in my area). Suggestions?
I only experience pinging on warmer days 85 degrees plus and the bike is under load (accelerating hard---and no, I'm not lugging the bike). For example, I am in 5th gear and hitting the throttle at say 55-60 mph. I am running 92 octane (highest I can get in my area). Suggestions?
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
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From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
I have an '08 Road King with Rush 1.75 slip ons. I am running the stock AC. I do get some decel popping (gurgling) when I'm feathering the throttle and I also get some occasional pinging when the bike gets warmer. Without going to IED's or a fuel management system, would an over the counter octane booster help in the pinging department?
I only experience pinging on warmer days 85 degrees plus and the bike is under load (accelerating hard---and no, I'm not lugging the bike). For example, I am in 5th gear and hitting the throttle at say 55-60 mph. I am running 92 octane (highest I can get in my area). Suggestions?
I only experience pinging on warmer days 85 degrees plus and the bike is under load (accelerating hard---and no, I'm not lugging the bike). For example, I am in 5th gear and hitting the throttle at say 55-60 mph. I am running 92 octane (highest I can get in my area). Suggestions?
Detonation or "pinging" caused by a lean air/fuel mixture only gets worse as temperatures rise (it's summer time). If it ran fine 3-4 months ago and now you're having a problem, that's likely the cause.
Last edited by cHarley; Jul 5, 2009 at 09:19 AM.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: NJ
Same setup and same symptoms. Occasional pinging when the oil temp gets up to 200+. Gets progressively worse as the bike gets hotter. It'll even do it coming off the line in 1st. I've had the 1.75s and nightriders IEDs on for well over a year and this just started recently. I get intermittent stalling when pulling in the clutch also.
Timing is set at the factory I don't see how that would get off w/o someone messing with it. So I suspect it's a bad sensor. One other thing I'm looking at is the possibility that the slipons have "broken in" so much that they're now pulling too much air and causing a lean condition. I've noticed they've gotten much louder which makes me think the baffle material has disintegrated.
Still under warranty so what I may do is put it back to stock and see what happens. If I still get the pinging I'll take it into the dealer. If I don't guess it's either live with the stock setup or get a FM. FWIW, wife's stock Deluxe is the same year as my Heritage(08), same engine, uses the same gas and has NO pinging or other issues.
Timing is set at the factory I don't see how that would get off w/o someone messing with it. So I suspect it's a bad sensor. One other thing I'm looking at is the possibility that the slipons have "broken in" so much that they're now pulling too much air and causing a lean condition. I've noticed they've gotten much louder which makes me think the baffle material has disintegrated.
Still under warranty so what I may do is put it back to stock and see what happens. If I still get the pinging I'll take it into the dealer. If I don't guess it's either live with the stock setup or get a FM. FWIW, wife's stock Deluxe is the same year as my Heritage(08), same engine, uses the same gas and has NO pinging or other issues.
Last edited by jimmers1817; Jul 5, 2009 at 08:02 AM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,278
Likes: 2
From: Mission,BC.Canada
cHarley is correct. Your fuel system is set lean to meet emission standards, changing the exhaust changed your fuel mixture.
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Read where a fellow tried NOS brand with mixed results. 
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226570
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226570
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Beautiful Downtown Burbank
Read where a fellow tried NOS brand with mixed results.
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226570
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226570