Pinging
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,975
Likes: 12
From: NJ
My '08 Nighttrain has started to ping badly. Just rode from Oregon to Tennessee and back and found the bike pinging at any acceleration starting over 65mph. The only exception was in MO and TN where I was able to get 93 premium. Pings more the hotter the ambient temperature. Got so bad in WY with a headwind that I kept having to roll off the throttle and was soon passed by an eff'ng Toyota Prius.
The bike did not do this in its first 9K miles.
The local dealer says they can't reproduce the problem. How do I convince them that there is a problem while I still have a warranty?
The bike did not do this in its first 9K miles.
The local dealer says they can't reproduce the problem. How do I convince them that there is a problem while I still have a warranty?
Stage II
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Willamette Valley, OR
The dealership will already know that the bike is essentially stock. On the original purchase, the muffler was swapped out by them and on asking about retuning, they said none was necessary for this change. That proved to be true as the bike performed flawlessly in its first 9K.
What other pieces of information would be helpful?
You wouldn't happen to be able to quote a line item from a service invoice? Probably not lucky enough to have eprom flash version numbers for the before and after.
Did your dealership volunteer this patch or did you have to push them for it? After twenty years as a customer of this dealership, I've learned that the service department will play dumb unless I quote their own service directives to them.
What other pieces of information would be helpful?
Did your dealership volunteer this patch or did you have to push them for it? After twenty years as a customer of this dealership, I've learned that the service department will play dumb unless I quote their own service directives to them.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,975
Likes: 12
From: NJ
The dealership will already know that the bike is essentially stock. On the original purchase, the muffler was swapped out by them and on asking about retuning, they said none was necessary for this change. That proved to be true as the bike performed flawlessly in its first 9K.
What other pieces of information would be helpful?
You wouldn't happen to be able to quote a line item from a service invoice? Probably not lucky enough to have eprom flash version numbers for the before and after.
Did your dealership volunteer this patch or did you have to push them for it? After twenty years as a customer of this dealership, I've learned that the service department will play dumb unless I quote their own service directives to them.
What other pieces of information would be helpful?
You wouldn't happen to be able to quote a line item from a service invoice? Probably not lucky enough to have eprom flash version numbers for the before and after.
Did your dealership volunteer this patch or did you have to push them for it? After twenty years as a customer of this dealership, I've learned that the service department will play dumb unless I quote their own service directives to them.
Couple days later they called me and told me they had fixed the stalling issue with the latest download to the ecm but they weren't able to duplicate the pinging and racing engine.
When they first told me this on the phone I was pissed because the pinging had been quite obvious so there's no way they could've missed it. Figured I was going to be bringing the bike back into them.
But when I picked it up it ran like a champ. So whatever the download was it fixed everything. Sorry, I couldn't find any job code on the invoice.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 343
Likes: 0
From: Va Beach
I have some pinging under hard acceleration...Can someone give me a clue on how to advance or retard the timing? Is it a degree at a time and then test ride or something different to get it dialed in?
Should I advance or retard?
What is the drawback of changing the timing?
Thanks guys.
Should I advance or retard?
What is the drawback of changing the timing?
Thanks guys.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 539
Likes: 7
From: Colorado
I have some pinging under hard acceleration...Can someone give me a clue on how to advance or retard the timing? Is it a degree at a time and then test ride or something different to get it dialed in?
Should I advance or retard?
What is the drawback of changing the timing?
Thanks guys.
Should I advance or retard?
What is the drawback of changing the timing?
Thanks guys.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 3
From: Oklahoma City, OK
My bike is starting to ping a bit under hard acceleration too
.. it didnt do it before. I just did the 10,000 service on it. It only recently began with the pinging. My Nightster was horrible with the pinging.
I really dont know much about what my fuel/air mix should be, but I put it on the dyno last weekend and the techs said my fuel/air was good.
My numbers werent too hot either wonder if the pinging was bringing it down? I always use the highest octane available, but thats usually 91.
I really dont know much about what my fuel/air mix should be, but I put it on the dyno last weekend and the techs said my fuel/air was good.
My numbers werent too hot either wonder if the pinging was bringing it down? I always use the highest octane available, but thats usually 91.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 507
Likes: 3
From: 2 miles from the Sun!
Ping
I just got an 07 Ultra. Had 9k on it took it out for a spin put 3k miles on it. In hot temps 85F and up could hardly do the speed limit for get about 6th. Went back to dealer they said 07 ping but there was a more recent ECM program , have not had time to see it this has helped. All my research points to Lean AFR restrictive intake and exhaust and cams that close early on the exhaust keeping heat in. Ping Bada Ping All this for EPA requirments, water cooled engins can deal with heat removal better than Air cooled . I will wait and See
Thanks Russ
Thanks Russ
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 45
the only thing that fixed my bike was the tts mastertune. i removed 3deg timing,
richend up the cruise range and then pulled some spark vs temp which cured the
blip ping. trust me its the timing if you can spend 350.00 i would just buy the tts
it has all the programs to cure pinging.
richend up the cruise range and then pulled some spark vs temp which cured the
blip ping. trust me its the timing if you can spend 350.00 i would just buy the tts
it has all the programs to cure pinging.