When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Ignition/Tuner/ECM/Fuel InjectionNeed advice on ignition issues? Questions about a tuner? Have questions about a EFI calibration or Fuel Injection? Tips on Engine Diagnostics, how to get codes, and what they mean. Find your answers here.
Today, all of a sudden, I notice some pinging/knocking under heavy acceleration. I know that a little bit of "spark knock" or pinging is common with early electronically controlled engines in cars, but being a newbie to Harleys and motorcycling in general, I'm worried. The knocking is evident at most engine speeds, in any gear, when I open the throttle abruptly or accelerate under heavy load (such as going uphill). At steady speeds, or light acceleration, there is no problem. I'm pretty sure this hasn't happened before.
My bike is a 2005 FXDI and has about 1450mi on the clock. I had the 1000 mi service done a week ago and I am wondering if they messed something up.
My concerns are as following:
-They replaced the plugs. Is it possible that they used a plug with a lower heat range than stock?
-Do they adjust the timing during the 1000 mi service?
-Maybe they didn't torque down the air cleaner when they checked it and I have an induction leak?
-There is a local law where I live (Pima Co., AZ) That gasoline sold between about this time of year and the end of March? must be oxygenated. Can this affect combustion characteristics in a motorcycle engine?
-Maybe I'm running the bike too hard and I broke something?
I would greatly appreciate any thoughts on this matter.
I have had problems with HD platnum plugs and knock, but would also suspect bad (low octane) gas. Install a set of stock HD plugs and ride it. If the problem doesn't go away, run the current tank of gas down and fuel it up a a different station (one that is reputable). I have gone as far as going to a service station and complaining about their premium. Usually we get you some free gas!
-They replaced the plugs. Is it possible that they used a plug with a lower heat range than stock?
-Do they adjust the timing during the 1000 mi service?
-Maybe they didn't torque down the air cleaner when they checked it and I have an induction leak?
-There is a local law where I live (Pima Co., AZ) That gasoline sold between about this time of year and the end of March? must be oxygenated. Can this affect combustion characteristics in a motorcycle engine?
A colder plug should not cause pinging. Check the number on the plug, it should show the stock number (6r12)
No timing adjustments are done on the TC engines. It is all handled by the ECM as part of a map.
If the air claener wasn't torqued down, you would know it .
I would try a different gas station to see if it was the gas itself.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.