My 2021 Road glide Limited had a distinct ping when accelerating in hot weather. This is not due to lugging as it occurred in the high RPM ranges. After taking it in the shop multiple times, they told me they had found a crack in the plastic intake. I had them swap it with an S&S metallic intake and that “seemed” to fix problem. It still did it in extreme heat.
Now it appears to do it again at any temperature and even in the lower gears, especially when two up. I thought about pulling the intake off and checking it but I do have the ESP on it so I think they ought to fix it.
Anybody seen this issue?

 

Engines can be overloaded at higher rpms, as well as lower rpms... heat will increase the tendency of an engine to ping.

Lugging has the reputation of being a slow speed event. The truth is, that engines will ping when "overloaded". That is based on the sum of the conditions it is being operated in, not just rpm dependent. For example; uphill, 2-up, hot weather, loaded for a trip, will require much more frequent downshifting and at higher rpms, than if riding solo, cool weather, very little gear, on flat, curvy roads...

Based on your description, it sounds like you need to downshift more when accelerating.....

As for another intake leak... that is easy enough to check, but I doubt that is causing your issue, well the main cause anyways...

 

Hey Cro does it seem like spark knock? If so as a test maybe try some octane booster. If that helps then maybe dialing back your timing advance in the RPM and throttle range you hear it in may help.

I had to go round and round with a similar situation after I got the SE 447 cam installed in my 23 Ultra Limited. In my case it was usually between 2000 and 3000 rpm, so maybe it ain't timing related on your bike, but I thought I'd pass this info along just in case.

 

Assuming you are not running a tuner having ignition timing advanced too much, Ping is specifically pre ignition of the air fuel mixture before the ignition spark event. Reasons include lean air fuel ratio, high compression ratio with low octane fuel or simply low octane fuel or high intake temperature resulting in high fuel temperature pre igniting during the compression stroke. If you don't have a tuner on it.... maybe adding some fuel will compensate for the lean AFR and resulting pre ignition.

 

My 21 RGL will ping if I go hard on the throttle in the higher gears, you just have to shift down in those conditions.

 

Make sure you are using at least 91 octane. More is better.

 

I always use 93 Shell and ride hard. I have never had pinging in any gear. Possible causes:

Low octane gas
Poor tune

 

I’ve owned three M-8’s. 45,000 between the three. Not a ton, but enough to be familiar.

I consider it be a characteristic, only if ever so briefly.

 

Do you ride it like a little ole lady? Not to be funny ,but a carboned up motor will have this issue as well. Taking it out on the highway and wringing it out once an while helps with that.

 

I have a 2012 Road Glide Ultra with the 103 and have delt with the same thing for years and still cant find an answer. I've used different tunes, always use 93 octane with no ethanol ect. It only does it after the motor has warmed up and getting a good throttle pull, does it in all RPM ranges as well. I've learned to live with it and be a little less aggressive on the throttle.