How to stop pinging
Trending Topics
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
 \\;
my bike knocks and pings under load - it is a 99 TC88 with 67,000 miles on it. \\; the knocking and pinging started around 45,000 miles ( I moved to New England around that time).
 \\;
I once posted a question here about it and was told my Mikuni 42mm carb was jetted wrong - I find that hard to believe that it would take that many miles for an improperly jetted carb to reveal itself. \\; (carb installed at 20,000 miles). \\; I'm not disputing the running lean might be the problem, but it was fine for 20,000+ miles with the Mikuni Carb before the pinging started. \\; There could be gunk in the jets I suppose....
 \\;
Another suggestion was carbon buildup \\;- more believable given the mileage. \\; When I hit 100,000 miles, I will 95" it and maybe the pinging will go away. LOL
 \\;
Real Life Experience - On June 28, I left Maine for a 5,000 mile trip south. \\; By day 3, in Virginia, the pinging had stopped. \\; No Pinging until July 9 upon return to the northeast - the first Tank of gas purchased in New York (93 octane) and the pinging started. \\; So, no pinging with gas bought in Virginia, NC, Tennessee, SC, GA, FL, AL, Miss, KY, WV. \\; Pinging when I buy gas in NY, VT, NH and ME.
 \\;
Guess I need to move.
 \\;
Service Manager at local HD dealer is recommending to customers to run 87 Octane with booster. \\; with the high gas prices, premium gas is not being purchased as much \\;and is going stale in the underground tanks. \\; take that for whatever it is worth.
 \\;
 \\;
 \\;
Causes in no particular order: \\;
Low octane (cheap is a relative word today) gas
Carbon build up in combustion chamber
Hot spot in the combustion chamber
Lean carb/injector system
Timing too far advanced for load conditions
Motor too hot for other conditions/settings.






