Not sure if I'm in the minority with this problem, but about a month ago, my bike developed a ping during slow acceleration. I'm pretty sure I'm not lugging the engine. It's a stock bike, except for the Ebay special - Wild Pigs slip-ons. I installed them about a year ago and the bike ran fine. I didn't think it necessary to install a fuel management system at the time, since things were fine. This summer, I removed the lowers to get a little more air to the legs. When I reinstalled them at the beginning of September, that's when I first noticed the ping. Removed them again and the ping is gone. Bike has to be warmed up and it doesn't happen during every accelleration. The bike has 26K miles and has always had full synthetic oil. Recently replaced spark plugs with the same stockers, setting the gap to .040.

So I go to the dealer and they tell me I should have installed some sort of fuel management system when I installed the slip-ons and that I've probably done damage to the engine. Not sure about that.

So I install the V&H Fuel Pak per their recommendation and the problem is still there. I used the map for the Rush slip-ons - the consensus seems to be that the Rush pipes are similar to Wild Pigs. I might be wrong there too.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

 

Fuel management could be the culprit, but doubt it did engine damage. Try using a higher octane fuel and see if that help.

 

Pinging or popping? If it's popping, check your pipes for loose clamps or gaskets at the head. Something might have come loose. Also use 93 octane.
If it continues, get it tuned. As far as damage to your motor, I doubt it.

 

Definitely pinging, not popping and I'm already using 93 octane.

Any idea why it would be starting at 25K? I figured I would have had this problem all along...

 

I would not think you needed a fuel management system with just slip-on mufflers unless you ALSO did a high intake breather at the same time. I think your Dealer sold you something not necessary. Obviously has not solved your problem either. Are you using the same brand gas most fill up? Has the bike sat stored for any length of time without firing the motor? Best octane I can get in my part of the US is 90 and unfortunately my stock motor has its share of pinging especially under heavy acceleration uphill.

 

Might want to get the timing advanced.

 

>>they tell me I should have installed some sort of fuel management system when I installed the slip-ons and that I've probably done damage to the engine.<<

If that is the case Harley ruined my engine..It pinged on the way home the day I bought it!

Mark

 

could it be carbon build up?

 

The lack of a fuel management system is not good once mods are made, but pinging (predetonation) is really bad. You should not ride a pinging bike. A properly set up fuel management system will take care of it. Canned maps do not always do the job. Put a high flow intake on it and get it dynoed.

 

Different brands of gas each time, so I don't think it's a particular station. It just doesn't make sense that this would start at 25K miles.

Thought it might be carbon build-up and tried every additive I could think of. Can anyone recommend something specific?