For what it's worth, my 103 is stock inside but has the stage 1 intake/exhaust. This fall I got up into the 4000' elevation in WV and had no power loss or pinging. I also run 87 all the time. The comments about the current engines running at the max and too lean to meet EPA are most like correct. Pretty sad that a major manufacturer sells a vehicle that can't handle normal riding and more less expects many if not most to change stuff.

 

So, with the stage 1... Are you using a programmer? Like Power Commander? Or, a Xeid / Veid?

 

I run a PCV and have yet to experience any issues like you are describing in 6kmi on a '12 FLHTK or 1k on my new '13. I do know that last year I experienced some similar issues on my '03 at 1k ft. Bike ran fine then all of a sudden didn't, the next week I had the same similar issue with pinging in my '12 and the common denominator was the Shell station and 92 octane fuel. Converstaion with a few of my riding buddies confirmed several were having problems with fuel from the same station.

 

Let me throw this out there and maybe someone with HD calibration experience can add to it. A few years ago we had a few vehicle calibrations that check the baro pressure on start up and at WOT only. So customers would run into this driveability issue when they start out on the trip at or near sea level and get up around 4000 feet. Maybe somewhat the same issue.

 

Your complaint with the pinging is quite common on stock bikes with the 103. I had the same issues. Not necessarily altitude related, but rather load and temperature related.

As for the power loss, you have to expect some loss of power as the elevation increases. That is simply pure physics. Thinner air at altitude means a less dense charge of fuel and air and less compression therefore less power.

As for pinging at altitude, that is a little more puzzling. While some of the things mentioned in this thread maybe contributing, i.e., fuel quality, engine RPM, fuel mixture ratio, etc., the biggest player in my opinion is the ignition timing. Typically you can run more ignition timing as the altitude increases without inducing a pinging condition. I would bet that your pinging has more to do with the grade you were pulling than it does with the altitude.

To change the ignition timing you will need some kind of tuner. You asked, "will a PCV correct this problem"? The answer is yes and no. The PCV in of itself, or any other tuner for that matter, will not fix the problem, but it will give you the capability to make adjustments. The adjustments you make are what will fix your problem.

On my bike I had to remove up to 4 degrees of timing to eliminate my pinging. I've attached a copy of my ignition timing tables for your reference. These timing settings are in conjuction with a 13.8 cruise range AFR. If you're running the factory 14.6 AFR you may have to remove even more timing.

Good luck. Relying on the dealer to fix your problem is a very if'y proposition since most of them are bound to the factory EPA compliant tune parameters.

 

Fuelpak

 

None here in CT. according to the app. I have on my phone!

 

The way you say that suggests to me that below 4k feet you would have normally been cruising uphill under load at lower rpm - too low, imho. My normal cruise is in that range.

FWIW, I live at 6,700 feet, '10 FLHTK with Stage 1 intake/exhaust and HD tuner. No pinging and it takes me hours to find myself BELOW 4,000 feet <grin> I had the tuner put on after the 1k break-in, but wasn't having pinging to that point.

 

Many riders find themselves having detonation (pinging) problems and other fuel/heat related issues with our air cooled engines. They were already hotter than the 4th of July before they started putting catalytic converters in the exhaust pipes, at which point they became almost unbearable. EPA compliance is what has been driving all the hot engine complaints.
Engine temperatures should fall significantly with the introduction of the new Aqua Glides which will be coming soon, maybe within 5 months.
Curiously, I don't think I ever heard a V-Rod rider complain about a hot engine, only about all that fricken heat pouring back from the front mounted radiator. So if it ain't one thing, it will be another thing. We just like to bitch.