Where'd the pinging go?!?

[knary]

In the years I've owned my GS, a too healthy rolling on of the throttle in too a high a gear in the heat of summer would result in the crackle of the dreaded "pinging". Anything other than premium fuel and it would be considerably worse.

It didn't do it at all on the trip to Gillette despite temps pushing 100??F on a couple stretches. I even tried out mid-grade fuel without getting the ugly ping. No pinging. None. Zero. Weird, eh?

The only thing different is that I just installed Autolite 3922 plugs. These are a colder plug than what is, IIRC, specced for the bike. But it was my understanding that the primary source of the pre-detonation on these bikes was *not* the plugs. I expected the colder plug to possibly help a little but not to be a solution.

 

[PGlaves]

It depends on the source of the pinging. If what was detonating the fuel charge was a glowing (not sparking) plug tip - then you have eliminated that glowing tip and solved the problem.

Another primary cause is carbon buildup in the combustion chamber. Probably not your cause - unless you rode a while in heavy rain, inducted water through the forward facing snorkel, and accidently decoked the engine. Happened to Voni once.

 

[cjack]

It didn't do it at all on the trip to Gillette despite temps pushing 100??F on a couple stretches. I even tried out mid-grade fuel without getting the ugly ping. No pinging. None. Zero. Weird, eh?

Does it usually do the pinging at sea level atmospheric pressure?

 

[OfficerImpersonator]

Has there been a recent reformulation of gasoline? I think PDX's gas comes from the refineries in Anacortes and Whatcom County up here in Washington, via a pipeline that roughly parallels I-5.

The reason I mention this is because about two weeks ago, mine stopped an occasional mild ping when accelerating hard in 6th gear, between approximately 65 and 80 mph. Ambient temperature and engine temperature were irrelevant. Bike always drinks Chevron 92.

You just went across a wide swath of the country, so you drank gas from many different sources. Perhaps there was a nation-wide gas reformulation? Is it possible that refineries in the PNW supply the region all the way to Wyoming? These are just shots in the dark here, but twice is a coincidence, three times is a trend.

 

[grafikfeat]

Scott, try dropping the octane for a few tanks and see if mileage increases now that your ping is gone.

Bike always drinks Chevron 92.

When I bought my cruiser I followed the book and tank sticker... Use 92.
Pinged once going over the pass to Leavenworth on highway 2.
I dropped it to mid grade w/ no ill affects... Mileage increased.
Hmmm...
Dropped it to 87 and mileage increased further.
Now I'm at Chevrons 87 and not looking back.
Never a ping since.
My commute is 108 RT daily from Gold Bar to 1st Ave s in Georgetown.
1/2 is 35-40 + remainder is I 405/I-90.

Assessment: Anything over 87 is a waste of money.

Incidentally, there are six refineries in Washington State.

 

[glennhendricks]

No nation wide formula

There is no nation wide change in formula, there are regional formulas and additions depending on the company. The gas you buy at Chevron is the exact same gas you get at the Pump and puke. It comes out of the same pipeline. The difference is the Chevron additives which are generally loaded at the truck terminal when they fill the tankers.

Here in the west at altitude the octane rating is slightly lower than on the coasts.

 

[knary]

There is no nation wide change in formula, there are regional formulas and additions depending on the company. The gas you buy at Chevron is the exact same gas you get at the Pump and puke. It comes out of the same pipeline. The difference is the Chevron additives which are generally loaded at the truck terminal when they fill the tankers.

Here in the west at altitude the octane rating is slightly lower than on the coasts.

Generally speaking, nevermind different octanes, AFAIK, gasoline is gasoline is gasoline. I get fuel where it's cheaper, more convenient, and where I think, usually based on a vague hunch, I'll get 'clean' fuel.

On this trip, I sampled a wide variety of fuels from Chevrons to Mom&Pop stations. When you're riding in the rural west, you get it where you can.

cjack,
It would ping more at lower altitude, but it didn't make much of a difference.

 

[jasontdi]

On my trip I took the 87 NON-Ethanol fuel over the 89 10% ethanol every time. More money? Yep, but the mileage a was better and the bike just runs better. I ran some 90-91-92 as well, depended on availability.

I too put in the autolites before the trip and the bike runs better. Valve adjustment helped too though. A lot quieter.

 

[knary]

On my trip I took the 87 NON-Ethanol fuel over the 89 10% ethanol every time. More money? Yep, but the mileage a was better and the bike just runs better. I ran some 90-91-92 as well, depended on availability.

I too put in the autolites before the trip and the bike runs better. Valve adjustment helped too though. A lot quieter.

Autolite 3922 or 3923? The latter is what's usually recommended in nearly every sparkplug thread and is what Autolite spits out from their cross-reference and vehicle recommendation charts.

 

[grafikfeat]

On this trip, I sampled a wide variety of fuels from Chevrons to Mom&Pop stations. When you're riding in the rural west, you get it where you can.

Ain't that the truth. And ya carry some to spare.

 

[knary]

Ain't that the truth. And ya carry some to spare.

What's the range on that C?
If I'm diligent at the pump, I can almost always get at least 200 miles out of a tank and often more like 215 or more. There have been many times that I wish I had an adventure tank. But that's another story.

 

[grafikfeat]

What's the range on that C?

My best was 175 w/ .25 left. Oddly enough the day that picture was taken!
I keep it @ 165 so as to avoid sucking dirt.
On that note, just did a new fuel filter. Since it was the original w/ 32k on it... It looked "ok".
American gas is filthy.
Pass a station that has a truck dumping new fuel. It's stirring up all that tank sediment.

 

[jasontdi]

Autolite 3922 or 3923? The latter is what's usually recommended in nearly every sparkplug thread and is what Autolite spits out from their cross-reference and vehicle recommendation charts.

3923. Got rid of the surge issue too. VERY happy about that.

 

[DARKCLOUD]

My best was 175 w/ .25 left. Oddly enough the day that picture was taken!
I keep it @ 165 so as to avoid sucking dirt.
On that note, just did a new fuel filter. Since it was the original w/ 32k on it... It looked "ok".
American gas is filthy.
Pass a station that has a truck dumping new fuel. It's stirring up all that tank sediment.

Sediment? where does sediment come from? Metal underground tanks are a thing of the past.

JON

 

[grafikfeat]

Sediment? where does sediment come from? Metal underground tanks are a thing of the past.

JON

Dirty Gas.

Fiberglass tanks are for environmental reasons. Like keeping fuel in.

When I was in the Navy we ran American Gas and Mexican gas in a centerfuge, I worked in the "Oil Lab" in San Diego. The crap at the bottom of American gas after the spin was amazing. Looked like a salad shaker.

 

[Ozonkiller]

Did you ever mention mileage. Perhaps as your bike accumulated the miles and broke in thoroughly and that helped.

Oil, entering the combustion chamber, whether through worn valve guides or, in your case, perhaps through rings that are still seating will have a huge effect in lowering octane.

Just a thought

 

[knary]

Did you ever mention mileage. Perhaps as your bike accumulated the miles and broke in thoroughly and that helped.

Oil, entering the combustion chamber, whether through worn valve guides or, in your case, perhaps through rings that are still seating will have a huge effect in lowering octane.

Just a thought

It still burns a bit of oil and in the winter after a bit of neglect on a side stand still blows a nice healthy cloud of blue.

 

[OfficerImpersonator]

It still burns a bit of oil and in the winter after a bit of neglect on a side stand still blows a nice healthy cloud of blue.

Don't you wish you could activate that feature with a push of a button? Someone is tailgating you? No problem - just activate the smoke-screen feature!

My wife used to have a 1982 diesel Rabbit that had that feature. Stomp on the accelerator pedal (really a misnomer on a diesel Rabbit) and nothing would happen except for a cloud of blue smoke in the rear view mirror and plenty of distance opening between you and the vehicle behind you - distance not caused by your rapid acceleration.

 

[knary]

Don't you wish you could activate that feature with a push of a button? Someone is tailgating you? No problem - just activate the smoke-screen feature!

My wife used to have a 1982 diesel Rabbit that had that feature. Stomp on the accelerator pedal (really a misnomer on a diesel Rabbit) and nothing would happen except for a cloud of blue smoke in the rear view mirror and plenty of distance opening between you and the vehicle behind you - distance not caused by your rapid acceleration.

Whenever I mention that I've fixed something or done some bit of maintenance on the bike, a friend asks in a very serious tone, "Will that fix that smoking problem?"

For whatever reason, it does it about every fifth time that I park in front of his house
- which is not very often.

 

[glennhendricks]

It isn't a problem

"Will that fix that smoking problem?"

It isn't a problem, it's a feature.

Keeps bugs out of the area.