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[Boxman88]

Need a little help. Have a 2012 SE Ultra. When cruising down the highway and hit the throttle the motor starts to knock(rattle). The dealer adjusted the timing a couple of weeks ago and it seamed to go away. After a 200 mile day and sitting in traffic for 30 min and going again it sounded like it was going to come apart. I had high compression pistons and cams put n when i bought the bike and also had VH pipes and Harley Tuner put in. Any idea what the issue is?  Little help please. 

[Twolanerider]

Can't know for sure without hearing it of course.  But with descriptions of added compresion and the problem presenting with more heat it sounds like detonation (pinging).  If a canned map was loaded it's likely too aggressive or if it was tuned the effort wasn't all it should have been.  Good luck.

[jagonza1]

Also remember you have beehive valve springs and they get noisy as well.

[cahdbiker]

Boxman88, I had a high compression engine on one of my other bikes. It would ping unless I was using 100 octane, which used to be available from one of my local gas stations. Six years ago it was around $5.00 a gallon. The bike ran okay on 93, but if I put a load on it I would get pinging without the 100 octane.  Maybe you need to richen up your fuel mixture a bit more, or run higher octane gas. CAHDBIKER

[grc]

Detonation would be the first suspect, and it will get worse when the engine and the intake air gets hotter.  I think your best approach is to seek out a really good tuner (not just whoever happens to be available at the dealership) and have the tune redone.  It makes more sense to go with a more conservative tune that will work with commonly available fuels, rather than something more aggressive to pick up a couple more hp on a dyno chart. 


Jerry

[Boxman88]

Does the early detonation come from heat or timing. I run syn 3 and heard Amsoil runs cooler. Or might it be a combination of both. It pings the most between 2300 and 3000 RPM's mostly disappears above 3000.

[twinotter]

 Ask for rec to a competent tuner (not at HD dealer). Most of the PHD's I've met I wouldn't let them tune my wheelbarrow. Detentation or pinging is resolved by tuning correctly, obviously your not there. It is caused by the fresh charge igniting on it own instead of being fired by the sparkplug, usually due to extreme lean conditions or carbon buildup causing hot spots in the combustion chamber. I'd bet on way lean in your case.
Next time your out riding and you get the noise, knocking, shift down one gear, never let the motor rattle away until you get up to speed, major damage can (will) occur.
All these new bikes are geared way too tall, and people think they can drive them like the older, lower geared bikes. You shouldn't be in 6th until 75 mph IMO. twinotter 

[sixgun95]

Mine does the same thing under high rpm's - heavy acceleration. Bike has a custom map, need to get it tuned again.

[Twolanerider]

Does the early detonation come from heat or timing?

Either or both.  Or one abetting the other as they work in combination.  You can't directly "tune" the heat though.  Can add more fuel to cool a cylinder.  What you can directly control is timing.   

[HOGMIKE]

Does the early detonation come from heat or timing. I run syn 3 and heard Amsoil runs cooler. Or might it be a combination of both. It pings the most between 2300 and 3000 RPM's mostly disappears above 3000.

Have you taken it back to the dealer who did the tuning?
That 2300-3000 pinging can be tuned out, not a big deal.
I would give the dealer the chance to make your bike "happy" before you dump any more $$$ into it.
I don't think you will see any difference in cooling with the oils you mentioned.
JMHO
 

[glens]

All these new bikes are geared way too tall, and people think they can drive them like the older, lower geared bikes. You shouldn't be in 6th until 75 mph IMO. twinotter 

I hope the smiley indicates you're joking about that.  This is a '12 we're talking about and the gearing is spot-on from the factory.  5th until 75 mph is beyond needlessly revving the piss out of the engine.  Way beyond.

[turbo357]

I agree that luggin it around at 2300rpms can't be good, but it shouldn't be pinging either. I also agree that running it in 5th gear up to 75mph all the time isn't good either.
Mine started pinging now too. Pinging occurs under light or heavy throttle under 3000rpms It started after HD shop replaced the stock cam chain tensioner with the hydraulic tensioner with hi flow oil pump. Also replaced SE 257 cams with same. They told me when the tensioner went out it also messed up the cams & *valves* so they were changed also added were the perfect fit push rods. I have the SERT which was tuned last year by a HD tech I trust. He said that 2001 fuel injection system is the hardest to tune and he recommended power commander. Everything that was replaced was basically the same as before, so the tune should not need changed. Or should it? Or the timing is now different than before. Could they have messed up the timing or tuning when replacing parts??

*Correction; either the tappets or the lifters were replaced not the Valves.*

[Boxman88]

Follow up on my tune. It comes to find out it is when the bike got hot it was the most noticeable. This timing was off by 6 degrees between 2500 and 2750 RPM. Dealer took care of it and she runs perfect now. 6th gear at 65 and no knock and ping. I can ride it like I always rode my old bike. Thanks for all the input guys.

[prodrag1320]

what cams & what compression?

[Boxman88]

what cams & what compression?

It has the SE 255 cams and HD SE High Compression Pistons.