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[Hawgrider]

I have a 2009 Ultra with 30,000 km (19000 miles)

When it was new it would ping when accelerating or going up a hill.
At 9000 km (5600 miles) I installed a Big Sucker, Fulsac X pipe, 2 inch muffler cores, a race tuner pro and had it set-up on a dyno.
It was much better but still pinged under hard acceleration.

Last fall the pinging started again and this spring its seems to be getting worse.
Today I had it out and in 5th and 6th gear at 120 kph (75 mph) it pings under the slightest acceleration.
At 140 kph (87 mph) in 6th gear it pinged when accelerating.
Over the weekend with 2 up it ping at the slightest hill.

Any ideas as to what it might be.

[Heatwave]

Have you ever had the heads off the engine?

[Steve Cole]

It sounds like you might just have a fuel leak in the tank. Have someone test the fuel pressure with the bike running under load. The fact that it is changing and getting worse is what leads me to have you check the fuel pressure as you cannot see the leak but it does effect performance and fuel mixture. One other thing to check is to make sure none of you exhaust heatshields are starting to break inside by the clamps and come apart. Some have mistaken the noise they make as a ping too.

[sadunbar]

It sounds like you might just have a fuel leak in the tank. Have someone test the fuel pressure with the bike running under load. The fact that it is changing and getting worse is what leads me to have you check the fuel pressure as you cannot see the leak but it does effect performance and fuel mixture. One other thing to check is to make sure none of you exhaust heatshields are starting to break inside by the clamps and come apart. Some have mistaken the noise they make as a ping too.

[sadunbar]

It sounds like you might just have a fuel leak in the tank. Have someone test the fuel pressure with the bike running under load. The fact that it is changing and getting worse is what leads me to have you check the fuel pressure as you cannot see the leak but it does effect performance and fuel mixture. One other thing to check is to make sure none of you exhaust heatshields are starting to break inside by the clamps and come apart. Some have mistaken the noise they make as a ping too.

[sadunbar]

You'll be looking for 55 to 58 psi fuel pressure under load...

[Hawgrider]

Heads have never been off and heat shields are OK.

[Heatwave]

Heads have never been off and heat shields are OK.

Any leaking oil around the heads?

[Hawgrider]

No leaks or other problems, does tend to run a little hot.

[LC110]

Have you changed spark plug wires and or the spark plugs?

[Hawgrider]

No wires, plugs change over the winter.

[Heatwave]

Tank of bad fuel??

[grc]

I have a 2009 Ultra with 30,000 km (19000 miles)

When it was new it would ping when accelerating or going up a hill.
At 9000 km (5600 miles) I installed a Big Sucker, Fulsac X pipe, 2 inch muffler cores, a race tuner pro and had it set-up on a dyno.
It was much better but still pinged under hard acceleration.

Last fall the pinging started again and this spring its seems to be getting worse.
Today I had it out and in 5th and 6th gear at 120 kph (75 mph) it pings under the slightest acceleration.
At 140 kph (87 mph) in 6th gear it pinged when accelerating.
Over the weekend with 2 up it ping at the slightest hill.

Any ideas as to what it might be.

Obviously the original "dyno tune" wasn't very good, since it pinged right after that "tune".  That would have been a good time to go back and insist the so-called "tuner" do it over and get it right.

I think this is a case where you need to find someone who actually knows how to perform proper diagnostics, and not just hope someone on an internet forum can give you a quick and easy answer.  Some of the answers already posted are good possibilities for explaining the fact the problem has gotten worse, but truth is it shouldn't have pinged before either.  Trying to diagnose this sort of thing over the internet is pretty much impossible; you need to perform tests and inspections.

How is your oil consumption?  Carbon buildup in the combustion chambers has been a problem in the past, and of course that will also cause a worsening of the problem as the carbon builds up.  The fuel pressure thing mentioned by Steve and Scott is also a fairly common item on Harley's, thanks to poorly routed internal fuel lines that develop holes that cause pressure losses.  The fuel settings in the ECM calibration assume fuel pressure and flow that meets normal specifications.  Reduce the flow and pressure and the AFR becomes very lean, causing hot running and a greater tendency for detonation (pinging).  And then we have the various engine management system sensors that could affect the amount of fuel or ignition timing being called for by the ECM.  All of these types of things can be inspected and tested if you have someone with the right equipment and knowledge.

Jerry

[Twolanerider]

All of these types of things can be inspected and tested if you have someone with the right equipment and knowledge.

Jerry

And just to add to what Jerry has suggested it's even more important/likely you need something more than will come from "guys on the net" because you potentially have multiple issues going on.  The original tune was poor at best as you had the pinging right after plus you know have some other factor in the equation.  The original tune itself didn't change but something has or you'd not have the degraded driveability.  So you've got multiple issues to deal with.

[Hawgrider]

Does not burn oil and the plugs are a light gray.

Bike goes in the shop next Thursday, they have a new dyno and a good tech.

I agree that it could be any number of things and the best way to sort it out is a good tech with the proper equipment but I do appreciate the suggestions on this site.