I live out here in Phoenix az were its hot as a mf. I have an 02 xx that I bought brand new and it currently has just under 10000 miles. I use it to commute ever day to work. I have always ridden with ear plugs for as long as I have been riding, well I forgot my buds a few weeks ago and I noticed that I have alot of pinging. I run 87 octane and my temp has not gone over 232, although even on a freeway cruise in this hot mf weather it sits at about 210. I notice that it pings on normal acceleration and does not ping on wot. I just put 91 octane in it and will see what happens, but It should not be pinging with 87?

In my manual it says light pinging is ok under load. I am in the same boat, the few times I don't wear earplugs I here light pinging. (carbed 98 bird) I run 87 just as the manual tells me to.

Im sure its pinging, anyone else with the same symptoms?

Never heard of it, unless it's really the cam chain. I'll be in Phoenix tomorrow night, through Friday. Thursday night is beer night with the PSC (Phoenix Sportbike Club), you want to meet me there with your bike and I'll have a listen? I'll bet it's the cam chain tensioner.

Details:

8-14 Happy Hour and Beer Night

Where: Carlos O'Briens - Frank Lloyd Wright and Scottsdale Road

When: 5:30 to whenever.

What: Awesome Happy hour specials, beer, food, etc

Sounds good, I will try to get our babysitter. PM me with your # :grin:

Well I put a full tank of 91 octane in the bird, and you all were correct about the tensioner. Damn it! I guess Ill be doing a bunch of searches on " cam chain tensioner" You know I have visited this site for a while before I ever posted and I always saw something about the "tensioner but thought I neednt worry because I have a 2002. Why cant they fix the problem for good?

I notice pinging sometimes on my carbed Bird when I use 87. I got a really bad tank of gas from a rural station once and it pinged immediately as I went down the road. Now I use 92 octane all the time. Never hear it ping now, and I figure the price isn't too much higher for a bike.

I wouldn't use 87 to clean paint brushes but that's just me.

OK class in session.

Octane is a measure of anti-detonation capability. A 92 gas actually doesn't burn as easily as a 87. If you're engine was designed for 87 and called for in the owners manual, you are just wasting your money.

Untill you build up some carbon on the head,or in some other way (engine upgrade, diff pistons) increase compression you wont need a higher octane.

Now pinging (preignition) is also dependant on temp. So if you get the engine really hot it will also ping lightly.

So unless you have a Corvette or some other engine that calls for 92 you don't need it and it might be detrimental to run it. You get no power increase, doesn't run cleaner, or anything else but empty your pocket quicker.

As it says in my owners man. light pinging under load is normal and just indicates the enginge is operating efficiently.

Just gleaned this:

87 did ping bad in my 1000 Interceptor, it pings in my son's 03 F4i and it pings in my truck. If you think pinging doesn't harm a motor, well, I'm just glad it's not my motor.

I said light pinging under load, not constant medium or heavy pinging.

If you're pinging with 87 you need to find out why.

Try a diff brand of 87 or maybe you do have carbon buildup and raised your compression.

Just checked the manual again it says 86. Only Sunoco has that.

You don't have to jump right to the 93 either. There's 89, 91 and 93.

I believe the 99 and up XX has a detonation sensor that will retard the ignition timeing if detonation is sensed.

On the left side of my "02 about where my knee rests while riding is a sticker that says to use only 91 or higher.

Like some else said "not even to clean paint brushes""

Didn't know the FI birds call for 91, I stand corrected. Learn something new everyday.

Might have something to do with why the FI's run so hot, need 91, and still make the same HP as my bike on 87. HMMMMM....... :?: :?:

good eyes xx4me, I never even took the time to read that sticker before. It says min 91 RON, is that the same as 91 octane? Also my owners manual calls for 86 octane or higher. anybody know the story? :whip:

There is more than one method of determining the octane number of a given gasoline blend. The number listed on pumps is usually the average of two methods (Look for a sticker that says (R+M)/2, which is the average of two methods.). My '99 runs just fine on 87 octane, though I occasionally run a tank of premium through it there seems to be no need to. If you sense what you think is pinging, try riding one gear lower to reduce the engine load.

My '98 has that same emissions sticker which says 91 or better. I checked into this on another list I'm on, and the consensus is that sticker being on the bike and saying 91 or better is because of an EPA rating.

I don't recall offhand, but doesn't the owner's manual and service manual say 87 or better?


Damn, how did I miss this?! I've gotta start spending more time on the PSC board.

I live in the west valley of Phoenix. I've been using 87 at the pump with no problems. The only time I've heard my bike ping is when it was over 100 degrees and I was at the Speedworld Motorplex dragstrip off US-60. As the night cooled off, the ping went away. I also ran trackday at Firebird off I-10 not even a month ago. Again, over 100 degrees. But, no pinging.


Perhaps it was the fuel? I wish I could remember where I got that gas before that last dragstrip night. I'd make sure I'll never go there again!


Besides, what are you complaining about?! It's not like you can buy any gas anyways! You know the pumps are all closed in Phoenix! http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/081...shortage18.html