BG44K and Pinging/Clacking in an 1150RT

[Softtail]

I ride a 2002 R1150RT and it pings when under a load, especially in 6th or E gear and ocassionally in 5th if it is real hot. I can usually avoid pinging if I keep the RPM above 41-4200 when accelerating. I have tried additives, water torture and even a Techlusion unit. I am not sure what the real cause is, but I assume it has something to do with carbon build-up. I saw a post which mentioned a product called BG44k, but noted that it was rather difficult to get. So, I checked it out on the web. The reviews seem real promising and it is available through Autobahnpower.com for approx. $20.00 for 11 oz can. That should be good for 3-4 fuel treatments. Anyway, being desperate and all, I bought some. Ill let you all know if and or how it works.

[DaveyMac]

I can get it locally at Bap Geion Auto Or Try SeaFoam which is as good or Better! Advance Auto Parts $5.49 a can.

[phoenixtexas]

To Softail: You can easily inspect the combustion chambers to determine if carbon is a problem. Remove the plugs, but don't depend on their appearance. Turn the engine over with the crankshaft nut under the alternator cover until TDC. Shine a high-intensity flashlight into the spark plug hole and you'll be able to see the piston crown. It should be a light reddish brown. If it's black, that's serious carbon. You can also remove the headers and look directly thru the ports and exhaust valves into the combustion chamber, but that's a big job on a bike with lots of plastic. Hope this is helpful. Phoenixtexoma

[ShovelStrokeEd]

The real cause is trying to accelerate in 5th or 6th gear below 4K RPM. Stop doing that. Even my S, which is geared taller than an RT never sees 6th before about 80 mph indicated. That's 4500 RPM in 6th gear.

 

Your motor won't be hurt by the higher RPM nor will your fuel milage suffer one iota. You will appreciate the extra acceleration available in the lower gears as well.

 

Might want to have a look at the fuel you are running as well. Summer blends can be prone to pinging a bit. I never run anything but major brand 93 octane in my bikes and almost never get much in the way of pinging in temps that run into the 100's.

 

Oh yeah, you cna always try ear plugs. Light to moderate pinging actually won't hurt the motor. If you start hearing a heavy knocking sound, you need to get off the gas and down shift. A couple of marbles in a soda can now and then is no big deal.

[Murf]

What Ed said. (RPM's need to stay up!) I have learned the rpm band "literally" through the seat of my pants. After buying those ER6i plugs I can't hear it but I can feel it You won't hurt it!

[Rich06FJR1300]

i was experiencing this until recently on my '02 1150rt...noticed it when i was heading out to Lima for the rally...it was "clacking" in high gear, engine under load. I had autolite 3223's in there (just performed my 25k service) and gapped them at 0.028...not sure if that had something to do with it...anyway, switched out the autolite's and put in bosch platinum plugs...i just took it out on a ride last night and noticed no clacking. Will let you know later as I'm heading for a dealership ride on sunday.

[Softtail]

I know it is all about RPMs, but it is difficult to ignore 6th gear. In Oregon, 75 can get you a citation, even on the freeway. I am getting comfortable with 65 in 5th but up around 70-75 I get this urge to go to 6th. In order to maintain the RPMs, I find myself creeping up around 80 and I know smokey is looking to bust my ass, so I slow down, the RPMs drop and I end up lugging the bike. The problem is, I still ride a 1991 FXSTC and you can just putt along in high gear at 65, about 2800-3000 RPMs. It is hard to get used to screaming along at 4000 rpms, 65-70 mph in 5th with a gear left over. So what you are telling me is, it is fine to cruse along at 70 in 5th and I don't need to worry about that left over gear (E), untill I get up to about 80 mph and can maintain the 4000-4100 RPMs?<<<Softail>>>

[Murf]

You are finding out just how TALL these gears really are. Don't get preoccupied with what gear number you are in. Just because you are at the top of that freeway speed you are going to run doesn't mean you have to use that last gear. Just keep the rpm's in that optimum range.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Softtail,

Exactly. Look at it this way. You run the hog at 2800-3000 RPM which is about 60% of its rev range. I think red line is in the neighborhood of 5500 RPM on the stock motor.

 

Applying that formula to the BMW motor with its 7400 RPM red line, you get 4200 RPM or therabouts. The motor isn't screaming at that speed its actually loafing. You haven't even reached peak torque yet fer cryin' out loud.

 

Rev the beast, it will thank you for it.

 

It used to be, in the BMW owner's manual, they would list two separate top engine speeds. Maximum speed and maximum sustained speed. They were always within a couple of hundred RPM of each other. It actually still applies.

[Cali Kid]

I never run anything but major brand 93 octane in my bikes and almost never get much in the way of pinging in temps that run into the 100's.

 

I'd like to advance a theory based upon personal experience. My 02 began to suffer pinging on a regular basis, anytime I accelerated. It diodn't matter that I was above 4 or 5K. I was also running 91oct, and had been because I thought it was better.

One day I was talking to a GS rider and he says "I run 89oct 'cause it pings less". I'm thinking, "WHAT"?

I gave it some thought anyway. After pondering the idea I began to rum 89oct gas and within two weeks it quit pinging and hasn't done so since (8 mos.)

 

Let me add that my piing wasn't so much load related. It pinged whenever I was advancing throttle. Some mixture problem during the transition. It would ping frequently under high loads, in sixth (80+ mph).

 

Theory: by running higher octanes I was only adding to the carbon build up because during start and warmup it wasn't burning properly. This also means that generally the cylinders/pistons/plugs would be cooler with the higher octanes. Running the 89oct effectively burned more durng startup and warmup. It also increased temps in general allowing for excess carbons to be burned off. Once it all got cleared out it has run fine for the last 8 mos, NO pinging, and I'm talking about acceleration from any RPM above 3K (most of my riding is 4K to 6.5K). I've been running the 89oct all summer into 105+ temps, and there has been no issues with the ping at all.

FYI, I run the stock plugs or Bosch 4417, depends on whats readily available. Have no issues with either since the gas change.