Pinging

[redliner1973]

Hello, Need help with a problem on my GK. I had started to notice awhile back that Suzi started pinging when carrying a passenger, and at about 2/3 throttle. I tried the usual, higher octane gas, octane boosters, etc. Still same. I noticed the intake boots were starting to crack alittle, so$87 later, I had 4 boots, 4 clamps, 4 o-rings, and went to work on it. the old rings were trashed, and while I had the carbs out, I went throught them with a good cleaning. they were amazingly clean, with very little sediment in the bowls, and shiny brass on the jets. i looked at the main, and it is a 115 Close-tolerance jet. I put the stuff back together and performance and general running were much improved. however, the pinging is still there. This pinging worries me, because it never used to do this at all, and seems pretty loud to me. Suzi is all stock, including exhaust, and is not run hard or anything, just have alot of rolling hills here in central Arkansas, and only hear pinging (on flat or hill) when about 2/3 throtle. any suggestions on waht this may be? and why all of the sudden showed up? Valve adjustment? Sync? Jet too small? Any help would be greatly appreciated. plug colour is grey. floats are good, and petcock was replaced last year so no clogs there. ???????????

[Anonymous]

I wrote to bigdaddy in north carolina and here is what hes sent back to me

Bigdadd63: sounds like he needs carbon and valve job, maybe raise needle in carbs.
Bigdadd63: 2/3 throttle is controled with needles

He also wants to know how many miles are on the bike


Bigdadd63: my kaw was pinging until i did valve job
Slowpoke59D: ill bet you hit it on the head wirh the carbon and valve job
Bigdadd63: yeh the carbon glows and burns gas to soon

[Anonymous]

pinging

my gs1100gk was pinging really bad and tryed valve adjustment and carb sync. that helped some but still had some pinging .checked spark and 2/3coil was weak replaced with accel coils no more pinging.starts better runs smoother .only pings when temps are in the 90s and higher hope this helps you out some.

[Jay B]

Pinging and white grey plugs means the bike is running hot. Running hot means 2 things. The outside temp is up there in the high 80's to low 90's or your running lean. I would raise the needles one notch if they are adjustable or shim them if they are not.

[redliner1973]

OK, Scotty and Jay, right, the temps are in the high 80's low 90's, I just replaced the spark plug boots also, before the manifold work, and no difference. I did, Ohm them out, and they were running anywhere from 8.5 to 11k, the new ones run 5k. Anyhow, no difference there. What needle are you talking about shimming/raising? Float needle valve? BTW tha bike has 42K on it. Thanx, Tim

[Anonymous]

Damn cheap gas!

[redliner1973]

Premium didn't help......

[Anonymous]

Premium didn't help......

Just remember if it is carbon build up--the needle adjustment will not solve the problem of pre ignition

[earlfor]

You can get pinging if your ignition timing is too advanced also. It only takes a couple degrees beyond the F4 or F3 marks and it will rattle badly with a roll on, under a heavy load or on a hot day.

Earl

[redliner1973]

So what to do with her now? how to adjust needles? decarbonise? what?

[argonsagas]

First thing I must do is qualify this: I have not tried it on my bike, but other people have told me it made some significant differences in their cars, in earlier years. Today they use different products for injector cleaners etc., but this stuff was popular a few years ago.

Some auto stores sell products under the name Rislone. There is one that helps to reduce existing carbon in the cylinders.

Anyone tried this? Comments on it?

[brs127s]

When I had my 77 GS550, I ran a product called Sea Foam in the gas. It seemed to clean majority of the carbon off. I've used it in my other vehicles also. Always seemed to help when they were running a little rough.

On a side note, there is also a Sea Foam product for automatic transmissions. You just put it in and leave it in when you change the fluid. It helps keep the valve body clean and prevents varnish. I used it also.

Sea Foam has been around a long time. From what I have seen and heard, it has been a well tested and recommended product.

[Hap Call]

This is classic signs of carbon deposits...it does three things...it glows hot like Scotty said, causing pinging, it increases compression, which also causes pinging, and it insulates the combustion chamber, reducing heat transfer to the metal if the head, increasing combustion chamber temperatures, which also causes pinging.

I have never tried the Seafoam that Brandon mentioned but I have heard a lot of positive comments about it. My only concern is that a piece of carbon comes loose and gets trapped on a valve seat and prevents the valve from fully closing...this would probably be very unlikely. The other option is that you pull the head and clean the head and piston crowns. If you have the head off at 42K miles you might as well have the guides and seats replaced. I would do a leak down test prior to pulling the head to see if that is something you might want to do.

Hap

[Anonymous]

The other option is that you pull the head and clean the head and piston crowns. If you have the head off at 42K miles you might as well have the guides and seats replaced. I would do a leak down test prior to pulling the head to see if that is something you might want to do.

Good call Hap.

[Anonymous]

Chevron Techron fuel injection cleaner works. I use it in my suzi on the tank full before an oil change. It removes carbon deposits on the intake valves and piston crown and head. If you decide to use it, change the oil after the tank is finished. The blowby past the pistons is enough to damage the oil. Also don't use it more than once every 5K miles. It washes the oil off the cylinder walls and increases wear. However in my experience working with fuel injected cars which have problems with carbon deposits, (mostly of german varity and well driven) it is the only stuff that works consistently.
Incidentally, I use mobil one oil, which is why there is a 5k drain interval, for anyone who is wondering.
Al