[baggersport]

If you feel you have the audible knock gone......listening, with the retard off.......leave it off. If it's showing false detonation, it's also pulling advance out....(potentially) losing power.




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[laserp]

If you feel you have the audible knock gone......listening, with the retard off.......leave it off. If it's showing false detonation, it's also pulling advance out....(potentially) losing power.




.

Ya - I can feel the intermitant power loss, but no audible knock, which I think I'd hear if it were knock initiated.

Thanks Bagger

 

[FLTRI]

Knock Sensing

Guys, knock sensing is a safety valve put into the system. It is not for best performance, it is to keep a badly tuned calibration from detonating the engine into siezure or at minimum cylinder/piston scoring.

If you never get bad gas or operate in high heat traffic, then a good tune will provide the best performance without detonation.

That said, most of the tunes we do are for people who go to the gas station and get whatever comes out the hose and trvel into high heat areas where high intake temps produce high combustion temps, which in turn, causes detonation.

The ignition timing can be retarded to the point of no detonation regardless of conditions, but the down side is reduced performance.

Just my $.02,
Bob

 

[BaggerDad]

Guys, knock sensing is a safety valve put into the system. It is not for best performance, it is to keep a badly tuned calibration from detonating the engine into siezure or at minimum cylinder/piston scoring.

If you never get bad gas or operate in high heat traffic, then a good tune will provide the best performance without detonation.

That said, most of the tunes we do are for people who go to the gas station and get whatever comes out the hose and trvel into high heat areas where high intake temps produce high combustion temps, which in turn, causes detonation.

The ignition timing can be retarded to the point of no detonation regardless of conditions, but the down side is reduced performance.

Just my $.02,
Bob

Bob, are you saying even with a quality tune, it's not wise to turn off the anti knock?

Doc in Florida tuned my engine, advanced the timing and he could not get it to ping. Tuning temps that day were 105*.

I've thought about turning off my anti knock. Car'b bikes didn't have ion sensing for knock detection, so how did carb'd engines handle pinging / detonation issues?

 

[nvsteve]

Guys, knock sensing is a safety valve put into the system. It is not for best performance, it is to keep a badly tuned calibration from detonating the engine into siezure or at minimum cylinder/piston scoring.

If you never get bad gas or operate in high heat traffic, then a good tune will provide the best performance without detonation.

That said, most of the tunes we do are for people who go to the gas station and get whatever comes out the hose and trvel into high heat areas where high intake temps produce high combustion temps, which in turn, causes detonation.

The ignition timing can be retarded to the point of no detonation regardless of conditions, but the down side is reduced performance.
Just my $.02

Thanks Bob. In general would you say the non stock plugs in the proper heat range are fine? NGK, Champion, Autolite.

 

[SFTL-1]

Has anyone had problems using other brand plugs such as NGK.....Just curious.

I've always used standard NGK or Autolite plugs 1 range colder since I'm at 10.5:1. About 1200-1500 miles ago I tried a set of NGK Iridium plugs just to see for myself how they'll perform. At first they were great, it seemed the bike started quicker and it had slightly better throttle response. A couple weeks ago it started running a bit rough at idle and I started to hear a thumping or knocking sound which was worrisome since I was thinking Compensator or worse??? I last rode it over the weekend and the thumping/knock was a little louder and it was running a little rougher at idle. At the end of my ride I had an engine light come on. After giving it some thought and knowing the mixed reports on the Iridium plugs, I replaced them with a new set of trusty Autolite 4163's. After I installed the new plugs (gapped at 36) I crossed my fingers and hoped the plug change would solve the problem. Even though I did not have time to ride the bike today, when I started it up, I got my normal idle back, the thump/knock was gone and the engine light went off in about 5 seconds. I won't be going back to Iridiums again.

 

[emwolb]

i was curious about the spark plugs in our newer harleys. i bought a new '13 roadglide ultra in october and was considering when it's time, getting the iridium plugs. after reading this thread, i'll be sticking with the stock plugs. they're certainly affordable even at the harley parts counter. my bike runs great, and like they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it. i'm sorta thinking they were right.