| Author | Message | ||
     Sanchez |
My dealership refused to believe it wasn't normal for my Ulysses to ping every time I rolled on the throttle, so I gave up and just fixed it myself. Directions for the do-it-yourselfer: 1) Drill the rivets out of the timing cover. It's the circular plate on the right side of the motor. Some day I'd really like someone to explain why rivets are used. They probably aren't put there just to irritate me, but that's my working theory until someone gives me a better one. 2) Pull off the outer cover plate and unscrew the inner cover plate. You'll see this:  That's the cam position sensor. Rotating it clockwise advances timing, and rotating it counterclockwise retards timing. 3) Scribe marks on the housing that match two of the marks on the sensor plate for reference. I scratched mine with a box cutter. 4) Loosen the two screws holding the sensor plate in place, and rotate the plate counterclockwise to retard timing. I don't know how correct this is, but I used the triangular opening on the sensor plate as a starting point.  I don't know how the marks on the timing cover scale, but lining up the triangles moved it back about 1 of the shorter tick lines. After screwing the inner cover back on, I took the bike out for a ride. I flogged it until the fan came on then took it out on the highway. I rolled on the throttle a few times in fifth gear, which would normally have caused awful noises, and I didn't hear a single ping. Now I just have to go buy the deluxe Harley-Davidson rivets (not kidding) to put the outer cover back on. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Awesome thread, I don't have nor have ever had a ping (thank god) but if I did and or do get it I will be greatly indebted to you. Great explanation and pictures. | ||
| Jameslaugesen |
Thanks mate, I really need to pull my finger out and do this. Barely into summer here and I'm already pinging. Did you notice any performance loss? | ||
| Gotj |
Thanks for the time and effort to post your info and pictures. Do you have any plans to experiment with putting some advance back in until the ping returns? I expect you're just thankful that it's gone but there may be some performance loss that you could regain without the ping. Anyway, congrats and thanks. | ||
| Orangeulius |
Very cool. This was the only thing I still needed to do that I wasn't sure how to accomplish. Thanks for the info! | ||
| Sanchez |
Nah, I didn't notice any change in performance. Heck, with the timing advanced far enough to ping, I may have actually gained some power by dialing it back. It would probably take a more significant timing change to make a horsepower difference noticeable outside of a dyno. I don't plan to advance it back. Since I only retarded timing one "tick" on the scale (counting both the long and short lines as one tick), I'd have to make some really microscopic adjustments to add more timing without hitting the spot where I started. | ||
| Dentguy |
The rivets are there to try and keep people out (emissions). I drilled mine, tapped the holes and put in black allen heads screws to match the other case bolts. | ||
| Snowscum |
Thanks for posting that Sanchez. How far from the factory timing is it off? Or is there a factory line that they use? Dentguy what size fasteners did you use? #4? | ||
| Hoon |
This,like some other people,is something which niggles me and now I know what to do if the dealer won't or can't sort it under warranty. Cheers for posting this. Seems like a good opportunity for a new beer can/perspex type outer cover to be fabricated for further personalization. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Just a note for those of you who replace the rivets with screws (like all my bikes have, LOL) - use antiseize on the new cover screws. It's VERY easy to snap one of the timing stud/screws off when trying to remove a cover screw. Ask me how I know.... I've also used "normal" rivets with no issues...until I got sick of drilling and just tapped for screws. Also, if you look above the timing cover (the part in question in this thread) you will see a large allen head screw between the cylinder bases. This is the timing window plug. A removed timing window plug (replaced with a sight glass available at your dealer for about $3, get the one for Evo Sporty), a timing light and a shop manual are all that's required to properly set the base timing on your bike. A good timing light (with advance/retard settings) can help even more by telling you, once you find the anti-ping setting, exactly how far you have to retard timing from factory spec to get things to quiet down. Oh. There's also a gasket I like to put in under the cover, to try and keep most of the road gunk out of the timing pickup. It' basically a cardboard disc with 2 holes in it for the rivet/screws. Again, evo Sporty or I think even Evo big twin will work just fine. Even the tubers show the gasket as OEM; I don't own an XB just yet so I don't know for sure if there's supposed to be one in there or not...but for my 39 cents or whatever it is, keeping dirt and water out of an electrical part (especially the base of the ignition system) is worth the effort ;) | ||
| Dentguy |
Snowscum...They were #10-32. See this post from Davo. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/206755.html | ||
| Sanchez |
Thanks for that link, Dentguy. "each millimeter is equivalent to 3 degrees of spark timing" So I took about 3 degrees out. One of the guys over on the quick board shot down my triangle alignment theory.  The triangular hole is just there so you can put a flat bladed screw driver in there to rotate the plate around more easily. | ||
| Bud |
mine was the same, heavy pinging when hot and full throttle fixed mine with ecmspy to make the timing right i would even say it goose like stink now | ||
| Djkaplan |
Hey Matt, you did the same thing an old BadWebber did to his new M2 back in the day. Pjmule (Pat Mullaney) dialed his ignition back a few degrees to get an irritating ping out of his bike. I had an identical M2 and never had the pinging problem like he did... it's entirely possible for this to be the case with your Uly as well. If the bike was pinging before and isn't now, you are definitely making more power. Pre-ignition really kills powers, but staying just on the other side of it is optimum. Pat said his bike picked up more power on top with his ignition dialed backed. I always remembered Pjmule from the two times I rode with him because he could wheelie that M2 like a sumbitch... | ||
| Jmhinkle |
10/32 thumb screws works awesome to put the cover back on with as it also allows easier changes if you need to. In my case, my bike doesn't ping at my altitude, but when I travel to lower altitude closer to sea level it does so I can change it on the fly quite easily this way. | ||
| New12r |
Sanchez, did you never see my screws in the timing cover. I used oversized screws in the rivet holes. Never had a problem. | ||
| Reepicheep |
You can do the static timing by just listening for the fuel pump to kick on. Put it in fifth gear and rotate the rear wheel by hand (don't even have to pull the spark plugs if you are willing to manhandle it). I set mine to the factory recommended timing and my pinging all but went away as well (05 9sx). | ||
| Treadmarks |
I tapped the cover with a 10x24 tap. Then polished some stainless steel button head screws. Also used a large rubber o-ring to keep the moisture out when I ride in the rain.  (Message edited by treadmarks on October 29, 2007) | ||
| Chas1969 |
Hay Sanchez I did the same with my newish (150 miles) 06' Uly .... same shit as you and it took me 2 tanks of 91 gas to say enough is enough! The bike is so much better at low speeds and feels much more at ease. The setting I picked is a touch shade more advanced than your photo but no more pings !!! The only problem was I scratched the cover plate ... time to get a new one from the dealer. I will tap the base plate with 10/32 plug and use some nice button screws to make it easy to change timing. Good Post!!! Chas | ||
| Windrider |
Sanchez, Nice post. FYI: You can buy a hardware kit from American Sportbike to replace the evil rivets with removable hardware. http://www.americansportbike.com/shoponline/ccp0-p rodshow/A9017.html A9017 - Rivet Eliminator Kit 03-07 Rivet Eliminator Kit (for lower fairing & timing cover), XB Series Price: $14.95 American Sportbike is great to deal with. | ||
| Sanchez |
I ended up tapping the holes to 10-24 and using some cap socket screws from Home Depot for a sort of OEM look.  | ||
| Rocketsprink |
Old post but I'll be damned if it didn't work. Bike runs great and NO MORE PINGING!! |
