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2016 NK1 engine detonation?

2379 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Day Trippin
Hi! Bike has just passed 2200 km and I enjoy riding it but still learn things. What I notice from day one was that engine produces detonation like sound when accelerated from low revs (2000-3000). Regardless what gear it is in - when open a throttle wide I hear a very high pitch noise coming from each cylinder. It may be something else and (I hope) is normal as it is not too loud... Always fuel it with 98 octane petrol from BP. Will try a different fuel supplier next time, but I doubt it will resolve the noise as BP are quite good. Another way to avoid it is to keep revs above 3000rpm at all times. Any insight on this will be appreciated.
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Hi! Bike has just passed 2200 km and I enjoy riding it but still learn things. What I notice from day one was that engine produces detonation like sound when accelerated from low revs (2000-3000). Regardless what gear it is in - when open a throttle wide I hear a very high pitch noise coming from each cylinder. It may be something else and (I hope) is normal as it is not too loud... Always fuel it with 98 octane petrol from BP. Will try a different fuel supplier next time, but I doubt it will resolve the noise as BP are quite good. Another way to avoid it is to keep revs above 3000rpm at all times. Any insight on this will be appreciated.
Hi Andrey, I don't pretend to have any formal mechanical experience, other than tinkering on my own bikes over the years, but I have heard an old car detonate and I would've described it as a pinging sound. You said high-pitch - is it super short in duration? Is there any retardation in the acceleration along with the sound? My mechanic advised me to only refuel at Shell with 98 - it's funny how they've all got differing opinions on fuel! I know I'd be heading back to the dealer quick-smart if that was my bike!
Hi Clint! Thanks for your note. Yes, you are right "pinging" is the best word to describe it. I will raise this case with the dealer tomorrow. No, will actually write straight away.
On the acceleration, it is probably the case also. Very hard to say.
The N1K is designed for high octane fuel. The timing is calibrated for that. Running lower octane fuel WILL result in pinging. The bike will then retard timing to prevent damage.

FYI - If you go with an Ivan's reflash, the bike is recalibrated to run on lower octane fuel. You end up getting both better performance AND save money on fuel. It is a bit counter intuitive but the other tweaks he makes offsets the little he loses by setting it up for lower octane fuel. Even then I had to run the lowest octane fuel in an area with Ivan's tune and I only had pinging one time and that was at a high load/low rpm condition.
Are you sure that's what it is? Mine has some type of "ringing" noise in the low rpm. Tried to find anything loose but no luck; guess it's just the vibration. Bikes runs nice and smooth though.
Ping?

My motor has 8100 miles on the meter. I have run mostly 90 octane non-ethenol fuel...no pinging...if i happen to be at a location here in florida where i can't find that fuel i run 92 octane or higher ethanol added fuel with no problems yet
For the sake of those who don't know, the US calculates octane rating different than the EU and most of the rest of the world.

UK/EU "95"octane = is about 90/91 octane in the USA
UK/EU "super" "97-99"octane = is about 92/93 octane in the USA

Pinging(knocking/detonation/spark knock/etc.) will normally only occur when the motor is usually under a substantial load and and accelerating. Left unchecked it can quickly destroy a motor if severe enough. It can easily break the ring lands off the piston. Many modern engines have "knock" detectors which usually just retard timing to lessen/eliminate the pinging. If you here it for more than about a tenth of a second and it hasn't lessened let off the throttle. As soon as I hear ANY I get off the throttle ASAP.

I can't tell you how many motors I've seen destroyed from knocking becoming severe. Usually it is a turbo motor but others can be destroyed as well. If you hear loud knocking, imagine a giant sledgehammer whacking the gophers head as it comes up through the hole. That is like what is happening to your piston at that moment. If it sounds like a diesel, and it isn't one, look out. Better safe than sorry.

So you want enough octane to have no detonation (knocking) but any more than that is pretty much a waster. Octane does depend on altitude as well. At higher altitudes (in normally aspirated motors [non-turbo]) you can usually get by with lower octane. If a turbo is referenced to absolute pressure then you better make sure you get it the octane it needs at sea level.
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