When my 2005 HD FatBoy gets really hot, I notice what sounds like a valve ping when I first start out or throttle up.  I talked to a friend with a 2008 Road King (new 96 cubic inch motor) and he says he has the same pinging noise.

I know the HD V-Twin engine is air cooled and runs very hot, but my question is am I doing any damage, and is there something I could / should do about it.  Maybe add the Harley oil cooler?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

My 2007 Road King pings too when it is very hot, usually just for a second or two when increasing throttle.  But so did my 2002 RoadKing.  I just assumed that it was pretty much normal.

I have read many discussions about adding an oil cooler and most of them end with the bottom line is that  Harley's were designed to run hot and it is not needed.

I would love to hear from one of 'our' mechanics here and get their opinion.

Take your windshield off...you won't even here it. That was only partially a joke. One thing I noticed when I started riding with a windshield is that my bike always sounded like it was making funny noises. All bikes make little noise, but when yuo have a windshield to block the road noise and echo anything coming from down in the engine area, they sound much worse.

Good answer from Rex. I would take his advice and have the carb or EFI re-tuned. As for the oil cooler...never really saw a need for those unless you live in the desert and constantly run in 100 degree+ weather.

Ditto on the oil cooler, not necessary on this bike..., Old Shovelheads with large engines for sure as long as they are working and circulating properly (as in bypassing when needed as well as turning off the continuous lines on the inner primary and just making it a bath system like the newer syles)

 But on Shovels and Pans with High Comp pistons and large dispacements there is also a little known secret out there and one i personally use all the time!!! Skip the oil cooler and go to you local Kendall oil distributor and ask them to order you a case of.......KENDALL NITRO 60.......This stuff is unbreakable and looks like liquid gold...

 You will not find it on the shelf....I recommend that you use 20-50 for the first 500 miles.....Then straight to the Kendall
and you will not regret it....

                                                           SHOVELS AND PANS ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, dropped it off this morning at the local shop. They said I should have had it tuned, or programmed, or mapped (not sure what the correct word is with these new fan-dangled EFI systems) after I put on the new exhaust and air cleaner. So they did there computer magic and I picked it up on the way home from work.

Of course the weather is pretty mild here right now, so the bike is not running hot enough to where it would have pinged. But it does seem to be a little more responsive. Soon as I get the temp back up I'll let you know if that fixed the problem.

Thanks again for all the input.

That should help. I have an '04 Fat Boy and ride in 100 degree plus weather 5 months out of the year. I used to have the pinging noise too. Once I did the SE stage 1 high flow A/C, and the Fuel Pack never had the problem again.

Guess I am going to have mine tuned!

Drake, one thing no one has asked yet...Are you sure your just not lugging the motor being in too high of a gear when you throttle up?

Good point gofur, should of asked that. I can make any bike ping goosing it at 35 in 5th gear.

No one has mentioned fuel rating, although Rex touched on it (good comments Rex) when he mentioned lower octane. Make sure that you check your owners manual for this and do what it says. Evo's run better on lower octane, the rule was go as low as you can until you here pinging and then go up one level, but Twin Cam's require higher octane ratings; usualy 93 if you can get it. I've seen riders do this a lot when they went from an Evo to a Twin Cam and continue to use lower octane as a 'force of habit.'

Another good point. Running octane less than recommended could definitely cause pinging. But that would normally cause pinging even when the bike is warmed to normal operating temp...at least from what I have always seen. But worth asking anyway if your motor is pinging on acceleration.

Well two weeks no and no more pinging. Guess the tuning took care of it!