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Changing from stock mufflers

I have two questions.
1. What is TFI? I'm a old guy who can take carburetors apart in my sleep but FI is a different world to me.
2. That's a great looking sidecar. Is there a website where I can get info on it?

and one comment: Knocking and "Pinging" are two different problems. Lean mixture and/or low octane will cause "pinging." Late timing will cause knocking. I got rid of the pinging in my Road King by replacing the stock CV carb with a 42mm Mikuni HSR. My FI Super Glide hardly pings at all...every once in a while I'll add a capful of the Harley additive that has "duralt" in it. I think it's just a lead additive but it sure works. Tried to drag and drop a pic of it but all I get is this data line...gotta figure this pic problem out.







/Users/jd77/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals/2009/Oct 31, 2009/DSCN0745.JPG
 
...Tried to drag and drop a pic of it but all I get is this data line...gotta figure this pic problem out.

I'll answer your 2nd and 3rd question...

2.) Scrinch listed his side hack as a Liberty sidecar, in Seattle, WA...see below, and might send him a PM for details.

http://www.libertysidecars.com/

3.) Go to Photobucket website, register...then upload your pictures there. Then Edit them to 800x600 and save; copy 4th format option and paste it into your desired thread and post...voila'...

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket
 
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Tried to drag and drop a pic of it but all I get is this data line...gotta figure this pic problem out.

99893_91A_S_17ac4.jpg


If you find the pic you want to post and right click on it, then copy and paste the "location" in that pop up screen, you then paste that into the screen that opens up when you click the post card icon in the reply screen on the forum here and click OK. It posts the pic here then.
 
QUOTE
Yesterday it was knocking some with me riding solo under slight strain going 52-55b in 5th gear. I figure the easiest thing to do at this point is put on the stock mufflers that the previous owner gave me. Hate to do that . I like the sound of the mufflers I have on, but it might tell me if I should invest the money for the TFI .[/QUOTE]


THE STOCK MUFFLERS aren't going to help much HERE.....

I wondered??? is the 2001 RK fuel injected or carb ???

If your bike is stock 2001 88 cu in and is fuel injected.. KNOCKING

sounds to me like you are LUGGING the motor...

52 to 55 like you say... I would be in 4 gear ..... never trying to pull all that WEIGHT in 5 gear at that speed.....LUGGING sounds to be the problem and NOT the exhaust NOR the fuel injection....

DOES it make POPING noise when leaving off the gas on compression slowing?

"IF" poping it is LEAN which everone here is saying.. "IF" LEAN

A (TFI) dobeck tuner "IF" your bike is fuel injected, will SOLVE your LEAN problem....

YOU seem to WORRY about longevity on your bike .... LUGGING a harley is HARDER on the engine LIFE SPAN.... as far as the octane boost, I would use it before i would allow engine to KNOCK... your mech.,,, worrying about heat... the REAL HEAT is in LUGGING = (building a BIG FIRE to do what a LITTLE FIRE will do)

PULLING a side car is HARD on the LONGEVITY especially not keeping the RPM up on that 88 cu. in. motor....IT's not designed to haul all that x-tra weight and use the LOW RPM on top of it....

I WOULD shift DOWN, keeping the motor turning faster and I BET MOST OF YOUR PROBLEMS ARE GONE.... IF YOU think 4th gear I BET I'D be using 3rd gear... and NOT LUG the engine...

DOES your bike have a tachometer? if so I would NEVER run it below 2400 to 2500 RPM while pulling side car around....

any RPM around 2100 with side car is NOT GOING TO WORK.... When you twist the throttle and want to INCREASE speed you NEED to shift to a lower gear...............

always use high octane fuel. I think the lugging is the problem here not the octane...

TRY THE SHIFTING TO A LOWER GEAR: THE BIKE ENGINE WILL LAST LONGER AND WILL NOT BE KNOCKING....

I hope you see I am only trying to help here...
I am mechanical and have a good understanding on Matters such as the above... brag brag brag

signed....BUBBIE
 
Let me say I appreciate all the thoughtful input. I am new to Harley and not a mechanic so I really do appreciate words of wisdom from others. I am not defensive and the following is just to give more specific info in one place so I may gain a better insight.

My 2001 RKC is EFI. Now totally stock as I put the stock mufflers on again. Bought used at 1000 miles last fall now at 7000 miles.

No Tach. I go by engine sound for shifting. I have had a Honda 150, Gileria 250 Kawasaki 440, Honda 750, Ural sidecar rig 750 and this bike . I have never experienced this particular sound that I remember.

I always use 91 octane. and have added octane increaser after I noticed this sound. ( Octane increaser seemed to help... but that might be a placebo effect)

The sound ...sounds like lighter chains clinking together. More a tinkle clink clink clink. not a deeper chunk chunk which I would think was lugging nor a hard deep knock knock.

Happens almost always in 5th gear. Does go away with downshifting which is what I always do when I hear it, but it seems to be revving higher than necessary.

Would pinging also go away with downshifting and revving?

That as Paul Harvey says, Is the rest of the story.
 
HMMMM could it be 5th gear noise and lugging like Bubbie said
 
What you describe sounds like lugging if it goes away with a downshift and more RPM's.

BUBBIE again....

Thanks Jack and Glider for the support on this matter.....

I try to help and some times I PUSH...

Just my way...

Harleys DO make a sound like a little sand or gravel when you accelerate....

SAYS that in the owners book...

They have a sensor in the manifold to adjust the advance WHEN you increase speed....HENCE a little noise as described here.... HARLEY SAYS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THAT NOISE..

I always HAVE shifted DOWN and never hear it.........

Scrinch, Your other bikes are TOTALLY DIFFERENT..... HARLEY comes with a WHOLE NEW set of rules and playing field.....

A lot of the(written and UNwritten) rules can be found by reading POST like these...

glad you didn't take offense to my suggestions and over view...

I think YOUR harley is NOT A PROBLEM to you the way you described the noise.. my opinion; it is quite NORMAL to clickclick a little at lower speeds WHEN trying to increase the speed especially with sidecar on...

You just need the word "DIFFERENT" getting used to it.... IT IS A HARLEY and CANOT be compared on HOW the other bikes you own react... etc. etc....

You seemed to grasp the shift down..... and with that i'm back here on the side lines...

signed....BUBBIE

the TFI mentioned by us would add LONGEVITY to your bike by NOT RUNNING LEAN

using it on my 09 RK motor thanks me every day!!!! and i get 45/47 miles per gal.

and don't forget ; if you have or had a qualifying job for the discount dobecks TFI offers...

The TFI also allows my bike to run COOLER because of PROPER fuel mix....
YEP the fountain of youth!
 
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