Pre-ignition (pinking) after air filter change

[btbusa]

Changed my air filter the other day for a new stock Suzuki item - old one was well past changing, and riding here in London it was very dirty.

I noticed that the exhaust note was differnet straight away (as you do when you change anything, imagined or otherwise!) but then i filled up from a non-local gas station, and the next day I noticed that at low RPM in 2nd onwards at a wide throttle opening the engine was rattling or pinking as we call it here (maybe there too)

I can only think that it was (a) down to a bad tank of fuel with a low octane rating (not my usual gas station!) or (b) that the ECU had leaned the mixture out over time with the old clogged air filter.

Anyone had any experiences similar? I'm just about to refill the tank with some decent high octane fuel to see if any better - might also diss the battery for a while and reset the ECU.

Any thoughts?

 

[wiesjon]

I think you're probably on the right track with the low octane fuel. A dirty air filter/clean air filter would have nothing to do with pinging.

 

[jefro]

I think you're probably on the right track with the low octane fuel. A dirty air filter/clean air filter would have nothing to do with pinging.

Agreed, only concern would be if ya left a hose or electrical connector unplugged.

 

[OldMan]

^ what he said, it's too obvious that you have a full tank of an unknown gas.

 

[The Tekken]

Agreed, only concern would be if ya left a hose or electrical connector unplugged.

Yup! Gotta be the petrol!

 

[mr8ball]

I changed mine and never had anything. However I did see a thing on TV where the ran a test on some gas and found it did not have the octane that they clammed. They shut the station down. Maybe you just got some bad gas

 

[btbusa]

Thanks for all the replies.

Did 400 miles over the weekend on some decent gas and I'm not hearing anything nasty now.

I feel like paying the gas station a visit - if I can find it again, as I was dropping a friend home at the time and he was just yelling directions out.

cheers all.