Sorry to hear the news Quirky, that's F****D A little genuine support from who ever is ultimately responsible for the TR model might save face, earn respect and avoid a lot pissed off owners in the long run. We all paid hard earned cash in good faith or our bikes and deserve quality service and support. It's just bloody wrong if you are persecuted for attempting to do the best for your bike!
I am staying positive and can only hope all will be well. I haven't been totally screwed yet. It just seems like I should find some vasoline and brace myself for it.
I'm literally about to board a flight but will get onto the pod mod v OEM filter test in two weeks. Just thinking out loud, would there be any point returning the bike to stock (guess that would mean ordering a new airbox and extra $$) and taking it to another dealer? I'm guessing not as they're going to have your bike on file with PFG/Husqvarna. I'm sure you've thought through all options...
Well asked the PFG tech about the need to get a new airbox in case my pod mod caused all this mess. But he immediately referenced my claim that it was pinging before the mods. . So there is hope and they are listening and my reply was yes but the TPS was the variable in this instance and that I should then be able to pick up my fully repaired bike with a standard airbox without any pre detonation issues and that in June next year I will be crossing the simpson desert with a few mates with a standard air filter set up. He suggested we will wait and see what the engine inside looks like.
Will an overheat condition show on the diagnostics? Something tells me they forgot to put fluid in before they started it up, overheated it, cracked the head and then tried to fix it with stop leak. That is why I am curious to see the powder. The pinging is a separate issue.
Not sure about it showing up hi temps on, the diagnostics. Phil at the radiator shop didn't pick it as being a quick fix repair product. Also informed me that both- Scale contaminates are usual for head issues and the smallest amount of coolant entering the combustion chamber can also cause pre detonation issues. I do remember the very discussion I had with the dealership technician on the new bike pick up day about the cooling system requiring burping and he acknowledged that they were delivered wet but they needed to top up the expansion tank. I am with "Glitch_oz" on this one just for now. Maybe Husqvarna tuned this engine up a bit too close to the edge of death. I'm not ruling any other ideas out. Wait and see. Cheers, Q
I agree. Even if the pod filter has more surface area than the stock paper element, the only real advantage would be increased service life. Airflow improvement would be marginal as you haven't changed the valve timing, cyl head porting or throttle body diameter. In addition to these mods you mentioned, I read awhile back in the Power Commander thread that the injector's pulsewidth is maxxed out on these engines to achieve the extra 10hp. This is encouraging. Any word from PFG how they're going to address dust/dirt ingress due to poor airbox and filter sealing?
PFG - judging by the tone of the voice are fully aware of the airbox issues and understand why people are modifying them. He sort of went a bit quite when I asked how many rebuilds have already occurred from dust and how many more are due shortly? No clues as to a fix either for clean air.
Of course, they are. It's also a universal problem and not location-specific (i.e. specs-specific). They'll also be having their noses in this forum, ADV and others. But let's not jump the gun because of some remark of ONE mechanic... who might or might not have any clue about this particular model (which is pretty sparse on support + info for the start, anyway).
Tuning in to see how this shakes out. Quirky, I think you are perfectly justified in being pissed off right now. Pod-mod does not equal more airflow.
When Craig came up with the Pod Mod I had my Mechanical Engineer son do the math comparing the intake CFM/s from the OEM filter and Pod filter. The difference is negligible and nearly spot on. Both filters acquire air in the same manner via the air box. I can't speak for those who chose to leave the "lid" off the air box after the air box modification but those of us that put it back on and sealed it (mine with Gorrilla tape) have (IMHO) no advantage or disadvantage in the "Ram air" effect on POD vs OEM. The throttle body was designed to suck a metered amount of air in on each stroke of the piston. It is going to do that regardless of the presence of calm air or a vortex of swirling aire inside the air box. In effect what is happening is that the intake sucks the available air within the air box in on each intake stroke. I can't imagine that POD or OEM there wouldn't be enough air or conversely too much air. In fact is that the TB is metering the air in and cannot exceed the volume in because it is limited by the intake stroke and cylinder size. I call bullshit on that portion of the techs comments.
I too have notised pinging in the same range and conditions as you. I rode for some k after getting the bike before checking my coolant level. My expansion tank was empty and clean. My coolant is still full and clean. I run good quality premium fuel. I have no podmod, just the highfive mod. But the pinging was there before. Interested in what you find.
I know knocking, pre ignition, pinging will cause head gasket failure or cause delamination. Pinging is extremely hard on an engine. It can be caused by many things especially when running high compression. Even a small riser on the piston can become hot enough to ignite the combustion before the spark plug fires resulting in the ping or knock we hear. It can also be caused by ignition timing or a extremely lean fuel mixture. In reality the knocking most likely caused your head gasket problem.
As for the coolant issue...both my Aprilia and Husky SMR510 originlly came with silica coolant. Pure shite. The silica ends up leaving deposits everywhere and turning acidic very quick. On the Aprilia is actually starting etching the engine cases I would suggest getting that stuff out ASAP and using Engine Ice or some regular Prestone ethylene glycol based coolant
Agreed--- with everyone's comments.. . thanks! Charlie, I'm not squeaky clean on your wonderful insights and don't have the exact same intake path as stock. I have also opened up a hole in the bikini fairing next to the coolant expansion bottle. Triangular in shape and maybe with 3" sides. This wasn't done straight after the pod mod but done because I thought some airflow to take heat away from the header would be a good thing, also I was smelling what I thought at the time was engine crankcase breather gases (may have been exhaust sneaking out from expansion tank) well I figured this smell would be sucked up in the draught (it wasn't). It is possible that this change could add pressure to the intake, not sure either way and nothing has been sealed to hold pressure. I'm wondering also why, I especially had a fair amount of engine oil push out of the breather when doing the mod. Tweber reminded me yesterday that I actually pulled some over full engine oil out before taking my bike to the dealer for the pump shaft seal weep.(the TPS revelation reset trip) This oil was murky and dark. I still have it-lets have a good look, wow, it farking stinks real bad of burnt gas maybe even a bit of a sweet coolant smell, hard to tell. I can only wonder how long this bike has been sick? Even right now the workshop still hasn't been able properly diagnose the issues. I'll ask them to check the 4000km old engine oil they put in it. Is this why my clutch has been slipping now and then in big gears with higher revs also? Does it explain my poor fuel consumption figures in comparison to Charlies BM-AFxied findings. I have had the BM-Afxied from pre pod modding and wasn't able to improve the pinging with any richer settings. The TPS reset definitely helped out. All this takes my memory back pre mod anything the BMW touring clubs Karuah river rally. I remember the pinging, I avoided the racket as soon as possible as I've always done. But I couldn't ride, or keep pace with a mate of mine on a slightly tired Honda Transalp because of the hill climbing and lack of power from my husky. I thought that not having the TPS reset after de-restricting would have had a bigger effect on my lean running engine than any pod mod. However PFG don't seem to believe this is a problem just at the moment. Cheers, Q
Might be best to start a dedicated thread on that....as sloppy and/ or incomplete flushing of the silica based coolant and mixing with basic glycol based replacement is known to cause chemical crystallizing which in return has been the source of waterpump and impeller shaft seal failures, the crystals slowly shredding the rubbers. Another job to rather do at home ... properly!...than to leave it to a shop, methinks.
Glitch, Can you confirm that what I've done is not good. I've topped up the coolant bottle with a little glycol. I pulled a radiator hose and there is a white powdery coating on the inside. I've only done 5000kms.. Should I flush the bastard out and put in a good quality glycol coolant?
That certainly sounds like a good idea!! A liter of concentrate and another liter of de-mineralized/distilled water mixed 50/50 will give the liter and a bit needed to re-fill after flushing plus enough left to use for small top-ups along the way. Until not too long ago coolant was coolant. Now we seem to have an infinite variety....and many of them on a war-footing with each other. Flush, flush again with water, then blow out as much of that as possible, refill ....and massage the bubbles out for a final burp. I'm not too sold on the miraculous waterless stuff and at some exorbitant sum of $150 or so for a fill, I'm not going to "just try it out". If there's any time left tomorrow after the locals have done the PodMods and some other bits, I'll swap my blue juice for some new stuff, got it all sitting there on the bench.
Thanks for that Glitch. Sounds like a plan. I'll get some nice new coolant in it. Don't like the idea of wearing the out the seals and the water pump.
