Pinging badly

98Black4.6

New Member
Jun 11, 2005
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Pinging badly *update*

For the last month or so, my car has been getting increasing amounts of pinging, which first started with high rpm loads on the highway while passing. Since then, it has slowly been showing up in the 3k & 2k range, and currently, whenever I even step on the gas pretty much at all. As is, I can barely keep freeway speeds without getting pinging. Forget going up hills or passing, as even the slightest gas will make it sound like a can of BB's being tossed around. BTW, this happens after the temp gauge is on the R of M in NORMAL; aka after the car has warmed up.

I have changed the fuel filter and installed a step colder plugs (Autolite 103's) to try to solve the problem, but it has not gotten any better. When I pulled the plugs, 5 were slighly burnt as I expected, and three were oily, which I also expected from the leaking coolant crossover on my intake. When I checked the gap, they varied from .065 to .070. :mad: :damnit: :jaw: I know.

I don't think my cracked coolant crossover is really the problem ( does not leak until 3k+ rpm, and then not too badly), because it has been cracked for about 2 months now, and it never pinged particularly heavy until recently. Since I noticed the crack, I have babied it (>2k rpm) but still get pinging.

Anyone have any ideas? I would get this thing dyno tuned to see if I am running lean, but I need to get my lower intake swapped first so I won't spray coolant all over the engine when I dyno it.

I am thinking all of this may cause pinging:

timing - will check on wideband dyno after swap. I suspect I am running lean, although the spark plugs were not white (although they were burnt). I figured because of the huge spark plug gap from the previous plugs that timing was not being pulled enough due to the gap, which would cause the engine to run hot and ping, but it is still doing it even with Autolite 103's @ .045.
Coolant sensor's bad maybe?

lack of fuel- Changed fuel filter, maybe fuel system flush now? Fuel Pump?

carbon buildup- Have ran seafoam through gas & oil, but don't want to run through PCV line b/c of miles on motor and all the junk it may unloose that is probably in my motor right now.

bad gas -Tried random gas stations and filled with 87, 89 & 93 octane. I am currently trying to run 87. I disconnected the battery after plug swap to see if it would relearn on the colder plugs & 87 I put in directly after using 89 the previous tank.

too hot of a plug- Now running Autolite 103's from previous motorcraft AWSF32c's. Changed wires as well.

incoming air too hot -Will try a 180* thermostat when I install the PI intake. I guess the only other thing to do is get a dyno tune afterward or a predator tuner and have the fans to come on ~10* sooner.

Other than this, I give up. :(
 
Sounds like you already have all the bases covered.
1. Fix all known problems.
2. Get it dynoed to see just what your a/f is.

Do not let this continue. Detonation will kill an engine. You may even have a clogged catalitic converter.
 
Huroki said:
Sounds to me like your cats are going bad. I had the same problemwith a loss of hp and had 2 magnaflow cats put on and no more pinging.

Hmm...hadn't thought of that. I'll get a catted x to go with my catback sometime soon and see what happens.
 
forpit2000gt said:
intake problem will get worse, probably already has, get that fixed first. is the car cooling properly? driving with detonation will have major problems in the near future.

The way I have been driving it, I am avoiding all but light amounts of pinging. When I have to go over a hill, and traffic won't let me slow down much, I cannot avoid some amounts of it, but otherwise that is all. The intake should go on this weekend providing the rest of my parts come in.
 
Your best bet is to fix the intake first, and if the pinging problem is still there, then get back to us. One thing you could do though, is to check for leaks in the intake tube from the MAF back. If you are getting any unmetered air into the engine it would cause the pinging.
 
2001 Geee T said:
Do you have a K&N? Ive always heard that oil on the MAF sensor wire will cause pinging. Maybe you can clean the wire anyway just to see?

Is this true, has anyone else heard about this before? I have pinging also but not as bad as this but mine only pings at high 4k+ RPM and load.
It might have started around the time I changed the stock air filter to K&N :bang:
 
I would guess, from what you have said that it is your cats or your fuel pump starting to go. Though I would fix your intake, I doubt its your problem. I would hit the cats first. You can get high flow magnaflow cats on Ebay for $55/pc delivered!!
 
hotdog71 said:
Is this true, has anyone else heard about this before? I have pinging also but not as bad as this but mine only pings at high 4k+ RPM and load.
It might have started around the time I changed the stock air filter to K&N :bang:
try cleaning the maf first, the k&n comes pre oiled and may have contaminated.
 
I had a unrelated situation with my truck no to long ago. Anyway my trusted exhaust tech. said that if you can raise the RPMs (rev the engine) and they both raise and lower quickly then your cats are not clogged.
 
Another stanger with the same "pinging" sound about 4K RPM / under heavy load... I had planned on checking everything above, although my fuel pump is louder then stock, so I think it might be going? For the record... I don't recall the proper way to clean the MAF sensor??
Thanx
 
Na5.0HO said:
Another stanger with the same "pinging" sound about 4K RPM / under heavy load... I had planned on checking everything above, although my fuel pump is louder then stock, so I think it might be going? For the record... I don't recall the proper way to clean the MAF sensor??
Thanx
you have an 88, were some of those speed densidy or are all MAFs ? you can probably just take a little timing out or run 93 oct if you are not already.
 
forpit2000gt said:
you have an 88, were some of those speed densidy or are all MAFs ? you can probably just take a little timing out or run 93 oct if you are not already.

All were speed density in '88 except for some in Cali that were mass air. I sold the '88 though and am now working on a '97 :nice:
 
PI intake is in. Pinging is still there, but greatly reduced. Still present at 4K and above. Used H-pipe going in next week, and checking the EGR now. If neither solve the problem, then I'm running lean and its time to check the fuel pump.
 
98Black4.6 said:
PI intake is in. Pinging is still there, but greatly reduced. Still present at 4K and above. Used H-pipe going in next week, and checking the EGR now. If neither solve the problem, then I'm running lean and its time to check the fuel pump.

That's good to hear!! Did you put it on yourself?