pinging in hot weather

[302fordracer]

well this is getting frustrating....I replaced the IAT and did a tune up and am running 92 octane and the friggin thing still pings but ONLY when it is hot outside....wtf? getting a little frustrated...it runs awesome at night when the temperature has dropped...any other ideas?

 

[302fordracer]

I guess that 80 degrees is the magic number now cause yesterday at 77-78 degrees it was fine and now it was just pinging and it is 80

 

[Rootus]

It's natural for the engine to ping more the hotter it gets. If you're having trouble, dial the timing back a couple of degrees.

Dave

 

[HISSIN50]

It's natural for the engine to ping more the hotter it gets. If you're having trouble, dial the timing back a couple of degrees.

Dave

right on! ask Mo Dingo. we've been at 100*+ for some time.

 

[302fordracer]

I know that it is easier for the engine to ping at higher temperatures but there is no reason in my mind why it should ping with 92 octane at only 80 degrees outside!!! there must be something off....I was thinking of using 108 octane booster just for the summer until the weather cools....what do you all think...should I try it?

 

[jetuomi]

between your intake air charge temp sensor and ect, that will tell your comptuer what temp the motor and air is at.. if these aren't accurate then it won't know to lower the timing as it gets hotter (using my tweecer I can see there are functions to lower timing as ECT and ACT move upward)..

so, because you're pinging so much I think it has to do with a hot motor and iron heads that have a lot of carbon buildup, thus increasing your CR a lot.. make sure you're at 10 degrees base timing.. I had to run 91 octane with base timing after 150,000 miles.. (now with aluminum heads that's a different story!)

 

[gcomfx.com]

Just a thought:

Check your plug gaps.... make sure they are all the same and close them a little more than normal. -- This helps with the juice, so I'm guessing it would be a cheap thing to try. Also, note what color your plugs are when you pull them.

 

[302fordracer]

so should I use the octane booster and run some foam through the engine?

 

[jetuomi]

Just a thought:

Check your plug gaps.... make sure they are all the same and close them a little more than normal. -- This helps with the juice, so I'm guessing it would be a cheap thing to try. Also, note what color your plugs are when you pull them.

YES !!!!!! I totally forgot the plugs.. check the above first but when I first got my car I switched to the the next colder plug range, that was my missing link... good luck..

 

[94TURBO5 O]

so should I use the octane booster and run some foam through the engine?

Octane booster is a joke, IMO.
If you wanna try locking out your timing to 10 degrees or even as high as 14 you should not have an issue anymore. This was my problem in hot weather as well and worse when I added the blower. I locked out my timing @7 when I put in new gaskets and no detination on a 95 degree day. I have now advanced to 10 degrees 2 days ago and no detination eithere at WOT. I almost bet you a 12 pack that it will work if you try it. If your car can handle 20-24 degrees try it last and you will notice/feel a great difference.

 

[gcomfx.com]

YES !!!!!! I totally forgot the plugs.. check the above first but when I first got my car I switched to the the next colder plug range, that was my missing link... good luck..

Colder plugs are good too. I forgot THAT part...

 

[JJ95GTID]

Do the above and replace that ECT too. It's cheap and one less thing in the loop to try. I also run a 180* T-stat and definately see a difference in engine temp.

According to "How to tune and modify your Mustang 5.0 litre 1979-95" by Steve Turner the stock heads have a combusting chamber size of 58cc. After time carbon buildup will shrink that causing more compression which increases the chances for pinging. Most after market aluminum heads up the chamber size to 61-64cc. Thus less compression ratio and aluminum cooling better than cast iron = less pinging.

Octane booster is not really worth the money. Do some research on octane boosters and you will see what I mean. 108 does not mean that you will be increasing from 91 octane gas to 108 octane gas. It is all based on points. 10 points to 1 octane level if I remeber right.

 

[302fordracer]

colder plugs eh? well exactly which plugs should I use...brand and type? gap sizes that i should run would be helpful too....I thought the ECT and the IAT were the same thing...I already replaced the IAT sensor....

 

[94TURBO5 O]

The ECT screws into the black pipe behind the thermostat neck. It is not the same as the IAT. AutoLite 24's would be good for you.

 

[mo_dingo]

I ran seafoam but to no avail.

One of these days I am going to soak each combustion chambe in seafoam for 1hr each. That should teach the carbon to stick to the heads.

I am doing gears this weekend. I have saved up $250 for the "WHOOPS, I suck at installing gears fund". So if everything goes well, I will have an extra $250 to play with. That will go straight to the pinging fund.
Scott

 

[BlackVert]

colder plugs eh? well exactly which plugs should I use...brand and type? gap sizes that i should run would be helpful too....I thought the ECT and the IAT were the same thing...I already replaced the IAT sensor....

ect: engine coolant temperature
iat: intake air temp

 

[302fordracer]

sorry I was confusing ECT with ACT ok I will look into cooler plugs and the ect thanks guys...oh by the way will colder plugs reduce my power output?

 

[Mrgreen94gt]

sorry I was confusing ECT with ACT ok I will look into cooler plugs and the ect thanks guys...oh by the way will colder plugs reduce my power output?

I've never noticed any loss due to them. In any case, if you're pinging you're losing power. If you can get rid of the ping, you're making more power than when you were pinging.

 

[mo_dingo]

Yep. And no pinging means you can run 87 octane and you will gain more power there too!
Scott

 

[Prince95GT]

do cooler plugs have other advantages?