Pinging problems, and some more questions.

yellowstang1994

New Member
Sep 9, 2004
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Well, if any of you care to listen... I've been chasing my pinging problem down forever. My sparkplugs usually come out looking white after a month from when I put them in. Which usually means a lean condition or my car is running too hot, or too much timing. Even though I ensured timing was set at 10* and my car was running from 210*-225* in temperature this still happened. I checked fuel pressure awhile ago and while the vehicle was stationary the FP was where it needed to be, while revving up too. So anyway, I played with the timing a bit and found that the car ran so much better with the spout out and running I think around 26* or so. Just a few nights ago I went out and bought an ACT sensor, changed it in the parking lot and drove it home. Instantly, I could feel the car had so much more power and more smooth. It still pinged, but a day later there was very minimal pinging if any. The only problem is for some reason when I run my spout out, after 4k the car just stumbles and it feels like I outsourced my fuel and it ran out of the powerband, I don't know how else to explain it. It's kind of a weird problem. When I retard it, it happens sooner... When I advance it more than 26* it clears up however I get pinging from too much timing again. So today I decided to put new spark plugs in (again to see if they do turn white). I set the timing back to 10* and put the spout back in. I unplugged the battery for 5 minutes and took it back on the road and now it's back to ping galore.

- My question is do I have to wait another day for the computer to relearn the timing, sort of like when I replaced the ACT? I drove the car for a good 30mi and it seems to be acting a little bit better but I think it's still going to ping. I actually went and picked up an ECT to replace later today once it cools down. After that, I really don't know what to look at that I didn't already. If none of this clears it up, I guess i'll look at my fuel pressure to see what it's doing when I take the spout out, and time it back to the way it was since it seemed to do better that way.
 
Your observations seem just about right-on. Next time you swap plugs, try a heat range colder if you want.

I don't buy into the need to constantly clear the KAM after every change. It seems to me that the puter has to relearn things either way.

If you want, check ECT and IAT calibration. I found my CAI appeared to be heatsoaking the IAT.

Running at such high coolant temps doesnt help anything either.

I dont have any great solutions (that don't involved tuning).

Good luck.