Pinging ...ugh

[Leanz]

My mustang is pinging.. 61k miles, fresh tune up, Only running 87 octane...

Only pings under load, 1500-2500 rpm
new plugs,wires,coil, clean aic....
I searched threads about pinging and saw to clean my MAF, where is that located, how hard is it to get out?

Also... as pinging is usually a timing issue... how do i adjust my timing since there is no distrubutor?? These may be silly questions, please excuse me

Lindsay

 

[Skymarshal]

Your timing is controlled by the computer, and is not adjustable unless you reflash the computer with a tuner.

Audible pinging can be either detonation or preignition, and one thing that can cause those is carbon buildup on the piston domes. The carbon can continue glowing from the previous power stroke and preignite the fuel during the compression stroke, and if there's a lot it can reduce combustion chamber volume and trigger detonation. You can run some fuel system cleaner through the car, or if the carbon is really heavy, you can Seafoam it (instructions are online).

I actually don't know if the Mustang has a knock sensor. Some cars have a microphone set into the engine block, and any pinging it hears will cause the computer to retard the timing to prevent any damage. If your car is pinging, I would get it taken care of, since detonation can cause bent rods and other damage.

A dirty MAF probably won't cause pinging, but it wouldn't hurt to clean it. If you take the air filter housing off and look down the hose leading to the engine, that post with the little wires in it is your MAF. It gets dirty since it is upstream from fuel injection (and fuel cleaners), and it can get contaminated with oil from air filters. To clean it, just spray it down with electrical contact cleaner or MAF cleaner from an auto store. Don't use a general cleaner or brake cleaner, and DON'T scrub the wires with anything. They are very fragile!

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well you didn't specify what year the car is, but since you said there is no distributor, i'll gues 99+


What parts did you use in the tune up? Did you use stock OEM replacement plugs or those crappy Bosch platnium +4's or other gimmick plug? I only say that because they are known to make Mustangs ping.

Did you change the fuel filter?


You shouldn't really ping on 87 octane. The car was designed for it and will make the most power on 87. However, as cars age carbon deposits form on the valve and cylinder heads and increase combustion temps resulting in pinging. There are seafoam treatments that can clear this out, but i would resort to that as a last resort.

WOrst comes to worst, you may have to start running 89 octane.



FYI my GT started to ping as it got up in miles. I had to run 89 octane for a while. Then i changed the fuel filter and ran 87 and problem solved.

 

[22catch22]

My 95 always used to ping when using 87 octane so I used 93 octane for over a year and the pinging stopped. When I switched back to 87 it started pinging again. The carbon deposits were so bad that I took the engine apart and reconditioned the heads. After that, I was able to use 87 octane for about 2 years without any pinging. However, within the past 4 months the engine has started pinging again and I can't afford to use 93 octane, especially since you shouldn't have to in a v6.

 

[Leanz]

UPDATE!

So... I did the driver side valve cover fix :99-00 3.8L Mustang Driver's Side Valve Cover Fix

I got the newer valve cover. In doing so, I pulled out of PCV from the old cover and oil poored out... so that proves what was going on. pcv sucking in oil, shooting right iinto my 6th cylinder through my intake. I change the cover, cleaned the pcv and put deep creep cleaner into the intake through the plastic line that went from the pcv to the intake, trying to clean the intake from oil and carbon. Then I did seafoam twice, and did an oil change.

This has reduced my pinging by 80% atleast. And when it does ping it is much quieter. Im happy, but not complelty satisfied. What else could I do to get the pinging to just STOP?? Its not an octane issue, ive tried running higher. Its just a carbon desposit issue.

 

[Leanz]

GRRRRRRRRRRRR I hate my mustang. seriously. this pinging will not stop.

compression is fine, new plugs, coil, wires, clean iac, ran seafoam twice. stopped most of the pinging for about 3 days, then it was back to normal...... as the weather gets colder, the pinging is getting less, but my gas mileage is too!!.... its like now that its not pinging, its not firing at all or somthing. at idle i can feel a misfire, but on acceleration I cant feel anyhting. give me some ideas!

clean my injectors?? SOMTHING. it seems like the seafoam helped for a few days or so. so is it REALLY REALLY heavy carbon buildup??? well im not burning oil?? my plugs look fine?? what the crap gives.

oh and no codes...
2000 v6 auto mustang 65k miles now.

 

[MustangLX-5.0]

Check the injectors,particularily the No.6 one.You can dump all the seafoam in as you want,It's still not gonna clean out the injectors.Wish you had access to a fuel induction kit.That's what it really needs.Or......

One night at home when your not doing much.Wait till you have about half a gallon of gas left in your tank (no more).Add about 3 containers of Seafoam to a half gallon in a container.Shake well.Dump in tank.Start car.Go forwards and hit the brake hard to mix gas in tank.Adjust idle to about 2000 rpm (with throttle screw).Let idle for 10 - 15 minutes.

Repeat idle procedure once more if needed.

Afterwards,throttle your motor to 4000 a few times.This forces any residual deposits out.

Try that and let me know if it fixes your problem.It's allmost as good as an induction service.Just without the huge shop bill.

 

[cobra232]

the PCV issue is well known for 99-01 cars and the fix really doesn't work well. you can do a couple of things.

pcv delete. not wise for emissions.

add an inline oil catch on the pcv.

the best is to get a set of 98 valve covers. i have a set if you want i can sell them to you $20+shipping. run seafoam through the tank and do it again through the intake. change the plugs and wires and it should be just fine

 

[Adverse2Change]

the PCV issue is well known for 99-01 cars and the fix really doesn't work well. you can do a couple of things.

pcv delete. not wise for emissions.

add an inline oil catch on the pcv.

the best is to get a set of 98 valve covers. i have a set if you want i can sell them to you $20+shipping. run seafoam through the tank and do it again through the intake. change the plugs and wires and it should be just fine

Going to have to disagree with you on this. I replaced my valve cover with the new model ('01+) and my pinging went away completely and has not come back. An inline oil catch is just a poor man's temporary fix. I went that route before I actually got the new valve cover. It did a good job of catching the oil, but after a while it began to fail.

 

[Leanz]

Okay, I'm going to do the seafoam in the tank! unfortunatly I just filled up today before I looked at the thread a half gallon of gas in my tank? hah that is going to be really hard to gauge.... with the change of the season, ive been getting worse gas mileage. same thing happened last winter. I let my car warm up every morning before I drive it and it still drops from 22 to 15 or lower in the winter....

 

[MustangLX-5.0]

I wasn't aware of a PCV issue.Is this a blowby problem? A case of excessive oil being blown out and sucked into the upper intake? s What is the deal with the valve covers? Does it just relocate the pcv ports to another location on the covers?

Sorry leanz...the idea of running the seafoam through the tank on a half gallon of gas was just a suggestion.Something a little more convenient..you could also remove the fuel filter,empty it out and fill it with seafoam then re-install it.When that batch of seafoam gets to the injectors,you'll know it.You may have to slightly throttle the pedal to keep it fronm stalling out.Or adjust the throttle screw so it idles at 2000.

You may have the problem with the pcv system noted above.I drive a 96 so I can't relate.Never had an issue with the pcv system.

If it is a carbon issue,what is the cause of it? Your plugs are looking ok as you mention.No oil on them.Pull them again.Note what the tips look like.Are they blackish? Like soot.Are they chalky white?

 

[Leanz]

I think I will do the fuel filter idea! Also, I have changed my valve covers and put on a new pcv - when i took the old PCV off, oil literally poored out of it!... stupid ford engineers...... I think I will just delete the pcv and put a breather on my valve cover AND seafoam the living hell out of it

 

[cobra232]

Going to have to disagree with you on this. I replaced my valve cover with the new model ('01+) and my pinging went away completely and has not come back. An inline oil catch is just a poor man's temporary fix. I went that route before I actually got the new valve cover. It did a good job of catching the oil, but after a while it began to fail.

94-98 covers are much better. the baffles are alot better in them. good the 01+ cover worked for you. it hasen't for some others though.

a PCV delete running breathers on both the breather and PCV will work also but not emissions legal at all.

as for mileage the returnless fuel system of the 99+ has higher demands on the fuel pressure regulator. maybe putting a new one on might help or an aftermarket adj one. who know's just giving out another idea that makes alittle sense. this is why i love singleports. you can make just as much power with them or do a splitport swap with return style system and not have the poor mileage issues as stock 99+ cars suffer from.

as for her pinging a colder plug may help also like an autolite 103 or 604 or these below. i have been running these on my blowersetup for quite awhile now with excellent results
B-GR15YC-1

good demo of the halo plug
LSG Brisk - Details

they are made by Brisk USA Enterprises, LLC which supplies lambo's with plugs

 

[Joseph Ferrigno]

My Stang is also Pinging/Tapping really loud when accelerating. I don't think my problem is Carbon buildup, as I use Seafoam with every fill up. This ping/Tap is very irritating for me, and i keep leaning towards bad lifters....Could it really be that simple? I actually heard that it could be many different things.