pinging
- Thread starter arkansas mystic
- Start date
Dark Knight GT
I can't get it up......ok that didn't sound right.
I think everyone needs to be aware that some of the gas companies have had a production of some bad gasoline lately. I think thats whats causing this "pinging" situation thats going around.
twogts4us
15 Year Member
Dark Knight GT said:
Any info to back this up? I'm not flaming ya or nothing, but I haven't heard this...other than the problem that Shell and texaco had with elevated levels of sulfer...
Go HoTO!
New Member
I don't believe the gas quality crap. The government is on top of octane testing like you can't imagine. Most gas is the same...comes from the same place.
What is octane? In simplist terms is means "resistance to knock". Higher octane fuel is more resistent to pre-ignition (aka knock or pinging) than lower octane gas. Low octane ignites sooner and burns faster. This is why higher compression motors must run higher octane fuel.
The factors that cause pinging/knock are:
1 - Higher ambient temperatures
2 - High or extremely high loads (ie. high rpms, towing, going uphill...or all of the above)
3 - Octane fuel which is too low for the engine design
4 - Failure of knock sensors to function
5 - Timing which is advanced too much for the fuel.
6 - Dirty cyclinder heads
I would guess that the culprit is #6 for you most likely. How many miles on the car? High mileage cars can build up deposits which actually reduces the volume in the compression chamber which results in an increase in temp and pressure thus causing knock. The solution is to clean the heads or to increase octane of the fuel.
Did you add a chip/programmer recently? If so, this could certainly be the problem as the timing might be too much advanced. I can only assume that you did not do this. Most guys savy enough to add a chip would generally understand the relationship between octane, timing advance, and pinging.
I hope this helps.
What is octane? In simplist terms is means "resistance to knock". Higher octane fuel is more resistent to pre-ignition (aka knock or pinging) than lower octane gas. Low octane ignites sooner and burns faster. This is why higher compression motors must run higher octane fuel.
The factors that cause pinging/knock are:
1 - Higher ambient temperatures
2 - High or extremely high loads (ie. high rpms, towing, going uphill...or all of the above)
3 - Octane fuel which is too low for the engine design
4 - Failure of knock sensors to function
5 - Timing which is advanced too much for the fuel.
6 - Dirty cyclinder heads
I would guess that the culprit is #6 for you most likely. How many miles on the car? High mileage cars can build up deposits which actually reduces the volume in the compression chamber which results in an increase in temp and pressure thus causing knock. The solution is to clean the heads or to increase octane of the fuel.
Did you add a chip/programmer recently? If so, this could certainly be the problem as the timing might be too much advanced. I can only assume that you did not do this. Most guys savy enough to add a chip would generally understand the relationship between octane, timing advance, and pinging.
I hope this helps.
Dark Knight GT
I can't get it up......ok that didn't sound right.
twogts4us said:
Thats sort of what I was talking about. I heard a few Exxon stations were suffering from this as well but I can't say for sure. I'm not saying "all cases" of pinging are being caused by this but its just strange that all of the sudden after this "tainted gas" was reported, people are having fuel and ignition problems.
wms004
Founding Member
Red mustang Gt 46
Founding Member
no, i havent added a chip. the car has 80,000 miles and only mild bolt on mods (mass air meter, underdrive pullies, flows). just bought the car in january and as far as i know it hasnt had the cooling upgrade. what does this consist of, also, the temp guage doest work. i replaced the sendor taht screws into the front of the block and it still doesnt work. any suggestions?
wms004
Founding Member
twogts4us
15 Year Member
Go HoTO! said:
Seems every couple of days we have to explain the octane thing again...
Great info, as usual, Go HoTO!!!
Go HoTO!
New Member
BINGO! It's the MAF! You need a dyno tune OR remove the MAF and put the stocker back on (as long as you added the MAF. The guy before you could have had a dyno tune I suppose).
I will send you $5.00 if this does not solve the problem.
PS - Thanks twogts4us
I will send you $5.00 if this does not solve the problem.
PS - Thanks twogts4us
Go HoTO!
New Member
Just to be sure, though, did you add the MAF yourself and not do a dyno tune? Is so, put the stock MAF back on. If that does not fix it, $5.00 for you!
COBRA90GT
Mustang Master
When was the last time you examined the spark plugs? It's possible that you might need to change them (fuel filter is a good idea too).
You probably want to get an aftermarket water temp gauge anyways (and oil pressure too). Those factory gauges are crap, nothing more than "dummy gauges." Are the IMRCs giving you any problems (some 96-98s need R&R'ing of the IMRCs due to carbon build-up)?
You probably want to get an aftermarket water temp gauge anyways (and oil pressure too). Those factory gauges are crap, nothing more than "dummy gauges." Are the IMRCs giving you any problems (some 96-98s need R&R'ing of the IMRCs due to carbon build-up)?
mine 98 just recently started to ping also. a friend of mine said it was something like a spark plug pinging and that he would have to throw some sort of computer that ford uses on it to see what exactly the problem was. i just downgraded from 93 to 87 octane within the last month and i also have a mass air meter and flows. sounds like we having similar problems. 
Go HoTO!
New Member
It could still be the MAF! Colder weather with a lean condition will help prevent knock, but when the warmer weather hit, this might have been what caused it. Since you don't know if it was tuned, get it on a dyno and have the A/F read. That will tell you.
Also, you could pay the diagnostic fee at a dealer and have them look at it. They can tell if it is running lean by looking at the fuel trims.
Also, you could pay the diagnostic fee at a dealer and have them look at it. They can tell if it is running lean by looking at the fuel trims.
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