what is pinging?

[Chin]

well i feel like a newbie asking this.. but what exactly is pinging and what are the symptoms?

hah i know a lot about cars so feel pretty stupid asking this..

 

[illwood]

pinging is pre-ignition

This is a condition where the air-fuel mixture in your engine ignites early and trys to reverse the direction of your engine. I believe the term "ping" comes from the noise that it makes.

Compression ratio, spark advance, fuel quality and quantity all play a role in causing or preventing pre-ignition.

 

[final5-0]

pinging is pre-ignition

This is a condition where the air-fuel mixture in your engine ignites early and trys to reverse the direction of your engine. I believe the term "ping" comes from the noise that it makes.

Compression ratio, spark advance, fuel quality and quantity all play a role in causing or preventing pre-ignition.

All of the above looks pretty good to me

Here is another way to think about the ping thing..................

Its an audible indicator telling you.....................

WARNING......LIFT RIGHT FOOT NOW

Later
Grady

 

[94MustangGT5.0]

Its an audible indicator telling you.....................

WARNING......LIFT RIGHT FOOT NOW

lol, nicely put.

 

[stang_dan]

but you can also get a pining noise if your running to low of an octane correct im not sure y tho i think because the low octance runs kooler i dont know little help i just knew that running regular on a worked motor cuase it to ping on wot.
dan

 

[stang_dan]

sorry for the double post but i went back read it slowly and i get it now i thought u guys where refuring to like preigintion when u shut the car off and it still runs but i was on the right track. the higher compression needs a higher octane otherwise it compustes too soon!!! right
dan

 

[yellowstang1994]

Yea, it'll basically sound like a can of rocks being shaken up inside your engine, it's kind of hard to imagine but if you ever hear it you will know exactly what it is. A question I always wondered while we're here. What kind of damage can pinging cause? if any?

 

[final5-0]

Yea, it'll basically sound like a can of rocks being shaken up inside your engine, it's kind of hard to imagine but if you ever hear it you will know exactly what it is. A question I always wondered while we're here. What kind of damage can pinging cause? if any?

Its the tops of your pistons getting beat all to hell

Later
Grady

 

[HISSIN50]

pinging can be pre-ignition or detonation (they are different).

As the Gradster said, use your own piezos (ears) to monitor and tune accordingly. Higher octane is less volatile, ergo resists detonation [more than lesser octane, all else being equal].

when a car runs after being shut-off (generally carbed cars), that is often called dieseling.

(I toss out different terms should you choose to do an internet search).

Good luck.

 

[pleasehelp]

ok, so what's detonation then? Thanks.

 

[HISSIN50]

ok, so what's detonation then? Thanks.

Very simply stated, all these terms are related and similar in nature in that they involve a spontaneous explosion of the mixture or part of the mixture.

An internet search will yield tons of information - much more than any of us would want to type out. It is an interesting dynamic in that detonation causes a snow-ball effect.
I am not eloquent enough to accurately describe it all. It is just easier to read a few articles about it, IMHO.

 

[yellowstang1994]

Its the tops of your pistons getting beat all to hell

Later
Grady

That sucks pretty bad! My car has been pinging for a little while now. Once in a while and now really bad in hot weather. I need to figure out whats the culprit.

 

[bimmertech]

pre-ignition is usually a knocking noise and is caused by, well pre-ignition. the pinging noise you are reffering to is caused by detonation which is caused during flame propegation of the ignition cycle. the noise is created by two or more uncontroled flame fronts colliding and moving the piston side to side in the bore.

 

[JRPony]

Well, I will attempt to explain the difference. The primary difference between pre-ignition and detonation is when they occur. Pre-ignition occurs prior to the regular spark and is generally caused by a red hot piece of carbon or metal in the combustion chamber. This is very commonly caused by red hot edges of the exhaust valve.
Detonation occurs after regular ignition has taken place and is generally caused by over advanced timing, too low of octane or excessive combustion heat. The piston compresses the intake charge, raising cylinder pressure. The spark plug is lit and combustion begins. The cylinder pressures rises even more and at this point the unburnt portion of the fuel charge will be unable to handle the pressure and a second flame front is ignited. This flame front is much faster and more violent then the regular flame and this is what causes the damage.

 

[18mustangs]

question I always wondered while we're here. What kind of damage can pinging cause? if any?

In addition to what Grady said, it can damage your piston rings causing excessive oil consumption.
Tim