[propellerhead]

Besides going with a higher octane fuel or retarding the spark, what else can be done to stop an engine from pinging?

[Firemanz]

Originally Posted by propellerhead

Besides going with a higher octane fuel or retarding the spark, what else can be done to stop an engine from pinging?

By "retarding the spark" do you mean cut back on the timing?

[propellerhead]

Yes, the opposite of advancing the timing or spark...but I don't want to do that.

[68GEETEE]

find out what the stock spark plug is, and then install a set that is 1 heat range colder.


edit* I didnt realize you have a new Stang. Take it to the dealer and ask them why its pinging. May need to have the computer calibrated or something.

[propellerhead]

True. I'll have to use up this tank of 89 octane first.

I was just wondering if there was another way.

Do you think the engine computer records the fact that the enging was pinging?

[Hammered]

Originally Posted by propellerhead

True. I'll have to use up this tank of 89 octane first.

I was just wondering if there was another way.

Do you think the engine computer records the fact that the enging was pinging?

It can but it displayed with the check engine light...if no light i doubt it recorded it...hot weather and low octane = ping in some cases

[propellerhead]

I wonder if the pinging was due to the missing silencer. I was never a big believer of all this cold air vs. hot air thing, but maybe it does make a difference.

I have a CAI coming in the mail. We'll see if that helps.

[Hammered]

Originally Posted by propellerhead

I wonder if the pinging was due to the missing silencer. I was never a big believer of all this cold air vs. hot air thing, but maybe it does make a difference.

I have a CAI coming in the mail. We'll see if that helps.

naaa I ran with out the silencer for ever..

[68GEETEE]

another thing that might help is to replace the 190 thermo with a 180. Just for the summer. It will help keep the cylinder temp slightly cooler and help keep it from detonating early.

But I still recommend taking it to the dealer first, and see if they have a good answer for you.

[propellerhead]

It's a very slight pinging, if it's even pinging. I'll put 87 octane after this tank then take it in. The weather should heat up again soon.

[Nighthawk]

thats pretty strange....i always ran 87 in my 03 GT with stock timing and never had a problem.

[propellerhead]

It comes and goes. I was driving tonight and it would ping under heavy acceleration. Then I stopped for food and when I got back on the road, it wasn't pinging.

*shrug*

[propellerhead]

Ok, my car was really pinging tonight. I had the a/c going and I was cruising around 70-80. And when I stepped on it to pass other cars, it was really ticking.

Can the dealership do anything? The EEC controls the timing, right? Or will they just tell me to run 89 octane?

[Scottyboy]

Maybe its just the gas you are buying. I was up in DFW on saturday, and my car was pinging at 80mph with the a/c on. It never pings here in S.A. I think i got a tank of bad gas.

[propellerhead]

I don't know. I've been noticing this for a few weeks now. Fort Worth gas, Killeen/Temple gas or San Antonio gas. Same thing. I really don't want to run 89 octane.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with the service adviser at the Ford place. He said unless there was a check engine light, there's not much they can do. They can run the diagnostic machine but that won't come up with anything either. When I asked if the pinging was a problem, he said it's really fine. I told him I was afraid of any long term damage. He said it's not a problem. He said I could go up a grade of gasoline to get rid of the nuisance noise but he repeated that it wasn't really a problem. I always thought pinging was bad. :shrug:

Any ideas?

[AdRock]

Originally Posted by propellerhead

I don't know. I've been noticing this for a few weeks now. Fort Worth gas, Killeen/Temple gas or San Antonio gas. Same thing. I really don't want to run 89 octane.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with the service adviser at the Ford place. He said unless there was a check engine light, there's not much they can do. They can run the diagnostic machine but that won't come up with anything either. When I asked if the pinging was a problem, he said it's really fine. I told him I was afraid of any long term damage. He said it's not a problem. He said I could go up a grade of gasoline to get rid of the nuisance noise but he repeated that it wasn't really a problem. I always thought pinging was bad. :shrug:

Any ideas?

Which dealer was this? Also, call back and get the name of this person that seems to think detonation is "really fine". That's a load of crap.

Run some 89 octane in your car and see if the pinging goes away. If it does then keep running 89. Before I put the timing adjuster on my car it would ping on 87 once in a while. 89 cured that problem.

[propellerhead]

I didn't catch the name. It was at Texas Motors Ford in Fort Worth. I think I'll stop by after work and talk to the Service Advisers in person. There are four or five of them. Maybe I'll catch a different person.

I've been reading more on this. It seems pinging is common with 99+ 4.6L engines. *sigh*

[larry03gt]

If you don't want to use high octane there is not much you can do unless you change the spark plugs to a lower heat range or your best bet would be to lower the thermostat to 180. But even then there is no guaranty that they will work. In my opinion going to a higher octane gas will be easyer to fix the problem.

[68GEETEE]

Read an article today that compared gasoline octane ratings. Something that caught my attention is that 93 octane is not the same from station to station. You could use Exxon 93 for example and get no ping, then use Diamond Shamrock 93 and experience a ping. Has to do with how each company rates their gas. I guess the thing to do is find a station that doesnt cause your car to ping, and try to gas up there consistently.