Pinging only getting worse
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 125
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From: Columbia, TN USA
I had pinging before my Volant intake was installed. Had it in for the dealer to look at 3 times before it went out of warranty. Never could totally resolve the pinging issue. I have the 'known to ping' FOU1....
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,512
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hapyznap~
It would actually take a lot more to make an engine run lean. Even the addition of headers would not neccessarily cause problems. In some cases it might be applicable if you wanted an extra 5 HP. I thought the same thing until recently.
Matt
It would actually take a lot more to make an engine run lean. Even the addition of headers would not neccessarily cause problems. In some cases it might be applicable if you wanted an extra 5 HP. I thought the same thing until recently.
Matt
Last edited by mf150; Apr 16, 2003 at 11:17 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,678
Likes: 0
From: Northern Kentucky
I agree the coolant temp sensor is almost like your main engine sensor. With it being even remotely bad it could have terrible effects on performance. I have tested mine 2 times and both times it was withing spec of Haynes guidelines. Now if it was at border line it would be a different story. Changing it might help some but it may not completely fix the ping.
The air temp sensor could also play a big part and could also get coated with the filter oil. The mention of all these cases being temp related makes sense that the air temp could be bad. I have not tested mine but it can be tested. I know some of the L guys and others have relocated the air temp sensor to a cooler spot. That would allow the engine to always throw more fuel into the engine as it sees a colder denser air. Trouble is some of you like me get more pining when the temps drop to usually around 50 and below. Which leads me to beleive that the PCM is advancing the timing to far compared to what the a/f is.
To the fellow that asked where to get a Haynes manaul. You can get them at almost any parts store usually ru naround $15. Chiltons also makes one and are more detailed but harder to understand and cost $20-35. The best are the factory manuals available through places like Helms Motor news but are very pricey new, around $160. I just got lucky and bought a used shop manual from a guy one here for $30.
A cooler t-stat on these trucks is not that good of an idea. These trucks need to run a little on what most people would say is the hot side for a vehicle. This is due to emissions and provides a complete burn. Lowering the temp will cause more carbon and soot in the engine clogging things like the EGR system just causing more pinging and problems.
The air temp sensor could also play a big part and could also get coated with the filter oil. The mention of all these cases being temp related makes sense that the air temp could be bad. I have not tested mine but it can be tested. I know some of the L guys and others have relocated the air temp sensor to a cooler spot. That would allow the engine to always throw more fuel into the engine as it sees a colder denser air. Trouble is some of you like me get more pining when the temps drop to usually around 50 and below. Which leads me to beleive that the PCM is advancing the timing to far compared to what the a/f is.
To the fellow that asked where to get a Haynes manaul. You can get them at almost any parts store usually ru naround $15. Chiltons also makes one and are more detailed but harder to understand and cost $20-35. The best are the factory manuals available through places like Helms Motor news but are very pricey new, around $160. I just got lucky and bought a used shop manual from a guy one here for $30.
A cooler t-stat on these trucks is not that good of an idea. These trucks need to run a little on what most people would say is the hot side for a vehicle. This is due to emissions and provides a complete burn. Lowering the temp will cause more carbon and soot in the engine clogging things like the EGR system just causing more pinging and problems.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta, GA USA
I will throw in my $.02 since I have had more experience with pinging than I’d care to have.
I think I spent a year trying to hunt down the pinging on my ’98 4.6 with the FOU1 ECU code. I tested every sensor and replaced most of them (DPFE, AIT, ECT, etc) without permanently fixing the problem. My truck was basically stock, I didn’t have a K&N air filter, just the regular paper.
I finally gave in and found a tuner who tweaked how the knock sensor was utilized. The chip was burned to run on 87 octane gas. Not only has the chip completely eliminated the pinging, but I picked up a few HP and got better shifting as well. Looking back on it, I do not regret spending the $250.
It certainly makes sense to exhaust all the simple things first (removing carbon build-up in the cylinders, checking the TB elbow EGR passages to make sure they aren’t clogged up, cleaning the MAF wires, replacing a faulty sensor) in an attempt to correct the pinging. But in my case (and unfortunately in many of the cases), the timing from the factory was just too aggressive.
And I think KYFordFreak is correct about cooler weather pinging. Some of the L owners have a summer and winter program on their chips. With the cooler weather, the ECU adds too much timing, and their winter programs remove some of that to prevent detonation.
I think I spent a year trying to hunt down the pinging on my ’98 4.6 with the FOU1 ECU code. I tested every sensor and replaced most of them (DPFE, AIT, ECT, etc) without permanently fixing the problem. My truck was basically stock, I didn’t have a K&N air filter, just the regular paper.
I finally gave in and found a tuner who tweaked how the knock sensor was utilized. The chip was burned to run on 87 octane gas. Not only has the chip completely eliminated the pinging, but I picked up a few HP and got better shifting as well. Looking back on it, I do not regret spending the $250.
It certainly makes sense to exhaust all the simple things first (removing carbon build-up in the cylinders, checking the TB elbow EGR passages to make sure they aren’t clogged up, cleaning the MAF wires, replacing a faulty sensor) in an attempt to correct the pinging. But in my case (and unfortunately in many of the cases), the timing from the factory was just too aggressive.
And I think KYFordFreak is correct about cooler weather pinging. Some of the L owners have a summer and winter program on their chips. With the cooler weather, the ECU adds too much timing, and their winter programs remove some of that to prevent detonation.