spark knock
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Junior Member
Joined: Sep 1998
Posts: 4
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spark knock
I went in for service for spark knock left my 98 F150 4by4 for the day. When i picked it up they said they could find nothing wrong. They told me to turn up the radio louder...can you believe that. I told them i was burning premium gas to help solve the problem. I was told the engine was not designed to burn premium and not to do it in the future.....what could possibly happen are they pulling my leg????. They mentioned something about an octain bar totally lost with that one....any help??
so far: K&N filter , 3in flowmaster cat back
so far: K&N filter , 3in flowmaster cat back
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,565
Likes: 1
From: Columbus, Georgia
Contact Mike Troyer (who sells the superchip on here- Nationwide distributor)..he is probably the <very best> person to explain how this works and offer you the best advice!!!
He 'lives' in the superchip section..and is *EXTREMELY* knowledgeable and helpful!!!
"Turn up your radio"..that is a good one. It specifically says in the 2000 owners manual *NOT* to use Premium fuel in the US (again, 2000 manual).. that the use of Premium fuel *WILL* increase driveability problems, starting problems, etc if you are experiencing them and yes, in fact, these trucks are designed to run on 87 Octane. You might want to try mid grade rather than Premium..since Premium *does* burn slower than the cheap stuff. Some knock or valve rattle is 'normal' according to FORD with 87 Octane (98 and 2000 owners manual).
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
540)862-9515
E-mail: mtroyer@compuserve.com
BEST OF LUCK!!
------------------
2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, Pendaliner bedliner, K&N air filter, rubberized undercoating, cabin filtration system, Bugflector II, 5W-30 Mobil 1, engine build 10/4/99, Superchip now installed..WOW!!!!
He 'lives' in the superchip section..and is *EXTREMELY* knowledgeable and helpful!!!
"Turn up your radio"..that is a good one. It specifically says in the 2000 owners manual *NOT* to use Premium fuel in the US (again, 2000 manual).. that the use of Premium fuel *WILL* increase driveability problems, starting problems, etc if you are experiencing them and yes, in fact, these trucks are designed to run on 87 Octane. You might want to try mid grade rather than Premium..since Premium *does* burn slower than the cheap stuff. Some knock or valve rattle is 'normal' according to FORD with 87 Octane (98 and 2000 owners manual).
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
540)862-9515
E-mail: mtroyer@compuserve.com
BEST OF LUCK!!
------------------
2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, Pendaliner bedliner, K&N air filter, rubberized undercoating, cabin filtration system, Bugflector II, 5W-30 Mobil 1, engine build 10/4/99, Superchip now installed..WOW!!!!
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Dec 1997
Posts: 9,417
Likes: 11
From: Windsor,Ontario,Canada
clark98,
What causes detonation? When the highly compressed air-fuel charge is fired, the flame travels from the plug in an outward direction. As the charge continues to burn, pressure greatly increases. If the pressure in any part of the combustion chamber rises high enough, before the flame reaches it, this area will be hot enough to fire itself. This will produce 2 flame fronts and thereby increase the burning rate. Instead of firing smoothly, there is a violent explosion that literally slams the piston down. This is very damaging to the engine. Detonation can be caused by an excessively high compression ratio or by a low grade of gasoline. An overheated valve or bit of carbon, etc., can ignite the "end gas" and cause the formation of the second flame front. As you have a 98 ( by your name?) cleaning the combustion chambers should fix it up. Using a higher octane gas will most likely not cure the problem. Your Dealer may have removed the Octane Shorting Bar(retards timing by about 4 degrees) and this probably will not fix it. Pinging (metallic rattling sound ) is produced by the engine under heavy acceleration when ignition timing is too far advanced for the grade of fuel being used. The Octane Shorting Bar trick will cure this one. Using a higher grade of fuel will help. Preignition is caused when a glowing bit of carbon, an overheated spark plug, etc., ignites the fuel charge before the spark plug fires. When preignition occurs, the premature explosion attempts to drive the piston down against the direction of rotation. Changing to a colder plug or cleaning the combustion chamber will fix this problem. Switching to a colder plug will not necessarily cure the problem as I don't believe that the plug heat range is the problem. As you didn't mention Pinging I would get the combustion chamber cleaned. Sorry for the long post.
Regards
Jean Marc Chartier
------------------
00 F-150 XLT SC Flairside 4x4 4.6 w/5spd
Warn XD9000i, skid plates, Draw tite class III,
Rancho RSX Reflex shocks,
SmittyBilt Nerfs, Borla Cat Back
Modified Air Cleaner Outlet Tube,
Superchips
[This message has been edited by JMC (edited 03-14-2000).]
What causes detonation? When the highly compressed air-fuel charge is fired, the flame travels from the plug in an outward direction. As the charge continues to burn, pressure greatly increases. If the pressure in any part of the combustion chamber rises high enough, before the flame reaches it, this area will be hot enough to fire itself. This will produce 2 flame fronts and thereby increase the burning rate. Instead of firing smoothly, there is a violent explosion that literally slams the piston down. This is very damaging to the engine. Detonation can be caused by an excessively high compression ratio or by a low grade of gasoline. An overheated valve or bit of carbon, etc., can ignite the "end gas" and cause the formation of the second flame front. As you have a 98 ( by your name?) cleaning the combustion chambers should fix it up. Using a higher octane gas will most likely not cure the problem. Your Dealer may have removed the Octane Shorting Bar(retards timing by about 4 degrees) and this probably will not fix it. Pinging (metallic rattling sound ) is produced by the engine under heavy acceleration when ignition timing is too far advanced for the grade of fuel being used. The Octane Shorting Bar trick will cure this one. Using a higher grade of fuel will help. Preignition is caused when a glowing bit of carbon, an overheated spark plug, etc., ignites the fuel charge before the spark plug fires. When preignition occurs, the premature explosion attempts to drive the piston down against the direction of rotation. Changing to a colder plug or cleaning the combustion chamber will fix this problem. Switching to a colder plug will not necessarily cure the problem as I don't believe that the plug heat range is the problem. As you didn't mention Pinging I would get the combustion chamber cleaned. Sorry for the long post.
Regards
Jean Marc Chartier
------------------
00 F-150 XLT SC Flairside 4x4 4.6 w/5spd
Warn XD9000i, skid plates, Draw tite class III,
Rancho RSX Reflex shocks,
SmittyBilt Nerfs, Borla Cat Back
Modified Air Cleaner Outlet Tube,
Superchips
[This message has been edited by JMC (edited 03-14-2000).]