Hello everyone,

This is my first post but Ive been reading for quite some time. Great message board! First of all I have done a search for pinging and have read and tried without fixing the problem. I have a 4.6L F-250 LD Auto 3.73LS and notice pinging with K&N drop in filter (stock airbox) installed under moderate-extreme load (2000 pound trailer towing up 6 to 8% grade and 80+ degrees turning between 3200 and 4500 RPM (I have NOT noticed excessive engine coolant temperatures). There is *no* ping when the truck is not pulling and very little while pulling with the stock filter installed. Ive tried cleaning MAF, Chevron fuel cleaner, changing plugs and wires. The only things that have worked are going back to the original filter (some ping but acceptable?) and running high octane fuel (helps some). Would installing an aftermarket exhaust help this problem or is it a calibration problem with the MAF or simply overstressing the motor? My computer code is JMK1. (Superchip is on order but I do not want to install until this problem is nailed down).

Al

 

I've got an F150 with a 4.6 engine/3.55 diff. Whenever it gets over 90 degrees outside while using 87 octane gas, it pings during acceleration with no load at all! And the power wasn't that great either. Switching to Chevron 93 octane helped both. No ping and more pep. Go figure.

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'00 F150 SC XLT, 4.6L, 4R70W auto, 3.55 axle, Chestnut/Gold two-tone w/gold pinstripe, captain's chairs, tonneau cover, CD player, nerf bars, and more to come!

 

You've done everything I would have done. I had the same problem with my 98 f150, 4.6L. I took off the positive and negative battery cables turned on my lights and let the computer reset itself. Then for about a week, I didn't baby the truck and had a couple of WOT on the on ramps. My pining has gone away for about 5,000 miles now. I'm guessing maybe the truck was carbon up. I used to baby the truck a lot, and that is when I noticed the pinging the most.

 

Hi athearle,

Installing an aftermarket exhaust system most likely is not going to help this pinging you're getting. It sounds to me that since you have already cleaned your MAF, that you need to simply use more octane in the tank, and/or a higher energy fuel. Sometiems it's not just octane, but an energy content issue, especially with "reformulated" gasolines in some geographical locations.

I don't know what you're using as far as gas brands, but you might want to try using something like Texaco, Amoco, or Citgo, and also disconnect your battery to let the computer clear it's accumulated memory and do a re-set, and see what happens. When you disconnect the battery, turn the headlights on for 5 mintues to drain residual voltage from the IC's & caps. Reconnect and try your next brand of gas. Do that for each different brand you try, to see if it's just a problem with your normal brand, or if this is something that affects all fuels in your local area.

You may find that your truck needs a mid-grade, or 89 octane with the factory programming in your area to not exhibit detonation, etc.

Going with K&N air filters & exhaust changes on some vehicles can cause them to go a bit lean, and need more fuel added, but this is rarely the case in these F-trucks.

Let us know what happens, & good luck!

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Try cleaning your MAF sensor, its real easy, worked for me on my 98 4.6, and 95 Windstar with 3.8. Do a search on MAF and you'll find the thread. Good luck

 

Thanks for the ideas everybody. I'm using what I believe to be high quality Texaco gasoline. The large pecentage of what I use is 87 octane but I have run a fair share of 89 as well. Ive tried reseting the computer and it doesnt seem to make a difference with the pinging (some with the gas mileage at first). Another thing that somebody mentioned to me is that is could be the CA models are tuned differently. Is there anything to this and if so how do I check to see if the truck is a CA model? Also, does the superchip compensate for the possible lean condition in its programming?

 

What year is your truck and how many miles is on it?

When you say you used "Chevron fuel cleaner," exactly what was it? Did you use Chevron Techron that comes in the black plastic bottle? Not the Fuel Injector cleaner, but the Techron additive that's designed to clean out carbon.

 

Athearle, check out the September issue
of Super Rod magazine. They have a very
interesting article on new fuel technology
seems were getting ripped off,as our emissions go down so does our performance. I use 92 or 93 exclusively
and have never had a pinging problem,
except for the brief period I had a hypertech chip installed. You can try using high octane fuel and changing to a
lower temp. thermostat. I use a 160 deg.
it went with the hyperjunk but I kept it in,
mainly for the cooling properties. The low
temp. stat might get you in trouble in the
winter but it's quick enough to change.
Good luck on the ping fighting.

 

I bought the truck with 68K on it and it has 80K now and since Ive had it I havent babied it at all. I think it runs better now than it did when I bought it. The fuel cleaner may be the problem. I used the Chevron fuel injector cleaner - not the black bottle. I take it the concentration is different between the two? I'll try that today. I thought about putting a cooler thermostat in and can probably get away with it since we are under the Air Quality program out here (yet). I cant wait to see what happens when install the Superchip and run 90+ gas (hopefully tommorow if all is well with the flipchip)

 

The Chevron Fuel Injector Cleaner has Techron, but it's not concentrated enough to clean out all the carbon.

Now that we know the mileage of your engine, I'm betting you have a carbon buildup problem. Get the straight Techron and follow the instructions.

When you run the tank down, check your oil. Chances are, it will be black. Change the oil and filter ASAP.

Don't run a cooler thermostat. It will screw up the computer.

 

Al ............Hi its me..I agree with Dennis, dont use the 160 thermostat. Also you may need to get a new fuel filter. It may be pluged up a bit a its causing a Lean condition. I think you are doing all the right things. The Mass air sensor is the thing that troubles me (being that dark color) It should be shiney in color>

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97 F-150 4.6 auto, 4x2, 3.55 LS, WMS Velocity tube, Dynomax Super Turbo exhaust with Echo tube.
Oh yeah, it's Oxford White with crome wheels, Legacy shell & custom grill!

 

WHAT TO DO FOR PING:

Since you've already done plugs....


1. NEVER run an octane rating other than what the computer is designed for! Run what the owners manual says! Running an octane higer or lower than specified will decrease the life of your engine! You are only masking, not fixing, the problem by running a higher octane!

2. WHen and how often has the cooling system been flushed? Thermostat working properly? If the engine is running slightly above normal temps you might get ping.

3. More than likely its carbon build-up from the person before you running 93 octane in an engine designed to run on 87. The only way to TRUELY get rid of this is having a B&G Engine Vac system run on your truck. This will remove ALL the carbon in your entire intake, egine, exhaust, etc... Usually costs about $120 or so. HUGE increase in performance after this is done! BTW: Carbon build-up can cause sensors to give your computer false readings! Thus, causing the computer to make unecessary adjustments (like timing)!

4. If non of this works you had better have it fixed because you are doing major damage to your engine! Particularly under load!!!

The problem is more than likely NOT the K&N. The filter is allowing more air to enter which may be stimulating the real problem!

[This message has been edited by Rand (edited 08-18-2000).]

 

would an ignition upgrade help stop pinging? I've been thinking about a Jacobs DIS and accel coil packs. I don't
really have a ping problem except when I
was running a hypertech. Does B&G have
a web site so I can check them out, I have
seen their claims for fleet engines. I have
about 45k on my 98 with 93 octane for 20,000 miles. Haven't noticed any pinging
yet.(fingers crossed)

 

Running higher octane gas will not hurt your engine. The computers in our trucks compensate for detonation by retarding the timing, they also compensate for higher octane. This in turn increase HP and MPG slightly. Ive been running 93 for 53,000 miles...no pinging and no problems.(shouldnt my truck be in pieces by now?)

Also there has been a problem with the oil from the K&N contaminating the MAF sensor. I had this problem on my 91 Explorer, very easy fix...just remove the MAF and spray with carb/brake cleaner. Wait 30 min until dry and reinstall...problem gone. Oh, I run 93 in it too...91,500k miles and no problems.


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The Truck: 1997 Black F-150 Flareside. Regular Cab ORP and Towing Package
The Mods: K&N Filter, Eurolid Hard Tonneau, Profile Windstream Side Deflectors and Lund X-Terminator Bug Deflector.
The Site:
Triton's 4.6 Liter Web Page


[This message has been edited by Triton46 (edited 08-18-2000).]

 

Several good links here:

"www.patgosscar*********/favorite.htm"


For some reason the URL won't post so here it is another way:


www
patgosscarworld
.com
/favorite.htm


[This message has been edited by Rand (edited 08-18-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Rand (edited 08-18-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Rand (edited 08-18-2000).]