so who makes this intake cleaner? is it an on the shelf product at autozone or somewhere like that?
So i need to pull the throttle body loose from the intake (opposite end of the filter), and spray some intake cleaner into the running engine, but where to unclog the ports that are clogged b/c of high octane gas?
Any senseors that you know of that might be bad let me konw.

Heres the plans for next spring(cause its in the garage with a flannel cover for the winter )

1) intake cleaning
2) replacement of any sensors that are bad
3) new spark plugs (champion ??)and maybe wires
4) fuel filter (50K and still got original on )
5) K*N cleaning
6) mobil 1 full synthetic 10w30
7) good oil filter (not fram)
8) coolant flush (any reccomendations welcome here too!!)
9) tranny flush (last one done at 25k-what kind should i use?)
10) dawn wasing, 3 coats of LQ and 2 coats meguiars #26
11) a dam good job in order to pay for all this !!!

well if i left anything out or any suggestions let me know please
thanks guys
Patrick

 

For the most part yes... I do not notice any pinging whatsoever all summer (even with 87 octane.) Here in the last couple weeks as the temperatures have started to cool down at night and early in the morning, I've already noticed the pinging coming back. I notice it the most as you mentioned above 3000 RPM's. I occasionally notice it aswell when lugging low in a gear (especially overdrive.) I can't wait to get a chip here in the next few months to hopefully take care of the problem... Pinging is the ONLY problem I've had whatsoever since I bought my truck new in '98 that has kept me from being 100% satisfied with my truck. If I could fix it for $300, I'd consider it to be the best money spend to date.

 

yes you can buy intake cleaner at autozone and the like. Wally world even has it some times. Also you do not want to ever spray it into a running engine!

I know this might spark a rise out of some of you but trust me on this one! You do not want to spray intake cleaner and especially not carb cleaner into a running MODERN engine! It will cook your cats! If you don't believe me or you have been "Doing it for years" please be my guest!

Just carefully hold the throttle plate open being careful not to scratch anything because the slightest imperfection can change your idle, spray the intake cleaner all over till it's clean then let it evaporate away before you start the truck. (At lease 10 minutes)

remember this is just my .02!

be careful and have fun with your truck!

 

STX/98,

I don't know if this is posible, but I heard that gas companies change their formula with the seasons. Maybe somone can elaborate on this further...Maybe this could have somthing to do with the pinging???

I don't know. It would be interesting to find out, though.

 

It doesnt matter if its 0 degrees or 100 degrees, it will ping above about 3 grand or running down the highway 70mph. Temp doesnt really affect it much.
So dont spray the intake cleaner into a running engine? Ive heard opposite, but ill take your word for it. Ill spray it , engine off and let it evaporate for a few mins. I dont really want to fork out 150 bucks to have my intake cleaned, but it may be whati have to do. Im tired of paying for 91 octance, a new engine should run smooth off of 87. I ran some seafoam through it a couple weeks ago--no change whatsoever! When i get it out of the garage next spring, here whats happening to it:

1) intake cleaning
2) replacement of any sensors that are bad (MAF ? )
3) new spark plugs (champion ??)and maybe wires
4) fuel filter (50K and still got original on )
5) K*N cleaning
6) mobil 1 full synthetic 10w30
7) good oil filter (not fram--Motorcraft perhaps..?)
8) coolant flush (any reccomendations welcome here too!!)
9) tranny flush (last one done at 25k-what kind should i use?)
10) dawn wasing, 3 coats of LQ and 2 coats meguiars #26
11) a dam good job in order to pay for all this !!!

Looking at my flawless pickup, its hard to believe that al this work needs to be done, but in order to keep it going, its gona have to be done. ....wish i had pics..oh well that will come later

Thanks guys any more advice is appreciated
-Patrick

 

I've read some on this in the past, although I don't really know all that much about it. Basically depending on where you live, primarilly in the more populated metropolitan areas (in Texas for example Dallas, San Antonio and Houston) that have the worst pollution are required to use special additives to help correct the pollution problems. These additives do help the gas burn 'cleaner' but at the expense of both power and gas milage. (They are actually having problems now with the additives some how getting back into our water systems, which is causing an entirely different problem that may end up leading to it not being used anymore.) Anyways there are debates going on as to if this type of gas is beneficial and should be used, and if it is even helping correct the problems with pollution it was put in place to help correct. They claim you can get out of the populated metropolitan areas and the rest of the state is not required to use the same type of gas. Then as you mentioned, the gas companies change there additives they put in the gas from Summer to Winter, more than likely adding to the issue aswell. I don't really know for sure obviously, but I wouldn't be suprised if this is atleast contributing to our problem with pinging for many of us. Unfortunately, there are just a lot of variables that can potentially cause pinging with how much so the computer runs our engines nowdays. We made a huge list of potential issues that could cause pinging a couple years ago (much longer the one listed above) with many of us working our way atleast partially thru the list. Many of us eliminated the pinging along the way for a while to just have it come back later. As I mentioned earlier, to the best of my knowlege excluding the few that had pinging caused by something simple such as K&N oil on the MAF, the only person I'm aware of to correct his problem for the long run (Ted) did so with a chip after trying just about everything else we could come up with. If the problem can't be correct with the computer, I'm afriad many of us are stuck with atleast occasional pinging.

 

thanks for the info--any more appreciated. What type of spark plugs are best. I dont intend on the 4 prong type or whatever, just a dual or single.

 

The Motocraft plugs aren't bad... I've got 90,000 miles on mine and they seem to work as well as they did new. I still get the same gas milage I got new, have similair power, and a smooth idle. I'm kind of looking forwards to seeing what they look like when I change them out here in the next few months. If I could get 90,000 miles out of the next set, I'd definately use them again without any question... Other than that, NGK's are used quite a bit. Those Denso Iridium's are supposed to be about as good as you can get although there prices accordingly. I've even heard good things about the regular Champion truck plugs... About the only plug I've heard any problems from are the Bosh +4 Platinums.. I believe most of the reports of idle problems on newer trucks on here with less than 40-50 thousand miles are generally more related to problems with the stock wires as opposed to the plugs... Because of this I would be a little hesitant to use the stock Motorcraft wires, although in my case I've certainly got good service from them.

 

I can certainly relate to this...
I am stumped on what is going onwith my truck.
it pings (clatters) under hard acceleration, or under a load.
It is not affected either way by temperature or fuel octane. I haven't yet really tried anything to fix it. I am pretty hesitant to go jerking stuff off the engine. Although I know my way around older engines pretty well, these newer ones always seem to get me into trouble. I have read about all the posts for this problem in the past 6 months or so, but havent really seemed to see any that had a definitive answer for this problem. I suppose this is because of the many causes. I agree with whoever said they felt it was in the computer, it seems as though the computer tries to lean out the fuel mixture too much, or advance the timing too far. If anyone out there can give me a solution that has a high probablitlity of success I would really appreciate it. I would rather not try the shotgun approach to fixing this, and I am about to the point of taking it to a mechanic and just saying "FIX IT!"
I can't imagine that it is good for fuel economy or engine life.
Also, could this be the infamou piston slap and how do you tell the difference?

 

My 98 f-150 4.6 has had a terrible pinging problem even when running premium.

I took my K&N out and went back to paper. I changed my pcv valve and fuel filter. I run chevron fuel injector cleaner several times. No luck.

The check engine light was on and I took it to auto zone and the code said lean on the right bank.

After some reading on here and I came up with an idea. My 98 Mustang GT had the air filter canninster break when it was under warranty and I had just put in a K&N filter and the dealer agreed to replace the filter housing under warranty but he warned me that using a K&N would foul the maf sensor and it wouldn't be covered under warranty if I continued to use the K&N. So I've been using paper in both vehicles. The mustang 4.6 has no pinging problems and the K&N was only in it for 500 miles.

Yesterday I opened up the air filter cannister and sprayed the maf sensor wire with a little bit of brake cleaner. There was visable soot on the wire and the spray made it shiny metal color again. I reset my computer by disconnecting the battery for 20 minutes and have not had any more CELs. I've filled a full tank of 87 octane regular and have been romping it WOT - pedal to the mat and various other driving techniques to try and get it to ping. NO PING. It's running like new again. It's got 45k on it now. If this is the problem the dealer warned me about the oil form he K&N fouling the sensor I'm gonna clean my K&N filter and put it back in next air filter change and when it starts to ping a little I'll just clean the sensor.

Needless to say I'm a happy camper

 

hey thanks for the replies ill give that a try

to reset computer, dont you:
1) disconnect negative terminal
2) turn ingition to on and turn on lights, let sit for a min or two
3) hook up neg terminal and crank and let run for 10 mins

 

green, to re-set pcm,

disconnect NEG battery terminal then turn on headlights. Wait 5 min.

turn OFF headlights, THEN re-connect neg battery cable, start engine and let idle at least 5 min then drive for at least 20-30 min both around town and highway.

your transmision will shift funny and the engine might do some strange things but that will all go away.

good luck-