Is some pinging normal?

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Originally Posted By: jrmason
Are you sure it isn't a drivetrain noise? Ever checked valve lash? I have always set mine on the tighter end of the manufacturers recommendations.


Valves were adjusted at 100K miles, and to the above post...the pinging today took place before I changed the oil, it had the HGSB in it. Ive noticed it at other times as well when going up hills, but it wasn't as loud. Hoping I just got a bad tank of gas.
 
Some engines ping under higher loads as a matter of the tune the factory gave them.
Our old 3.0 Aerostar would do this, just as the OM said it would, if you gave it just enough throttle that it would stay in gear and not downshift under acceleration from a corner, especially uphill.
OTOH, I've never heard pinging in any of the many Hondas we've owned.
You may just have a random tank of lower than spec octane fuel.
 
Originally Posted By: gregk24

Valves were adjusted at 100K miles, and to the above post...the pinging today took place before I changed the oil, it had the HGSB in it. I've noticed it at other times as well when going up hills, but it wasn't as loud. Hoping I just got a bad tank of gas.


Bad gas or, sorry, poor driving technique...yes, sorry to say it could be bad driving...
When an engine pings it means it needs to run at higher RPMs and it could be due to bad gas as has been suggested (though you're using Shell, so that should NOT be it)...but...
...you say it's lugging up-hill...no, YOU'RE lugging it up hill...and hitting the accelerator to get up the hill adds too much fuel to the cylinders to burn cleanly...drop a gear and get higher RPMs...This is basic driving...

PINGING IS NEVER GOOD.
...someone above said their engine pings at 3500RPMs... that is an engine problem...an engine shouldn't ping above 2k...shouldn't ping even above 1500, unless too much throttle is applied getting too much fuel in the engine that can't be burned.
 
If you have constant or frequent pinging, the piston & combustion chamber likely have carbon buildup, as well as the injector nozzles have some blockage and pintle sticking. I've thought this buildup process accelerates because of alcohol in gas.

At the end of an OCI, run a bottle of Techron, Gumout or Redline SI-1 gas additive in the last tank of gas before your oil change. The rest of the time, run MMO or TC-W3 at the recommended maintainence levels. The solvent oil content will gradually remove those deposits, pinging will mostly go away, and engine will run smoothly, especially at idle. In some cases it takes 4 or 5 tanks of gas to happen, but compared to an injector cleaning or an overhaul the cost is trivial.

I have an 01 Silverado with the 6.0, now with 107k mi, which I didn't like using at moderate and heavy accelerator settings because of pinging/ detonation. I've been told it had a lot to do with years of short tripping it and driving slowly for maximum gas mileage. If most of the miles on an engine are spent warming it up, it will likely have a much higher level of combustion chamber and intake valve deposit formation. The Techron or Gumout and MMO/ TC-W3 gas additives did a great job of solving the problem for me. Very inexpensively. And I continue to use them to keep the problem away.
 
Cars with modern feedback ignition systems are always going to have light pinging (known as incipient detonation) due the ignition being advanced up to the detonation threshold and then backed off momentarily. It cycles like an O2 sensor. By keeping the timing advanced as far as possible maximizes efficiency and will not damage the engine.

If is still pings with higher grade gas, it is likely that the computer has just been able to advance the timing a bit more with the better fuel, but it still bringing it to the detonation threshold.
 
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Plugged egr probably. On some cars you can reach under the egr valve and push the diaphragm up with you fingers. It should stall out. If not, you have plugged egr passages and will have higher cc temps at load. You could also apply vacuum with a pump. If its electronic (Uplander) idk the process.

How are your cooling systems?

My maxima and Uplander do nor ping whatsoever.
 
My mom had a cars that would ping at full throttle, no matter what fuel was used:
1999 Honda CRV
2002 Toyota Solara 2AZ-FE
 
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Talking about the Accord here. I noticed while accelerating moderately today, it had some light pinging. It doesn't do it all the time either, I have noticed it when going up hills sometimes as well. Our Ulander pings all the time, and our 2002 6.0 Silverado pings when under heavy acceleration. Yes I know what pinging is, is light pinging anything to worry about? The Accord is pretty healthy so idk what could be causing it. Its up to date on all maintenance. Light occasional pinging, normal or no?

Your Silverado probably has Carbon Knock. You need to do the sea foam treatment. That will clear it up. I had to do it with my 02.
Plus I think your gas is not of the best quality. Better to run 91 or 92 than have detonation.

Plus you need a scanner to really tell if that is what it is. The two GMs can sound like that but be something else. You need to watch and see if it is actually retarding the timing.

None of my cars ping. One is highly modified, one is modified and supercharged. The other two are stock. I run premium. I can even tell the difference on the scanner when running different brands of fuel.
 
Problem is on his 6.0 the EGR is generally not the problem. The other cars? Could be I don't know, but it is widely known that the GM 6.0 of that vintage has carbon build up on the piston which cause detonation.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Right, but he mentioned all his cars. Seems odd they all ping.


The Uplander is the worst. As soon as the coolant temp needle reaches the mid point it will start pinging. If you drive slow it wont, but as soon as you go above 2200-2500 rpm away it goes, and it does go too. Again the Silverado is only when under load at higher rpm. The Accord, I have not noticed until recently, and tonight when starting to go up a hill I heard light pinging for a moment then it went away. I topped off the gas with 93 V-Power at Shell to hopefully ward off any other pinging issues. It has happened with other tanks of gas. I'll unplug the neg terminal on the battery tomorrow If I can remember, and allow it to stay unplugged overnight. Maybe that will help?
 
Techron cured pinging in my Nissan when nothing else worked: timing, new egr, premium fuel. I couldn't believe after all those years of chasing it down all it took was 2 bottles of the miracle juice and of course I got religion and use top tier fuel only. Used to be the type who'd drive across town to save 1 cent per gallon, but now I drive across town for the good stuff no matter what it costs.
 
Originally Posted By: Nayov
Techron cured pinging in my Nissan when nothing else worked: timing, new egr, premium fuel. I couldn't believe after all those years of chasing it down all it took was 2 bottles of the miracle juice and of course I got religion and use top tier fuel only. Used to be the type who'd drive across town to save 1 cent per gallon, but now I drive across town for the good stuff no matter what it costs.

This. How much are you really saving going cheap? All my cars get Chevron Premium.
 
Since day one for my 2002 F150 with the 4.6 it has pinged lightly on winter blend fuel at light throttle. There are no codes or any pending. Since the truck will be 13 years old in December I'll just live with it. It's not worth sinking money in it to find a "cure".

Whimsey
 
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