More Pinging in Cold Temps

[Propflux01]

i know it will effect a smaller engine moreso than a larger one, my old '81 grand prix with it's 4.3L v-8 (265 CID) did the same, yet used only about 1/8 a quart over a 5K oil change interval, and had 154K on it, and just got worse with age. your 'smaller' engine in such a large vehicle sort of compares the same.

 

[oilyriser]

Warm air holds more water vapour, which is an octane booster.

 

[ikeepmychevytoo]

You seem to know my small 173cu.in. v6. This explains very well why pinging changes with different oils and octanes that I always wondered! Since yours is also a GM, pieces are matching. Thank you Tim, with almost no oil usage I wasn't able to guess this for long.

 

[brianl703]

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I'd try cleaning the MAF elements with some non residue contact cleaner. Just squirt it into the sample tube.

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CRC makes a MAF Cleaner now. It's $5.99 at Pep Boys. I just bought some the other day.

My mechanic says it works great, especially on Toyota MAFs that would otherwise have to be replaced. Apparently they start giving lean codes.

 

[Slick 55]

I just had the fuel filter changed on my Ford Freestar and the pinging is all but gone. It would ping pretty bad on 87 octane and still ping some on 89 octane.

 

[Whimsey]

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I'd try cleaning the MAF elements with some non residue contact cleaner. Just squirt it into the sample tube.

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CRC makes a MAF Cleaner now. It's $5.99 at Pep Boys. I just bought some the other day.

My mechanic says it works great, especially on Toyota MAFs that would otherwise have to be replaced. Apparently they start giving lean codes.

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I just tried the CRC MAF cleaner yesterday and while the MAF wire did not appear "dirty" I sprayed it 3 times and let it dry each time. While it helped lessen the colder outdoor temp ping, but not eliminate it, it did increase the "seat of the pants" power feel noticeably. The truck had gotten sluggish even though it has only highway 33,000 miles on it. Now it's like it was when it was new. I'm going to use the CRC MAF spray my 1996 Contour with 66,000 miles on it. It should give it new vitality.

I replaced the IAT sensor because it was not giving the correct test voltage when hot. The replacement IAT helped, but it still pings, and now less with the MAF cleaned.

But there has to be something else that is really causing the colder outdoor temp ping. It seemed to coincide with the introduction of ethanol in our gas as the oxygenator instead of MTBE. Or there is a mechanical problem that the OBDII computer is not picking up.

Whimsey

 

[Whimsey]

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I just had the fuel filter changed on my Ford Freestar and the pinging is all but gone. It would ping pretty bad on 87 octane and still ping some on 89 octane.

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Was your pinging only during cooler/cold outdoor temps? Was the performance of the truck affected by the dirty fuel filter? My fuel filter has 32,500 miles on it. I intend to change it soon anyway. The truck runs flawlessly. It never hesitates or runs out of steam. It just pings, now less, in the cooler/cold outdoor temps. Any known Ford mechanical problem areas causing this would be greatly appreciated.

Whimsey

 

[brianl703]

I wonder if maybe you have a slight vacuum leak which is causing a lean condition? Inspect all of the vacuum hoses including the one that connects to the PCV valve for deterioration.

 

[Slick 55]

My van would actually ping more when the weather is hot. I had it at the dealer one time and they said there was nothing wrong but it did ping alot. It ran fine with the old filter- I replaced it since Ford recommends changing it at 30,000 miles.

 

[SR77]

Well I have been monitoring the pinging over the last couple of weeks. the last two weeks in the Northeast the temps were well above the avg temp and I heard barley any pinging even under heavy load. Now this week we got hit with the cold spell and the pinging is definitely more noticeable. Everything else has been the same, i fill up with the same gas and add the same amount of FP60 to the tank every time. Like I said earlier, the MAF was thoroughly cleaned last fall, the fuel filter and PVC are a year old. I will look into the IAT sensor, but for some reason the pinging on my Explorer is dependent on the temperature.

 

[Shaman]

What year is your X? Is it the gt-40 motor or the GT-40P?

My car 5.0's had a filter underneath the PCV valve that was about the consistency of steel wool. If you have the external PCV, did you get it replaced too?

 

[SR77]

My Explorer is a 1996. I believe it is the GT-40, think the GT-40P started in 1997. What do you mean by external PCV, aren't all of them external? All I know is that I can not even see where the PCV valve is. Other then maybe I have a bad IAT sensor, I don't see how this could be any other part since it will pretty much go away when the weather is warmer. Once the temp drops arounds freezing or below the pinging is alot more noticable. I know I can just use a higher octane since this does help, but I would rather stick with 87 since that is what it was designed for and it is easier on the wallet. thanks again

 

[skate1968]

An autoRx treatment stopped my car from pinging, even after i went to a low octane gas. But i'm not sure if it'll help your problem. Good luck.