Bad Detonation

I put some NGK iridiums in my explorer about 2 months ago. I had no detonation with the stock ones, but from the start with these I get it when I hit around 6 lbs. of boost on the interstate at a steady rate, I can hear and smell it.

Question I have is when I installed one of the some of the glass surrounding on the top of it broke when I put it in. Would it cause detonation? They are all gapped at .035 btw.

 

[james t]

Dont know about the Iridiums- never used 'em..... but if its rattling at full boost STAY OUT OF THE THROTTLE. WOT knock in an N/A motor is bad, but not really really bad. In a boost motor its a piston eater. Dont let it knock again until you get the issue sorted out IMHO.

 

[BeauJ]

Yea james, as soon as I hear it first tick I let off. It's just gotten worse over time. I don't really see why the glass surrounding would have anything to do with it. Could it be that I need new plug wires? I haven't even hit 75k on my engine yet.

 

[james t]

Stick some copper Motorcrafts in it and see if it goes away.

 

[BeauJ]

Thats what I had with the 9 lb pulley (6 lb max w/the x) but when I changed to the 11 lb pulley I changed the plugs for safety reasons. I guess I'll buy a new plug and change it and if that doesn't work I'll bother with iridiums again.

 

[blk mk8]

did you try NGK TR-6's those should help also did you put the ait sensor in the intake pipe. also who programed the chip for you.

 

[BeauJ]

Yea, those are the plugs I have. I haven't moved the IAT yet and Apten did this chip. They forgot to do a few things like I asked them to a few times, so I'm getting a local guy in Atlanta to do it for me.

 

[CDW6212R]

Hello, all spark plugs are very sensitive, no, fragile. If there is a sign of damage, there may very well be a break in the ceramic, internally. Spark plugs can look like new, and still ping, or miss, etc. You may have just one or two bad plugs. Swap just the one you noticed damage on, and try it.

The different tip materials used affect longevity and performance. Platinum plugs don't conduct electricity as well as most all other plugs, but they last longer. The actual differences are probably only a few HP, which you can't feel. I am trying Beru plugs, those with silver electrodes. I can't tell the difference, oh well. Good luck,
Don W

 

[BeauJ]

Platinum and raised compression aren't good friends.

 

[spindlecone]

Have you pulled the plugs?what do they look like as to color?may not be the plugs

 

[BeauJ]

For an update, I found the bad plug and changed it. Detonation free. Until tonite. I hit about 8 lbs. leaving school in 3rd gear and heard it start clicking. But whats funny is I can usually smell it, but I didn't this time.

It was cold outside, so could weather effect it? Could it be the plug wires (almost 78k on them)? Could it be that the stock compression is too high for that much boost?

 

[Billy177]

I would say it is the cold air. 8psi cold air is letting more air in the cylinders then 8psi warm air. This increases the dynamic compession farther then it would normally be causing the detonation. My guess would be that you need to back off on the timing or the boost a little bit. give some octane booster a try. or a lower temp thermostat

 

[james t]

You need to pull the timing back just a little bit. In other words, you need some sort of re-burn on the chip.

 

[BeauJ]

I'm gonna try some octane booster this weekend. I plan on going to the track and posting some video once I get my headers on and chip reburned by Hypnotic Illusions.

Apten did a horrible job on my chip. They didn't remove my top speed and rev limiter like I asked, and I seriously doubt they did anything for the timing and my boost. F them. Seriously. Their company is garbage now. Glad we have BETTER choices out there from Respectable people.

 

[Billy177]

are your sure your service port was not disabled? but yea my apten sucked also. i just ordered an xcalibrater from bama chips so i will see how that goes. then I can tweak all the settings I want right from my laptop

 

[BeauJ]

How would I know if the service port was disabled?

 

[Billy177]

basically If the chip did nothing. but there would be 2 jumpers that would need to be soldered. mine was disabled so i had to solder them in

 

[BeauJ]

Any special reason it would be disabled?

 

[Billy177]

from what i understand it was just random.

 

[james t]

Any special reason it would be disabled?

Alot of them were disabled from the factory. Mainly, because Ford is the spawn of Satan and wheels its evil hand over all those who attempt to defy it.