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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
I have a 2002, Ford Ranger 4x4 Off Road XLT with a 4.0 V6 with 36,000 miles. I hear a pinging sound when I accelerate up an incline. The Ford mechanic told me not to worry, that it was common in this type of engine. He further said that this is a sign that I am getting optimal gas mileage. Should I be worried or just forget it?
I believe that I read on this site that the pinging is normal for your engine under those circumstances. Maybe someone else with more knowledge can chime in. I really would not like to hear it pinging. That pinging is from the spark ignition igniting the mixture before the piston gets to a point where there is less air space between the rod bearings and crank. It ignites and slams the rod into the crank creating an audible noise. Up hill where there is more load on the recipicating parts is where you will hear it most. Also when you advance the timing more, again igniting the mixture before rod bearing clearance is minamal.
put a tank of premiim fuel in and see if the pinging quit downs or stops completly. If so then you are getting ignition slitly to early. Maybe see if the knock sensor is working corectly. Not sure how to test one though.
My 2002 4.0L engine never pings under load and I tow a race car all over the country with it. Sometimes I have to climb mountains.
I have never heard of the 2002 4.0L engines having a pinging problem. They have an EGR system that helps to reduce pinging because they don't have to run so lean to get good emmissions and they have a knock sensor that retards the timing when pinging is detected. I don't think your Ford mechanic knows as much about these engines as he thinks he does.
There are many things that can contribute to pinging; a vacuum leak causing the fuel mixture to be lean, anything that can effect the fuel mixture ratio, timing advanced too much, knock sensor defective, deposits in the combustion chamber which increases the compression ratio, and so on. The knock sensor system has a limit to the amount it can retard the engine so it may not be able to compensate enough if it is working.
Trying high octane fuel is a good way to see if you can stop the pinging. If it does you have a little bit more information to help you or a good mechanic locate the problem.
Pinging can cause damage to the piston and rings if it happens a lot.
I had this problem, especially when the weather was hot, with my 89 Ranger with the 2.9L engine. It did not have an EGR system nor a knock sensor. When towing I would carry an octane booster to add to the fuel if it started pinging too much.
pinging can do a lot more damage than just the pistons and rings. Assuming it isnt throwing any codes you might try seafoam, do a search for the big seafoam thread and read through that.
