Follow-up on detonation. AKA pinging, clatter etc.,etc.

[hillrad]

"Acceleration pinging" 1994 Explorer Limited with 120K.

1. Cleaned MAF (no help).
2. Cleaned intake 3 times with inake cleaner, SeaFoam and water (no help).
3. Replaced MAF and air filter (no help).
4. 2 bottles of fuel system/injector cleaner "Prestone" and "Slick 50" with 92 octane fill-up (no help).
5. Replaced engine coolant temp sensor (no help).
6. Replaced air charge sensor (no help).
7. Replaced EGR and DPFE sensor (no help).
8. Replaced plugs/wires (no help).
9. Replaced fuel filter (no help).
10. Tightened upper/lower intake (no help).
11. Remove octane shorting bar (90% less ping).

NOTE: Most of above work done with battery disconnected to reset computer and ping quits but returns in 10-15 miles.

15 MPG with octane bar and 15 MPG without octane bar.

Any suggestions for next trial and error or just run without octane bar?

 

[SWLathrop]

Worn components throwing the timing off. Gears, chains and so on. Verify that your timing is set at 10 BTDC. Try some AMSOIL P.I. fuel additive. I realize that you've already tried some other fuel additives, but give the AMSOIL a try, you may be surprised as it removes carbon deposits from your pistons and upper cylinder walls that attribute to ping. Remember to follow the directions of 6 oz to 10 gallons of gas. Run that 10 gallons down and then 1 oz/10 gallons after the initial cleaning. Worked great for my 92 Aerostar 3.0's pinging problem.

 

[Hotweels]

do a vacume test on it, well yer at it double check that all the plugs on the intake are on and not leaking.
sounds alot like the intake gasket is leaking

 

[EliteConcept]

you said you tried 92 octane.. thats the highest octane right? Anways i heard the highest octance stuff can actually be very bad for your car unless its ment to have it. I'd try a tank full of 89 or midgrade if thats not the stuff you tried before. if it is then i'm just still really tired....

 

[Rhett]

Maybe the problem is a bad PCM. Have you thought about this? PCM = Powertrain Control Module...also known as the computer.

Another thing I can think of, is an electrical problem with the transmission. Do a search for this; there was a thread that discussed how a transmission can cause pinging. I don't remember the details though, but it's here.

 

[hillrad]

Updated update with good news/bad news

Bad news...since my post on 04/21/03 discovered that my transmission vacuum modulator was faulty (fluid into intake). After reading a few posts that this can also cause pinging, I thought this would finally be the fix but still had pinging after the modulator replacement.

Good news...using 87 octane and removing the "octane bar" now eliminates 95-100% of the pinging (no ping one day- very slight ping another day?) so before replacing all the gadgets on my list, the Explorer was getting 15MPG. Just filled up and checked mileage. 19.8MPG without "octane bar"! This included pulling a trailer loaded with 1 ton of topsoil 30 miles and I did not notice any lack of power!

All is good with the old Explorer.

 

[Rhett]

Huh? You mean you are running without the octane shorting block? Or you mean you do have it installed??

 

[wolfpaw67]

Octane Bar???....duhhh...hate ta ask a stupid question but what and where is that??..I've got a 91 explorer and shes got a chattering and a pinging there in the motor......if you please tell me where this Bar is maybe I can solve this problem
..............ur friend wolfpaw....

 

[hillrad]

octane bar in glove compartment

After reading all the negative feedback about removing octane bar (less efficiency & power) I was reluctant but after driving several hundred miles octane barless, it stays in the glove compartment.

I see no detrimental effects. On the contrary, I can feel no power loss and gas mileage is as good as it gets for this truck and NO PINGING (bearing in mind all the stuff I've replaced).

(wolfpaw67: my 94's octane bar is between the air filter box and firewall. 3/4 in. square grey plug resembling a fuse)

 

[iamtherealseven]

What exactly does an Octane Bar do?

 

[SWLathrop]

The "Octane Bar" if pulled will retard the computer controlled timing 3-4 degrees. Not to be confused with the "SPOUT" connector which if pulled defaults the timing to 10 degrees BTDC and will not allow the computer to advance the timing until the "SPOUT" connector is reinstalled. Fords base timing is 10 BTDC, however, numerous late 80's to early 90's V-6's came with the base timing found to be set between 6-8 BTDC. This causes performance and mileage to suck. So, if one should have a V-6 with a distrubutor, i would check the base timing. And normally you can bump these to 12-14 BTDC without going to a higher octane fuel or having any problems for better performance and mileage.

 

[hillrad]

?

The "spout connector" is for the distributor engines only?

 

[Rhett]

I'm pretty sure Explorers have distributorless ignitions. Does this mean there is no SPOUT connector and the timing is largely computer controlled? So are you saying that the base timing could be set at 6-8 degrees?
I hope the timing on mine is set at 10 deg. I guess it won't matter when I get a chip though.

 

[Bwana Bob]

Ping and octane bar

Iv'e been chasing pinging in my 92 also. This is amazing.
I must try pulling the octane bar. I never wanted to try it because I had read that it kills the gas mileage and I really want to improve mileage. I guess that bar is in there for a reason. I may try replacing the O2 sensor.

I did try 2 things that caused a temporary improvement: Replaced the NGK "V power" plugs; the electrodes were worn down. Put in some "104+" in the fuel. This is the only fuel additive that I've tried that has ever had any effect. After this additive, I was able to run on 87 octane fuel, but for only a few weeks. The pinging eventually returned, even with 89 octane. Gas prices are getting pretty high here in NJ, so I'd really like to be able to run regular gas, so maybe the octane plug is the answer (Even when new, my Ex would ping on regular).