PING finally STOPPED!!!

[35Remmy]

OK...so after ALLL I have done (even said the hell with it, wasted 100$ on a new MAF 2 days ago that did nothing, still pinged) I went back to SEAFOAM. I tested cylinder compression, cooling system compression, plugs, wires, lower intake manifold gaskets, etc etc.

I followed the FORD TSB on carbon knock, using seafoam instead of Motorcraft.
Ingest 1/2 can through vacuum line on bottom of throttle body...wait an HOUR (not 5 minutes like seafoam advises). After an hour, suck up REST of can. Do this THREE times. Then drive like you stole it.

Well, I was pinging on 93 octane, filled up with 89 today (next change back to regular 87) and still no ping. I drove it so hard during the decarb the rev-limiter kicked in once, heh.

 

[Tbars4]

...That's some great news...:biggthump

...I hope that everyone who followed your other thread may find this...

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Do u have a link to the TSB, have read so many good things as well as bad things about Seafoam I have never tried it.
Rick

 

[Willard]

I'm gonna do this. I doubt I need a cleaning that bad, but I wanna do it to have a good excuse to drive the crap out of my truck. I'm sick of driving like grandma to save some gas

 

[35Remmy]

Here's the Ford TSB...

Engine - Carbon Knock On Acceleration


Article No:
01-19-7

10/01/01

^ ENGINE - 4.0L OHV - CARBON KNOCK ON ACCELERATION

^ NOISE - CARBON KNOCK ON ACCELERATION - VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV ENGINE ONLY

FORD:
1990-1997 AEROSTAR
1990-2000 EXPLORER, RANGER

ISSUE
Some vehicles equipped with the 4.0L OHV engine may exhibit an engine noise which may be perceived by the customer as a piston/connecting rod bearing knock. This carbon knock is heard only under load during the drive cycle. Carbon knock is a customer drive duty-cycle phenomenon that cannot be repaired with an engine exchange. This may be caused by carbon build-up within the combustion chamber.

ACTION
Verify condition. If normal diagnostics fail to correct the condition, de-carbon the combustion chamber to help quiet the carbon knock noise. Refer to the following Service Procedure for details.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

1. Use Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-up Cleaner PM-3.

2. Carbon removal:
a. Disconnect canister purge line from throttle body.
b. Attach a vacuum line to the canister purge port.
c. At hot engine idle, allow the engine to ingest 1/2 to 2/3 of a can of Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-up Cleaner. Use caution not to ingest too quickly due to potential hydro-lock issues.
d Shut engine off and allow it to soak for one hour.
e. Start engine, allow engine to ingest the remainder of the Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-up Gleaner.
f. Remove vacuum line and re-install canister purge line.
g. Road test vehicle at 3500 RPM for 2-3 miles.
h. Repeat above procedure two times for a total of three times.
i. Change oil and filter.


3. Review the customers' driving habits. The recommended drive cycle should include daily periods of engine operation above 3,000 RPM, such as a brisk acceleration from a stop position. This will break/burn the carbon off the piston head.

4. Use regular unleaded fuel, 87 Octane. Mid-grade and Premium fuels may increase the probability of carbon buildup, leading to a knock noise.



PARTS BLOCK

OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES: NONE
WARRANTY STATUS: Eligible Under The Provisions Of Bumper To Bumper Warranty Coverage

OPERATION DESCRIPTION TIME

011907A Remove Carbon From 1.6 Hrs.
Combustion Chamber
(Includes Time To Perform
Procedure A Total Of
Three Times)

DEALER CODING
CONDITION
BASIC PART NO. CODE
6108 42

OASIS CODES: 497000, 615000, 702000, 702100

 

[35Remmy]

Oh, by the way, the first time I did this it looked like my street was on fire. It was just ridiculous. I did this at night, too!!! I wouldn't advise doing it during the day, the neighbors may get pissed off.

 

[IAmTodd]

Don't worry, it will be back. Been there, done that, though it was gone and then it comes back.

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Thanks Remmy-have no ping or knock but the truck is over 13 years and not driven much. May give that a try in the summer.

 

[35Remmy]

Todd, so what did you end up doing, just living with it?

 

[IAmTodd]

Todd, so what did you end up doing, just living with it?

Pretty much. Mine has improved slightly by itself but under hard acceleration it really takes over. I just run 87 and live with it.

 

[Willard]

Of course it will come back, it's due from carbon build up. If you look at the TSB, however, you can at least pro long it from coming back by revving the motor up every now and then. The reason it happens is that the OHV's are such low revving motors, that they don't have to spin fast enough to burn off those kind of deposits. So you get build up. So if you give it a little gas every now and then, it will help you out.

I have always tried and pushed my explorer a little bit when I can. I find it runs better if I'm not so easy on it all the time.

 

[Brandon96]

OHV's are such low revving motors

really? Everyday I exit my neighborhood on the way to school and every day it hits 2500 then shifts into 2nd, then 2500 and it shifts into 3rd... I'm definentally NOT accelerating that hard. I drove a '97 SOHC for two weeks, did the same routine everyday and only hit 2000. Could that be something going on with my engine?

 

[Cobraguy]

Pretty much. Mine has improved slightly by itself but under hard acceleration it really takes over. I just run 87 and live with it.

That is never a good thing. If you have ever seen the damage caused by detonation, it would scare you to death. It WILL ruin pistons and rings...and knock out rod bearings. You are hearing uncontrolled combustion caused by hot spots and increased compression from carbon build up. The cylinder is firing before it's supposed to and you are hearing that explosion hit the piston on it's way up...before it's ready. So you are literally pounding a piston with a "hammer" while it's on it's way to TDC.

 

[Four0Sport]

pinging is one of the contributing factors to my original 4.0 dropping 3 cylinders. the pistons were marred and the rings were all but gone and allowed oil to fill up cylinders 3, 4, and 6

thats my theory anyway.. for months leading up this i had serious detonation under any kind of a load.

 

[IAmTodd]

That is never a good thing. If you have ever seen the damage caused by detonation, it would scare you to death. It WILL ruin pistons and rings...and knock out rod bearings. You are hearing uncontrolled combustion caused by hot spots and increased compression from carbon build up. The cylinder is firing before it's supposed to and you are hearing that explosion hit the piston on it's way up...before it's ready. So you are literally pounding a piston with a "hammer" while it's on it's way to TDC.

I understand what it is. I'm not going to seafoam once a week to cure it though.

 

[HahnsB2]

Seafoam worked in my friends ranger (4.0) too, it was babied by the previous owners and pinged very badly, 2 treatments with seafoam totalling 1/2 the can worked great, only let it sit for 5 minutes each.

 

[35Remmy]

Yeah, my truck was driven by an elderly man for 80,000 miles, heh. Cool truck for an old guy!!!

I just installed an oil separator tonight to help all I can with the pinging coming back again.

 

[mrboyle]

really? Everyday I exit my neighborhood on the way to school and every day it hits 2500 then shifts into 2nd, then 2500 and it shifts into 3rd... I'm definentally NOT accelerating that hard. I drove a '97 SOHC for two weeks, did the same routine everyday and only hit 2000. Could that be something going on with my engine?

2500 RPM is low. Run it wot and let it hit 4000 every now and then. Blow the cobwebs out of it.

 

[Foxhound_22]

nifty, ill have to try this for sure

 

[tenny]

well, you could just pull the heads.....then you could really clean that **** out.

pulling the heads isn't that bad, an average DO-IT-YOURSELFER could do it
in a weekend for sure.

Ive done this in one days time, on more than one occasion.

just sayin, if pingponging is bothing you that bad..??...pull the heads.
scrap that carbon off. I normally use a wire brush, or a wire wheel on
the end of a drill, and go to town

just a thought, it will run better than it ever has before, I promise this.

haha