Pinging is gone!

[Limited Ex]

My Ex has been pinging for sometime now, and I had just put it in the shop this past week because it kept wanting to die on me. Well a few months ago I had replaced the drivers side valve cover gasket and noticed that there is a sensor between the valve covers towards the front of the engine. I took the plug out and saw that it was clogged with dirt, so I took and blew it out with an air hose. I told the mechanic about it, not knowing what sensor it is, and it is the engine coolant temp sensor. He replaced that, and also took out my Superchip because he thought that that might be why my vehicle was wanting to turn off. Well, I got it back today and MAN it runs good! NO PINGING whatsoever. Either the chip had a glitch in it, or it got messed up from a past electrical problem. But the sensor, the mechanic told, was off by a lot, and by it being off and measuring the wrong temp, that it could cause the engine to run lean or rich. So either the chip caused the ping, or the sensor. But either way, it runs ggrrrrreeeaattt! Someone who's engine pins, check that sensor and see if it makes a difference and let me know, I want to see if it was that or the chip.

 

[yob_yeknom]

Just try re-installing the chip. If it pings again, it's the chip. If not, it was the sensor.

 

[SGF]

I wish mine was

I wish I could say the same, that my pinging is gone. I have a 94 Explorer that I bought in Nov. with 163,000 on it. I have been very pleased with it except for the pinging. Mine is stock and after researching the problem on this board I took it to a local shop that "usually" does good work for me. I do most of my own work but I figured they might have more incite into this problem as well as the equipment to test things more thoroughly. It ended up with my paying $45.00 for them to pour a can of some type of cleaner into it, which has changed nothing. I had already cleaned the MAP sensor.

This is a topic that I'd like to see more discussion on, although there has been a good bit. Every time it starts to ping in the mid RPM range (typical) I have to change my acceleration point. I absolutely hate it but have not been able to solve the problem. It really detracts from what is a great vehicle with otherwise solid performance.

 

[mosinman]

Hey SGF, you didn't say but I assume you have tried mid-grade or premium gas and it still pings? Also a recent tune-up/plugs? I'm tring to think of easy things first. Chevron Techron (at wallmart) helped my mom's pinging in her Buick. Hope my truck last 163,000 !

 

[Limited Ex]

I got to thinking about it last night, and I remember hoping that by getting the chip that it may in some odd way reduce the pinging. So it definitely was the sensor that was causing the ping, not the chip. Wanted to make sure that it was not a temporary fix, so I tried again today to get it to ping, and I could not! I love it, it sounds sooo much better. Hopefully some of you guys will have the same luck that I had!

 

[SGF]

ping

I haven't tried higher Octane gas because the engine "should" run right on 87 octane. I admit that I'm one of those hardheaded types who want things to work as they should. Besides that the ping stops under full acceleration. It only happens in certain RPM ranges. The tune up is good.

I think almost all of these Explorers can hit the 168,000 mark and beyond if you follow the maintenance rules we all know, about changing oil, etc. My engine looks like there are 30.000 miles on it from the outside because it has always been cleaned by the previous owner and now myself. My years as an aircraft mechanic makes me a bit annal about maintenance but it does pay off.

 

[dec322]

SGF, Mine does the exact same thing. It makes the noise at certain points but if I press the accelerator down some more it will stop. I've had mine since 69,000 miles and now it has 121,000. I don't know what to do. It has always made the noise.

 

[Limited Ex]

I got mine at 44,000 and now it has 117,600. It runs good, never had any engine trouble (knock on wood) and I keep the oil changed regularly. Its about time for new plug wires though.

 

[Paul Gagnon]

Originally posted by Limited Ex
it is the engine coolant temp sensor.... Someone who's engine pings, check that sensor and see if it makes a difference and let me know, I want to see if it was that or the chip.

My engine pings quite badly at times. I've tried higher octane gas but it only helps a little. I think I'm going to run out and get a new sensor right now from a late night parts store. I really hope it works because I'd really like to be able to run regular again.


Update several hours later: I picked up the coolant temperature sensor and the one I got (Niehoff) is all plastic where the factory one is brass. The kid at the store said it was the right one. Damn these things are expensive! I paid $33 including tax. I was expecting it to be a lot less. I'll install it tomorrow or Saturday and see what happens.

 

[SGF]

Paul, let us know how it turns out. The temp sensor fix is really got me wondering. If it is a relay/sender for the temp. guage it should have no effect on engine performance, assuming the enging operating temperature is within limits aka the T-stat is okay. I guess that sensor's purpose is to feed data to the computer. I can see how that could really srew things up if that is what the sensor does.

 

[David George]

pinging

Had pinging through all throttle positions

 

[David George]

had severe pinging through all throttle positions . replaced ECT, better. pinged except under full acceleration. removed MAF and noticed very slight carbon. cleaned with WD-40, reinstalled and lo and behold, no more pinging. runs perfect.

 

[brax-91-xlt]

Mine pings at random times, usually under accelceation or load. Plus mine cuts out on me. I just now started getting a check engine light with the cut outs. This cutout thing has been going on for sometime.The pinging is random. Sometimes it will ping sometimes it wont.

 

[Limited Ex]

Mine had been cutting out on me, and come to find out the ground wire on the starter relay was loose. Tightened it and it ran perfectly.

 

[MikeTEC]

I tried it all to get rid of the pinging on my 93 EB. Still pinged! Finally, I took it to a good Ford mechanic who cleaned out the carbon in the combustion chambers and cleaned the injectors. No more pinging and I can use regular 87 octane! Mike

 

[ld50]

HMMM. My Ex pings a little under heavy load, like starting on a steep hill, but it`s more like "bogging" the engine, or "lagging" it as I`ve heard people say. Doesn`t worry me to much since I`m regearing it soon.

What I really wanted to state was that my temp. sensor you people are talking about crapped out on me, and I let it go for a couple months before replacing it. It didn`t have any affect on my engine whatsoever.
I don`t understand why it seemed to remove a guys ping. Wierd!


I usally sprey cleaner into the intake, and clean the maf sensor when I change oil, maybe this is good prevention against pinging

-Jim from BC

 

[MikeTEC]

As a follow up, I understand that early 91-94 4.0 liter engines have a tendency to build carbon more than later 4.0 or 5.0 engines. Great engines, though, and strong pullers. Mike

 

[PicoG4]

Sounds like the ping is a leak in the lower intake manifold. Any of you guys notice a slight loss of oil or Coolant after a weeks time? To solve the problem you either have to pull off the lower intake and put on a new gasket, or tighten the lower intake bolts. It is also a good idea to get a few cans of throttle body cleaner to remove the sluge in the intake manifolds while they are off.

 

[Limited Ex]

Okay, I lied to you guys. The ping is not completely gone, I heard it today going down the road. I happens only when I am really giving it gas, but it is drastically better than it was before

I have replaced my intake manifold gasket, cleaned it also, and cleaned my TB, and it did not do a thing for it. I am going to run 2 bottles of X1R fuel system cleaner through it and see what happens.....

 

[PicoG4]

Did you just replace the upper manifold gasket? The lower one is the problem not the the upper