Pinging - Observation

[sjjones]

A lot of pinging in our Xs is caused or agravated by carbon build up. My 94 began pinging this year on the hills.

I considered cleaning the MAF and IAC, but first thought I'd run a couple treatments of Chevron Techron through the engine with some hard driving. My pinging has completely stopped.

The interesting observation is that my friend's wife has the same year X and with comparable mileage and it idles much smoother and has never pinged. I know she dogs her X more than I do and was wondering why she hasn't carboned up.

Reading Fords remedy for 1st Gen Xs with a carbon/pinging problem, I see that they recommend getting the RPMs up to 3K on a daily bases if even for a short duration.

My X is used for daily work commute only. (like the 4X4 for Alaska winters). I started monitoring my RPMs and found that with normal driving I don't get above 2K. So I've definitely been dogging it and caused my own carbon build up. This weekend I visited my friend who live on the hillside and watched my RPM get to over 3K going up one particularly steep hill. Now I completely understand why my firend's X isn't carbed up - she has to drive that hill several times a day !!!!

The point of all this is to share with you folks (many already know this) that your X will run better if you get the RPMs up once a day or so. You can do this with a quick start, hill, or running in D2 for a period. I know my driving style will change.

 

[udmsvt]

i get it over 3k every takeoff! heck, i redline it between 1st and 2nd, and sometimes between 2nd snd 3rd! course, thats me with a 5-speed for ya!

 

[bigred93explrer]

Originally posted by sjjones

I considered cleaning the MAF and IAC, but first thought I'd run a couple treatments of Chevron Techron through the engine with some hard driving. My pinging has completely stopped.

what exactly did you run through the engine? an oil additive? gas additive?

 

[sjjones]

Its a gasoline additive called Techron. Comes in a 12 oz. or 20 oz. bottle. Get from any Chevron station. Its a fuel line/system cleaner primarily. Clean fuel jets, etc.

 

[bigred93explrer]

cool i will have to pick some up. will it help more than other fuel additives?

 

[Rhett]

Chevron Techron, AMSOIL Performance Improver or Power Foam, and Seafoam all seem to work pretty well in this regard...and running the h*ll out of it afterwards too..

 

[sjjones]

Right you are Rhett. Along with this treatment (I do it twice) I get the rpms up and do a longest trip. Running the hills seems to be the easiest way.

 

[Apten]

also don't forget to clean your MAF

 

[sjjones]

MAF cleaning

I have the link copied for cleaning the MAF. The only thing I'm unsure about is what kind of cleaner to clean it with. Some folks say use carb cleaner that is 02 save. Some say to use electrical connection cleaner, and some say to use rubbing alcohol. Then just recently, a fella told me that Ford sold a product especially designed to clean sensors.

It would be great is someone could verify for me what to clean it with. Like I said, I already have the 02 safe carb cleaner, electrical contact cleaner, and alcohol. Many thanks.

 

[Apten]

all three of those products would work fine for cleaning it.