Pinging

[Jet Ski Puller]

I purchased my Explorer about a month ago, and have noticed an ocassional pining. Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions for eliminating it (besides running higher octane fuel)? Is it related to something that needs to be replaced (like a sensor) or serviced? I'm running the recommended octane.

Thanks.

 

[Predator1]

try a different brand of gas--amoco --texaco--if that don't work you better go up in octane or have a garage look at it.
get rid of that pinging!!!!!!!!!

 

[irtySanchez]

Try cleaning your MAS Sensor. It worked for me.

 

[dcotter]

I had the exact same problem with my 94 when I purchased it. I returned it to the dealer several times. They replaced all kinds of electrical gadgets like camshaft positioning sensors. This did nothing for it. Finally they told me at 48,000 miles it was wear. I laughed and then proceeded to look on the net for myself. I found it to be comination of a few things. First you need to disconnect the battery for about a half an hour. While you are waiting you need to remove the MAF. It is located on the right side front (if you are in the vehicle)by the air cleaner box. Follow the air duct towards the intake. Once you get it out you will notice two small thin wires on the bottom of it. Get a can of electrical or brake cleaner and spray off any junk that is on the wires. Let it dry and then replace it. Reconnect the wiring harness. Then reconnect the battery. You then need to make sure you have 87 octane fule in it because the computer is reset and will begin learning all over again. You need to run it for about a half an hour so it gets enough data to adjust. When I did these things my explorer never had the pinging sound again. All over a $3.00 can of cleaner. Hope this helps

 

[Hank]

For what it's worth I also tried all the recommendations below but it finally stopped when I replaced my thermostat. The early models seem to go through thermostats on a regular basis. At the time it was running really cold. Below the N on a hot day.

You should not have to resort to a higher grade of fuel. Before the thermostat I was running super, now I am running regular. No change in performance or gas mileage. (Always between 14.2 and 14.8)

Does not make much sense but it worked.

Best regards.
hg

 

[Greg Juen]

If all else fails.....

Depending on your miles and the kind of gas you use, you may really have carbon build-up on the injectors, valves, and piston surfaces.

My well-maintained '92 X with 150K started the pinging grind a few months ago. It has a performance MAF - I cleaned that many times. It has a performance JET chip - I reprogrammed it a half dozen times. I went to premium fuel which gives just periodic and temporary relief.

A local mechanic suggested replacing the timing chain at a cost of $700. Yikes!!

The final solution will make you laugh since it costs so little and does so much. I found it on explorerforum.com.

If there is carbon build-up, steam will clean it out. So, you need to steam clean the internal parts of the engine. Hmm...sounds complicated. No way!!

If you look at the right-rear of the fuel injector head (on the 4.0L)you will see a cluster with about 5 vaccuum hoses attached. There is one additional port which isn't used.

Following the directions, I attached a 4' length of vaccuum hose to this port. With the engine running at 1200 RPM, I then began to feed warm water from a 32 ounce plastic bottle into the engine - a little at a time. The site says 16 ounces over five minutes - I probably put 32 ounces in over five minutes. Lots of steam.

I replaced the hoses and took the X for a drive that I haven't known in months. No pinging!!

If you want the details, go to www.explorerforum.com and follow the links.

Happy camper here,

Elkbone

GO MARINERS!!

 

[mecforyou]

Have you check the timing I think 94's still have distributors. Carbon in the plugs will cause pinging too. I would be carful using the steam cleaning in the other post. If you go to fast and water sits on the piston you will bend a rod. You MUST!!! find the problem preignition will crack the pistons.

 

[Rhett]

No one mentioned O2 sensors. You 94 has 2 of them. If they are reading improperly, they can send the wrong signal to your computer and cause your engine to run lean, causing a ping.

 

[Jet Ski Puller]

Rhett,

Where are the O2 sensors located? How do I know if they're bad? Any way to test them? Difficult to replace? Expensive?

Anyone know what the best service manual out there is?

 

[AgExplorer]

Try AMSOIL's Power Foam. I experienced a pinging problem under hard acceleration and after a can of PF, I no longer have a problem.

 

[jjue]

This past weekend, my sister and I went home for the holiday, and it was her turn for her '94 Explorer to go home since my '97 Mountaineer went home the last 3 times. Anyway, the pinging got to be so bad that I couldn't bear it anymore. I refuse to move to a higher octane since these engines aren't designed for it, so I decided to change the plug wires and check the plugs. Turns out, the wires were the originals, and they had 92k miles on them. All of the plugs were changed at 60k, and most had a little carbon on them. I changed them with Motorcraft double platiunum-tipped plugs, just like the replacements that are put in at the dealership if you don't feel like getting 2 different types of plugs, 1 type for the left side, 1 type for the right. Anyway, after doing that and cleaning the throttle body, I ran it, and I couldn't get it to ping until I had the A/C full blast, and that slight pinging was about 500 rpm from rev limiter. She never stretches the engine out that far, so I don't have to worry about that anymore. In fact, I was also able to get the tires to spin when power braking, something that I could never do when I owned it before she wrecked it. Anyway, the plug wires and plugs are pretty important. She wasn't impressed that I "held her truck hostage" all day Sunday with the hood open until the drive back to school, and it didn't ping at all.

 

[Rhett]

The O2's on your 94 are located at the end of the headers...follow your tailpipe from the outlet, then go toward the engine..you pass the muffler, the catalytic converter, and then the pipes branch away from each other...one to the driver's side, and one to the passenger side. Keep going toward the engine. The O2's are there, 1 on each pipe. They will have an electrical wire thing attached to them.

They screw out and you need either a good wrench, or better yet a special O2 sensor socket that you can get at a place like AutoZone. In my opinion they are expensive at $45 each, give or take. It is possible to test them using a voltmeter, a blowtorch, and applying 12V electricity to the sensor. The blowtorch is used to heat up the business end of the sensor to make it return different voltages (read via the voltmeter) that tell you if it's reading properly or not. I'm sure a Haynes or Chiltons manual explains it in detail. It's a pain to test them though.

There is another recent thread about changing O2s and it's a good one...do a search for it. Seems the easiest way to remove them is to loosen the old sensor first, then open the hood and pull the whole wire and sensor up through the engine compartment. Then it's easy to unplug the old sensor, plug in the new one, and fish the whole thing back down thru the engine compartment where it can be screwed back in. Someone suggested "pre-twisting" the O2 wires to make tightening them easier. Find that thread (put in "O2 sensor" and/or "O2 changing" etc. and do a subject search).

Do you get "check engine" light?