So I have 1 of 2 problems
1. the maf that is getting tired and giving me low reading, the computer uses the o2's and makes it run fine everywhere but wot. there the computer goes ol and since the maf is sending a signal that represents less that the acutal air going through then it results in a lean mixture and pinging. Solution, replace the maf.
100% correct, assuming the MAF is bad. You will never know for sure, so like I said before, try one out, and see what happens.
2. the heads are carboned up and acting as a glow plug or raising the compression. solution, clean the heads (yuck) I could check for carboned up heads and reaised compression with a gauge in theory right?
Carbon in the cc's will not increase compression, unless there is so much carbon that there is an 1/2" thick wall of it, which would decrease the cc size. This is not the case.
It is acting like a glo plug, like you said, which means you have a spark plug all the time, when the motor is hot.
The sure fire test for this would be to see if the car pings when the motor is bone cold. I mean, you take the car out to a place that you can bang through the gears. Then, let the car sit for 8 hours or so. That should let that iron release all of the heat. Then go back to your car, and start it, and immediately rip through all 4 gears. If the car doesn't ping, or the pinging is a lot less, then carbon could definately be a factor. If the amount of pinging doesn't change, then heat has nothing to do with it, and it's an a/f ratio problem.
Trouble with this test, is you need someone to follow you out to the place, and take you back home. Also, you need to be able to park the car for 8 hours. The problems stems from the actual act of pinging. It makes the heads really hot when you do, which will heat the carbon up really quickly. So you need a bone cold car to perform a "objective" test.
Get the car nice and hot, and bang through the gears. You need to take note of what RPM the car starts to ping for every gear. This will give you a baseline run.
If the differences bewteen hot and cold are nill, or minimal, then like I said before, it's a a/f ratio problem.
How much would a mechanic charge to swap heads? labor $ only.
Realistically, at least 4 hours of work, which would translate to $250 at least. Possibly more; Just call around, and get a time estimate. The run it in the computer, and will get a time estimate. Figure $60/hr for labor, tack on an extra $50, and you have your realistic quote.
If you were to do them yourself, you wouldn't need to mess with cam timing. Just re-adjusting your rockers, replacing the gaskets, and head bolts (torque to yield from the factory, so new bolts are needed)
Yeah nothing in the world ever would have fixed my pinging. I didn't find that out untill I bought the Tweecer and found the MAF just read too low. I richened the whole curve and fixed it completely. I won't ping in 110° degree weather with the A/C on 
