Ping Detonation

[85MustGT]

Can't stand the pinging anymore! Why doesn't Ford have knock sensors!
Anyways when my car is fully warmed up, during freeway driving, I have the worse pinging when I slowly accelerate while on the freeway. At Wide Open Throttle it will not ping. I have done the following.....
plugs, wires
Sea Foam
Replaced O2 sensors
Took it to the local mechanic to check it out.

I hate it! It has been doing this for 3 years! Do 99+ Stangs have knock control or am I going to have to buy a SS.

 

[CanadaStang]

Can't stand the pinging anymore! Why doesn't Ford have knock sensors!
Anyways when my car is fully warmed up, during freeway driving, I have the worse pinging when I slowly accelerate while on the freeway. At Wide Open Throttle it will not ping. I have done the following.....
plugs, wires
Sea Foam
Replaced O2 sensors
Took it to the local mechanic to check it out.

I hate it! It has been doing this for 3 years! Do 99+ Stangs have knock control or am I going to have to buy a SS.

Does the pinging go away if you use higher octane fuel?

 

[03ghoststang]

try using higher octane see if that works even though they recommend 87 try a higher octane like 89 or 91 and see if it goes away and the cars do have knock sensors

 

[CanadaStang]

try using higher octane see if that works even though they recommend 87 try a higher octane like 89 or 91 and see if it goes away and the cars do have knock sensors

Nope, no knock sensor.

 

[YardSpecial]

Clean the EGR passages.........

I have the same thing on my 97 GT, ping is mostly for oil build up (carbon ) on the pistons and valves.

 

[CanadaStang]

Check to make sure you have no leaks after the Maf, the Maf sensor is clean and the fuel pressure is good.

 

[85MustGT]

MAF - Was replaced under warranty.
If I did the SeaFoam thing, would that have cleaned out the EGR?
Not sure about the fuel pressure?

 

[CanadaStang]

MAF - Was replaced under warranty.
If I did the SeaFoam thing, would that have cleaned out the EGR?
Not sure about the fuel pressure?

How long ago was the maf sensor replaced? If the wires on the sensor are dirty, it can send false readings to the EEC.
Did you put the Sea Foam in the gas tank or did you put it directly into the engine through the vacuum line?
Low fuel pressure can cause pinging, also a plugged fuel filter. Have you checked for air leaks in the intake between the Maf and the engine?

 

[85MustGT]

I did the SeaFoam through the vacuum line, in the gas tank, in the oil all at the same time and Wow did that thing smoke but good for about 5 minutes.

MAF was replaced about a year ago, pinged bad before and after this was replaced.

When I bought the car it pinged (39,000 miles) now I have almost 70,000. I work close to home 2 or 3 miles so it never pings then. If I take a trip to LA or Vegas I have to run Premium with 104 Octane Boost and it pings. I always run Premium, can't even imagine how bad it would ping with regular 87 octane.

How do I check for air leaks around the MAF, B-12?

 

[CanadaStang]

I did the SeaFoam through the vacuum line, in the gas tank, in the oil all at the same time and Wow did that thing smoke but good for about 5 minutes.

MAF was replaced about a year ago, pinged bad before and after this was replaced.

When I bought the car it pinged (39,000 miles) now I have almost 70,000. I work close to home 2 or 3 miles so it never pings then. If I take a trip to LA or Vegas I have to run Premium with 104 Octane Boost and it pings. I always run Premium, can't even imagine how bad it would ping with regular 87 octane.

How do I check for air leaks around the MAF, B-12?

Yipes!! Something is wrong. I had no pinging at all using reg. fuel when mine was stock.
I was meaning just to look over the intake hose and see if it's secured properly to the Maf and where it connects the TB, also check the 1 inch hose that plugs into it. Plugged EGR, low fuel pressure or dirty injectors may also be the cause. Do you still have the stock heads?

 

[tomustang]

Nope, no knock sensor.

only on cobras

 

[DocG]

You sure its detonation...detonation for at least 31k miles, a little amazed the engine hasn't gone Kaboom!

Might be time for a new Stang. What did your mechanic say when he looked at it?

 

[CanadaStang]

only on cobras

I wish I had a Cobra

 

[stangGT97]

my car has always had a tick that is driveline related (TOB i think, its the stock clutch)... maybe its that? cuz i know that sound is pretty annoying too. Maybe your fuel pump is defective, clogged fuel filter. Also, I believe that at WOT the computer bypasses the O2 sensor readings and goes into a loop based on your factory tune (so I've been told), so maybe your O2s are screwy, causing problems at part throttle?

edit - saw that you replaced your O2 sensors. Well, going on the assumption that you are 100%positive its pinging (I dont know what it sounds like from experience), then I would say that it could be maf related. Maybe try putting it on a dyno and get a wideband O2 reading to see what your A/F is and go from there.

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

again, what sparkplugs did you use and at what gap? is it detonation or pre-ignition? they may sound the same but the "root cause" of them can be a different fix

 

[SigmaPride]

I had pinging because my stock plugs(which go 100k right?) had 90k on them and the gaps were way too big since the electrodes were worn considerably. I have Autolite 764s now which i will change every 15k or so.

 

[trinity_gt]

The factory spark curves are such that low to moderate manifold pressure (i.e. highish vacuum) and low RPM, such as what one might find at highway cruise or when leisurely merging into traffic, the advance is near maximum. When you get into it hard, timing is actually pulled out.

EGR is also fully functional at part-throttle conditions which is a major factor in helping to quell spark knock. I'm going with Cavallo: verify the EGR passages are clear and the system is functional. If the car has a PCM tune, ensure the EGR was not disabled...

 

[RysRed96GT]

try replacing the fuel filter

 

[85MustGT]

Autolite plugs,

I will pull off the EGR and have a looksie


:SNSign:

 

[85MustGT]

Brought it to the mechanic and they scanned for codes and found nothing. They cleaned out the MAF.

I will pull off the EGR and clean it out, should I just throw a new one in for good measure? Do I just clean the passages with B-12?

I got the special rings to replace the fuel filter, maybe I am a nut but I cannot get the old filter off, any hints?

trinity_gt I did not know that part throttle light accelaration had almost full advance, that explains if I drive it more aggressive the ping goes away. About 20 years ago I had a Pontiac 455 that pinged. I had to manually play with the timing, distributor springs and weights to get the ping to go away. Never occured to me that timing would decrease with RPM, thats electronics for you.

DocG2828 I just give it a bit more gas and the ping went away