Pinging after FIPK install! Help me out plz.

[XStanger]

The car was running great with the 73's installed and the Predator, but 2 weeks ago I installed a K&N FIPK and the car has not seemed to run good since then. And yes, I am running 91 octane for 2 full weeks now.

The pinging I am getting is at the drop of the throttle (about 2500-3000) and then seems to go away. Once and a while it pings under load in top of 3rd and mid 4th!!

I have turned off my rear O2 sesors and I still have cats, and the reason I did this is that when the car gets hot it would richen the car up and made it sluggish. Should I turn these back on? I really don't want to start messing with the tune without being on a dyno, but I don't want to spend $$ on a dyno right now either!

thanx in advance

 

[trinity_gt]

The car was running great with the 73's installed and the Predator, but 2 weeks ago I installed a K&N FIPK and the car has not seemed to run good since then. And yes, I am running 91 octane for 2 full weeks now.

The pinging I am getting is at the drop of the throttle (about 2500-3000) and then seems to go away. Once and a while it pings under load in top of 3rd and mid 4th!!

The K&N may have leaned the mixture out a bit. Add some fuel with the Predator and/or pull a bit of timing out. Also, make sure the MAF sensing elements are clean (i.e. that oil from the K&N hasn't fouled them...)

 

[Gearbanger 101]

You pretty much answered your own question. The additional power you're feeling and the pinging you're hearing is due to a leaner condition, so yeah reactivating the rear O2 sensors would be a good idea. Leaning it out a little is one thing, but too much could be a recipe for disaster. You're better off being a little rich and sluggish until you can get it to a dyno, then risk damaging the motor.

 

[Dan_Soprano]

add fuel to the mid RPM fuel maps. clean your MAF with aerosol Elec. connector cleaner (radio shack).

 

[jstreet0204]

First, the FIPK, should not be leaning it out. The MAF is more than capable of adjusting for the extra air flow, unless you have introduced a vacuum leak during the install. Check the connection at the thottle body. Sometimes while putting it on the rubber will get kinked up in a spot in the back or underneath where it is hard to see. Also check you hoses going to the PCV and IAC. You may have also gotten oil in the MAF so like others have stated clean it.

Your rear o2's would not cause the problem either since turning them off with your predator simply tells the EEC not to perform the test. They also will not prevent it from going rich after warmup. EEC uses ECT, ACT, MAF, and front o2's to detemine fuel enrichment. If it senses a hotter air charge or coolant temp, it will pull timing which is why it feels sluggish. Your best bet is to not mess with the fuel settings. If everything else is in good working order the stock tune will work great as far as fuel goes.

 

[sgarlic]

Well, you say you turned the rear's off, so obviously you used a tuner right? Just play around with it and richen it up a little bit.. I don't think anyone has ****ed an engine up from taking a run a little too rich once or twice. If you mess it up, just reset your tune and go back to the way you had it.. that's what hand-held tuners are for right?

Secondly, like the above post says, the rear o2 sensors only monitor the efficiency of the catalytic converters.
The front o2's are what affect the mixture.

 

[XStanger]

thank you for all of the replies/suggestions. I will most likely just add 1% fuel to the mid rpm range and see if that cures it.

 

[jstreet0204]

thank you for all of the replies/suggestions. I will most likely just add 1% fuel to the mid rpm range and see if that cures it.

You can try that to see if it works, but throwing fuel at it is a band-aid that wil cover the original problem. If you have not changed fuel settings then it is more likely that you have too much timing in that range. before you add fuel do some datalogging and try to see what is going on. You should log timing, ECT, ACT, Lambda, fuel trims, tps, and o2 voltage.