I have a '00 Explorer v6 sohc. When I'm driving down the road at around 2500 rpm there is consistent pinging sounds coming from the engine. When I let off the gas the pinging stops. Is there anything that I can do to fix it and is it hurting the engine or gas milage?

thanks
Doug

 

I to Have the exact problem but with an 02 explorer. I have changed plugs and that didnt fix it. I took it to the dealer who said I need a new catilytic converter and that didnt fix it. I get reading on here and they say to change over to synthetic oil *(mobil 1 5w30) and I am surprised to say that overnight the rattle @2400rpm has gone away but I think I can still here it??? I ll check it out tonight. But yeah I would deffinately try synthetic oil before you goto the dealer and get some diagnosis like I did. But I would definately get it checked into if the oil change dont help ya. I am not sure but from reading here I think we both have the tragic chain tensioner problem.I have heard too much about it that it makes me sick, you should do a search in this forum to see how many people have had enough. Hope this helps you some?? Keep me posted cause I really want to know what fixes your pinging. I forgot that there were other causes people said the pinging could be from. Like a dirty MAF and some other non-serious things. So I dont want to mislead you as I am a kid telling what I have read on here.

Baumer

 

Well tonight I dorve my explorer up hills and held it reved @ 2400rpms and there is no rattle/ping. It took a full day for the oil change to do its job. I guess switchin over to synthetic worked for me. Before the pinging would go away after it was warmed up(10 or 15 mins). Now on a cold engine it doesnt rattle at 2400rpms. Now all I have is a ticking sound wich I think could be my transmission??? But yeah I would definately search this forum for Ping and you will get the BEST INFORmation as these people on here know what they are talking about. Take changing over to synthetic to solve my problem and it saved me the 2000$ from a dealer.

 

I'll give the synthetic a try. It's got 98k on it so it's probably a good thing to go synthetic. I've always "sweetned" my oil changes with a half a can of stp oil treatment and that seems to have helped a "rattle" that I had...could be just my wishful thinking though.

thanks
ds

 

Let us know your results. I've got an 05 Ford (not an Explorer) with 46k miles and spent some money at the dealership to be told - nothing is wrong. It's got new plugs and a new MAF/IAT but still no difference. Once the temp outside goes above 85 degrees, it pings under acceleration above 40mph. Nothing like listening to your engine self-destruct at a very slow rate.

 

If the sound is truly a pinging under load, that would suggest that your timing is too advanced and you're getting premature detonation in the cylinders. That could mean that your sensors are malfuncioning (mass air flow, O2, etc.) or something else in the ignition control system is malfunctioning. You can try running a higher octane gasoline and see if the pinging goes away. If it goes away, the timing is definitly too high. On the 5.0L Explorers, you can retard the timing by rotating the distributer. On all of the others, the timing is electronically controlled by the PCM.

Things you can try to see if they help (without being too expensive) besides running higher octane are giving the engine a SeaFoam treatment, putting on a new air filter, cleaning the mass air flow sensor, and cleaning the throttle body internals.

 

I am wondering what it means If I got an oil change(to synthetic)and my rattle @2400rpms is still there, but only on a cold engine? Before It was the same but a lot louder and more noticable. Now when the engine warms up I have a smooth sounding explorer with no rattle. I want to know if anyone can tell me what it is???is it the tensioners, the guides, the chain??? Now with the oil changed the rattle starts @2600rpms????? It has moved up 2000rpms just from getting the oil changed???if that helps you???? And within 20 mins of driving I cant hear anything???Is this bad for my X???It really is starting to make me angry as I wonder if I should not go upto 2500rpms and hear a rattle or drive it normal and let it warm up??? what do I do drive like a grandpa until it warms up/?????Or drive it and let it be???And what is this doing inside my engine>??? Is it my chain hitting something??? I dont want to go back to the dealer but I think I just might go and get another freebie. Not like it will fix it. I heard the parts are the same that they use for the tensioners(plastic)?? Someone please help a brother out here. I am a hurting Unit.

Thanks
Baumer

 

Is it a rattle / ticking / knocking, or a pinging (spark knock) sound. If you think it may be something near the front end (timing chain, etc.) get a very long screw driver and place the tip on the engine block while the engine is running. Place your ear against the end of the handle. If there is a physical knocking, you can hear it using this method once you get near the source. Po' boys mechanic stethiscope.

 

Jim I cant hear this sound in park or neutral, I have to be in drive and 2600rpms is to fast to check for the sound, I do know that it is in the front of the engine and it is not a ping but a rattle, like the ball in a spray paint can but much more harder/louder sounding. And with an oil change the rattle jumped up 2000rpms. So now the rattle is @2600 not 2400. So basically the mobil 1 has worked and improved the situation but still on an engine left cold overnight it will rattle. Only when its hot I dont hear this sound>>>???

Im just really mad and want to learn more.

Baumer

 

Jerry,
Thanks for the info. I was suspecting early detonation. I'll have to try and fill the tank with high octane to see if that tempers the pinging. I changed the IAC value here about a year ago and there was alot of cabon in there...as well as on the butterfly valve on the carburator (not sure that that is it's real name but it's the valve that the air intake rubber hose connects to)...I'm hoping that a seafoam treatment can take care of it...if not what's the best route to take for figuring out which sensor is bad?...They are a little expensive and I'd like to try and be a little more precise than my usual shotgun approach (change everything!)...I'll let everyone know the results of the high octane test.

thanks
Doug

 

The butterfly valve is part of the assembly referred to as the Throttle Body. I recommend doing the SeaFoam, but also get an aerosol spray can of Throttle Body Cleaner (Note: not carbeurator cleaner but they are very similar). You need to make sure it says it's safe for O2 sensors, but all of the Throttle Body cleaners I've seen are. It will be much easier to do both the SeaFoam and the Throttle Body Cleaner with a helper that can try to keep the engine at around 1500 RPM's. To use the SeaFoam, just pull off a vacuum line that goes directly into the intake. Use it with the engine running to suck the SeaFoam into the motor. You'll need to hold the end of the hose just at the surface of the SeaFoam in the can to make sure it doesn't pull in too much all at once. To do the Throttle body, start with a warm motor that is turned off. Remove the intake hose from the throttle body and manually open the butterfly valve. Now spray the inside of the body and the valve. Also spray into the holes going to and coming from the IAC valve. Some of this will run back out the front of the throttle body (that's OK). Let it set and soak for a few minutes and then start the engine. It may be a little difficult to start, and you may have to give it some gas. This is both because of the cleaner in the intake, and the fact that the air going into the intake is not going over the Mass Air Flow sensor. Once the engine is running, spray some more cleaner into the throttle body and into the intake hole for the IAC valve. (This is one of those places where a helper to depress the gas pedal is REALLY useful) After clearing this out of the motor, turn the motor off and open the butterfly valve fully and look inside. If it needs more cleaning, repeat the previous steps. After it is all cleared out, reconnect the intake hose. Now you may want to remove the MAF sensor and clean it. You can remove the sensor by taking out the 2 screws (could be 3 but usually 2) that hold it into the housing. Gently remove the MAF from it's housing. Be careful not to touch the little wires inside (thats what makes it work). Also be careful not to lose the small O-Ring gasket that goes around the sensor where it mates to the housing. Now you can spray the wires with the throttle body cleaner to wash them off. After letting them dry for a minute or so, you simply need to replace the MAF into it's housing and replace the screws.

Given your description of the IAC valve, this may very well correct your problem. If it doesn't the best way to determine what sensor could be at issue is to get the codes pulled from the onboard computer (PCM).

Oh, one more thing. After you've cleaned everything, be sure to remove the negative battery cable for around 30 minutes. This will remove any old codes, and will force the computer to re-learn its response curves to the now clean engine. You can pull the cable prior to cleaning the MAF and it will give an added level of security to make sure no power is applied to the wires while you're cleaning them.

Good Luck..................