I have a stock V10 in a 2000 F250 4x4. I have notice that when I go up hils and put start putting a load on the engine, I get engine ping. Normally I use 87 octane. Is there something I need to check or do I need a different octane? Also, Would the new SuperChip microtuner help me alleviate this problem?

 

Do you ever floor your truck? or do you drive like grandma?(not meant to be mean just a figure of speak)

if you drive like grandma fords learn how you drive and will run different if you drive like grandma then if you floor it, it will ping.........just run wide open throttle from 40-65 a few times and see if it still pings......

 

Interesting! I can see what your saying. When I load up the camper, I can really tell the increase in ping when going up hill. So it sounds like I need to teach the engine about how I will be driving.

 

The most likely reason for the pinging is because you are burning poor octane gas! Oh, yeah you will definatley notice that when hauling. I do not know if they offer it in youre area, but around here, Sunoco offers ten cents off of Ultra 94 every thursday (91 was 1.68 ). It works about to be the same price as 89! I paid 1.61 a gallon for the ultra 94 today. Thats good in my book! I only fill up on Thursdays when I can.


Rich

 

I've seen a lot of postings concerning the pros and cons of increasing the octane. Some say it's great, while others say the engine and computer are designed for 87 octane. It makes it very confusing! Anyway... I may try the new SuperChip 1715 microtuner that has three programs, one of which is made for 87 octane.

 

From what I have gathered on this forum, you will not get much with 87. I beleve when Ken burns his Diablo chips for 87, all he can really tune is the transmission, and not the performance due to the low octane. I have seen the 'its designed to run on 87' stuff, and its a load of you know what in my opinion. When I bought my 01 F150, it said that 87 would work fine in it. In fact, it was "designed" to work with that octane. No way! It would run like an absolute dog with that. They only place where you might find a negative effect of running a high octane fuel is on older vehicles (pre 86) that were still carbuerated.


Rich

 

If you get better performance from premium on a stock vehicle than 87, it's because the 87 forumulation you use is marginal or some other problem exists with the truck. These trucks do not advance timing for premium fuel with a factory computer, though if they detect ping they will retard the timing (though some Ford family vehicles, such as the Lincoln LS, do advance timing for premium). If your performance with 87 was bad than something unusual was causing ping (even if you can't hear it), perhaps the EGR. You might want to check that.

 

Thank you for the reply, Ken.

I guess you could say it's a light to moderate ping, which seems to mainly happen when going uphill. If I hit the gas on a level stretch of the freeway, I don't hear a ping. One person on here said a light ping under load is normal. What do you think? Also... I understand your a dealer for Superchip. What do you think of the new Max Tuner for the V10? Since my F250 SD 4x4 V10 is pretty much stock, which we use to haul a Lance camper, is it worth it for use to invest in the Max tuner for hauling and overall performance? Thank you!

 

A few questions:

Does it ping when cold, warm, etc.? How about when the humity differs?

The new tuner has had a very good track record, virtually non-existant return rate. People are very happy with it. However, on the V10 you can't adjust the speedometer for tire size changes and axle ratio changes with the tuner.

 

Ken,

I think I only get the pinging when I step on the gas going up hill. I got on the freeway the other day and hit the gas hard and didn't hear any ping, but I think I was running on a tank of 89 or 91. I see a lot of posts on here about the pros and cons of using higher octane. It's very confusing. I'm still thinking that I'd like to try the Max tuner, if I can get my wife to agree on spending the money!!!

If there's any computer or component problems, does the PCM record the eror codes and will the new Max tuner also read the codes? Thanks!

 

Follow-up: Ken,

We took a two hour drive the other day and went over a high hill pass with steep grades. What I noticed is that when I started up the hill and the tranny was still in over-drive, I start getting the pinging, which was light to moderate. Once the tranny kicked down a gear, the pinging seemed to go away. Maybe that's normal. What do you think?

 

If you're getting ping on a stock tune there's something wrong, that's not normal. Take it to the dealer and let them run a diagnostic on it.

 

Thanks Ken. I'll probably do that after the first of the year. I appreciate all your responses to my questions. Have a very merry Christmas!

 

Mine pings a little on 87 when towing uphill if I lug it in OD, but seems to be fine without the trailer (7500lbs). Tank of good gas cures it though.

 

Ken,

I finally took the truck to the dealer today and was told, $97.00 dollars later (and as expected), that the truck was fine. The service department said they could not duplicate the knocking and said some light pinging under load is normal. They said they ran a complete diag and that everything was within normal limits. After the dealer said everything was fine, I took the truck and drove it up a steep grade and it didn't seem to ping. Today is cold and rainy, so maybe that affects the pinging. What was interesting is that a couple of days ago I drove the truck up the same steep grade and, as expected, the engine was pinging. I guess I'll have to wait until it's dry and hot to compare the weather conditions and the pinging. Next time I'll make the dealer ride with me. Still thinking about the Super Chip 1715 tuner.....