87 2.9L Pinging
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87 2.9L Pinging
I have an 87 2.9L Auto Ranger and it has a pinging noise in the lower end of the motor constantly. The only time that it will stop is when you put a load on the engine like putting it in gear and letting it sit there with the break on. I'm thinking that the Main bearings need to be replaced but not sure. The oil pump has normal pressure so I don't think thats it would be the problem but if I have to take the pan off then I will pull the pump too to make sure.
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From: Homer, Alaska
Usually if the mains are bad the oil pressure will drop off. And usually mains or rods tend to pound rather than ping. Can you be more specific about the sound? Does it increase with rpm, or get louder? Does it go away when you drive the truck. If you go to all the trouble to take the pump out, might as well replace it while the engine is apart. Could be cam bearings too, but they rarely fail unless the engine has been hot or out of oil. Let us know your progress.
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the sound is just a real anoying ticking or knocking sound. It does increase with the RPMs, I don't know if it continues with a load on it going down the road because you can hear it over my tires. It has an after market oil pressure guage on it and thats what I've been going by, at an idle it gets about 10-12psi and anything about 1500RPM it gets 40-50psi so it has great pressure. Asked a Ford mechanic and at least 8psi is recommended at an idle and 35psi at high RPMs.
Last edited by jdwitte; Dec 20, 2003 at 07:23 AM.
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For pinging there are a number of things you could check. First would be the timing. I know base timing on an 86 2.9L is 10 degrees BTDC. If this looks OK and you can pull your codes check for a problem with you NOX sensor. It picks up pinging and the cumputer adjust timing to get rid of it. Are you using low octane gas, or at high altitudes? All this can contribute to pinging. Try higher octane gas and see if it goes away. If you car is running to hot it will ping. Check coolant levels.
If it is more of a rattling could be you need to adust the valves.
If it is coming out of the lower end it could be you catalytic converter. Mine has started to make a noise which sounded like I was spinning a bearing or about to throw a rod. The ceramic/palatium beads or whatever they are putting in those things started rattling really bad. It would go away once it heated up.
If it is more of a rattling could be you need to adust the valves.
If it is coming out of the lower end it could be you catalytic converter. Mine has started to make a noise which sounded like I was spinning a bearing or about to throw a rod. The ceramic/palatium beads or whatever they are putting in those things started rattling really bad. It would go away once it heated up.
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I'm replacing the mains & Connecting rods today. Pulled the pan off yesterday and the crank had quite a bit of play in it so the bearings were't the best but they were worn evenly. The rest of the engine looks very clean so hopefully this will fix it.