I have changed my DPFE and Coil Pack, and it is still pinging REAL BAD at anything over second gear and half throttle (its an auto). Did it take a while to go away when you all replaced the coil pack, or was it instantly?

I'm hoping the new coil pack will do the trick, and I need to run a carbon buildup cleaner through the fuel rail. I don't use the dump in the tank additives, as I have been told they lead to premature fuel pump failure.

I had been running 93 in it and it would ping only at real hard acceleration. I put 87 in it today due to the fact the 93 is getting close to $2.50 a gallon, and as soon as I took off out of the gas station and got onto the interstate, it started pinging instantly.

Any other suggestions are very welcome. If it comes down to it, how much $$$ is a PCM?

 

BRT....no, my pinging went away immediately after i put in the new coil pack on my '99. This pinging issue seems to have so many possible angles, i feel very lucky my fix was so easy. BTW, i'm still running my old aluminum DPFE. I'll change it some day but it wasn't necessary for my ping fix.....

The PDF TSB file on the Ignition Coil/PCM and Pinging problem mentions also replacing the PCM assembly. I didn't have to do this, perhaps it will help your truck though. The file then recommends the Octane Adjust and Timing Retard being performed if the Coil Pack and PCM don't provide the fix....so you still have some options that may help, good luck.....

Edit: just noticed you were already considering the PCM next....sorry no idea on the price.

 

UPDATE:

I think the coil may have helped, as the truck no longer pings untill it gets up to full operating temp and I really lay into the throttle when already up to speed. I think it may be carbon buildup from running 93 for the last 2 years.
I have a mechanic that owes me a favor, so I am going to get him to run a treatment through the schrader valve on the fuel rail and try to clean it out and see what happens.

It still pings a bunch once it gets to the conditions to cause it. I am trying all the cheap fixes first, as I have no idea what the PCM costs, but I think just because it has to do with the powertain and is a module, its gonna be a lot.
Any ideas on the price of this item? I guess it has to be cheaper than pistons and head work.

I was looking online at NAPA and saw a reprogrammer for $400. If i could fix the ping with this, and get the sluggish shifts to improve, it may be an option.
Any opinions on this?

 

A Superchips programmer is going to make ping worse. The programmer advances timing (even on the 87 octane setting it does it slightly) and that will worsen the ping. You can get a Diablosport programmer through MotorHaven.com that will allow you to retard the timing to get rid of ping, but retarding the timing will degrade performance slightly.

 

Well, one week later, the pinging has gone away. It seems that is was carbon buildup that was making it ping after I changed the coil pack.
I have yet to get it on the interstate and really push it to make sure it is completely finished.

Thanks for all the help with this, I'm glad it was only the coil pack.

 

If the spark plug internal resistor is worn which can be visually seen, or the plugs are old or incorrect for the vehicle, spark knock can occur. Happened on my Mustang Cobra for 3 weeks, everything checked fine, finally replaced the sprk plugs even though they looked fine. Problem solved.

Bill Sheek

 

There is another fairly easy way to decarbonize the engine yourself. There is a thread regarding decarbonizing the 4.0 l engine and the same principle applies to the 3.0 l. The engines are designed to operate on the 87 octane fuels and if they do not perform properly the higher octane fuels are only a short term band aid.

The thread recommends using Motorcraft decarbonizer. I use Seafoam with excellent results so either way you can not go wrong. I use the vacuum line to the power brake booster to ingest the cleaner into the engine. About half of the can and let it soak. When you restart the engine after the soak, it will smoke like a chimney. That is the carbon residue. It will clear up but will take a while. I always repeat the process a second time and we are good for quite some time. The Rangers that I keep running are all city stop and go driving 4 cylinder models with automatic transmission and usually driven by "mature" adults.
Post decarbonizing the engine, it is a great idea to replace the spark plugs as well as changing the engine oil and filter. For me anyway, the oil usually turns black.

As far as changing the thermostat to have your engine run cooler, remember that the engine was designed to operate most efficiently at 195 -degrees. The computer is looking for that when adjusting fuel metering, air and timing for efficiency. If the computer detects that the engine is not "warmed up" likely will use more fuel.

Anyway, glad to hear that you solved the concern.


Russ

 

bigredtruck - glad your pinging problem is improved/possibly fixed. Mine is running great for the first time since i bought it new over six years ago thanks to the coil pack, running good old 87 octane exclusively now....

RangerRuss - i ran a can of that through my tank before my last oil change, i may try your method in the future. A bud at work took his sister's Ford van with a 3.0 in for some work at a Ford dealer, my bud has a specific mechanic who does all his work there, one thing they did was a new engine cleaning (injectors/decarbonizing....general type thing) procedure they have, cost 150 bucks, the mechanic was very impressed (Van has over 120,000 miles on it), he said it sounded like a new engine. The mechanic was excited about doing the procedure to his personal Ranger w/3.0. I'm leary of going to a dealer but i may look into this one....or not. I'll probably try the seafoam method you mention first (just before my next oil change!).

Also have been considering going back to the 195 thermostat for some time, or maybe a 190 if they make them....don't know that i need the 180 since my pinging is cured....


sheek - mine pinged since day one, i've changed plugs as part of general maintenence and it had no effect. The pinging is a very well known and widespread problem with some of the 3.0's. Several different issues at work, either seperately or in combination, it would seem, but spark plugs are very low on the radar for being much help with this issue on the 3.0. Glad it worked on your Cobra!

 

I have a 2000 Ranger with this problem, I've done all the tune-up stuff. Nothing changed. I checked my coil and it doesn't fall within the specified range in the TSB. Do you guys have any suggestions?

I was thinking of getting a new ACT sensor because they're kinda cheap.
Other than that I'm out of ideas.

 

When I put at least 93 oct in it almost stops all together. The only time I hear it is up long steep upgrades.

 

Update....I tried some fuel (87 octane) from my locally most troublesome source in the past for pinging problems just to see if my pinging was 100% cured or not, and darn it I got pinging when pushing hard on the throttle on this particular fuel. It is a BP/Amaco in east-central IL. Oh well, other than their fuel I am able to run 87 octane without problems. I'll have to try a new plastic DPFE though in the future to try and cure the 'residual' pinging I can still get with the wrong source of fuel.