Pinging problem?????
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 184
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John, now Im wondering if it is the Knock sensor, from what you said. Im in need of a plug change soon, do you think it would be best to replace the knock sensor at the same time, there must be some time saved if both are done at the same time?
I will have to have it done, my days of doing that stuff are past with my last heart surgery.
Nothing like totally hijacking the OPs thread. Sorry Rusty.
I will have to have it done, my days of doing that stuff are past with my last heart surgery.
Nothing like totally hijacking the OPs thread. Sorry Rusty.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 408
Likes: 11
From: saline USA
My two valve V10 2002 in my van will start pinging when the plugs have over 60,000 miles on them on 87. When I am towing on flat ground its not an issue, but when I get in the hills I put it up on 89 and there is no ping. Its only when towing that I have any symptoms. I get exactly what you described when going up hill in second gear working hard, I cannot floor it because it will ping so I go up at half throttle at about 3200 rpms.
But with new plugs no issues, and bumping up the grade usually fixes it.
Try this first
Andrew.
But with new plugs no issues, and bumping up the grade usually fixes it.
Try this first
Andrew.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 184
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Andrew, mine does act a little different than yours. With mine at say 60 on flat ground and in OD, and I give it any gas at all, even for the slightest hill it will start to ping just a little. And it will go away if I step down a little harder or let up a little.
And changing gas quality or adding octane boost wont help. And I cant deliberately lug it down and make it ping.
When yours pings, is it loud? I can hardly hear mine.
And changing gas quality or adding octane boost wont help. And I cant deliberately lug it down and make it ping.
When yours pings, is it loud? I can hardly hear mine.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 220
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From: Oxford, NC
For about $100 total get under the truck and replace both O2 sensors. Odds are they are original unless you have changed them. Mine never had to take an emissions test but never threw a CEL either. After new plugs, boots, MAF cleaning, O2 sensors, fuel and air filter the pinging went away for good. I was running 93 octane to keep the ping at bay, now the cheap-o (no such thing) 87 octane stuff runs great all day no matter load or RPMs (I like to keep the carbon burned out of the engine so I get on every morning after it's warmed up, it sings beautifully at ~5500rpms, but sure does scare you when it hits the rev limiter)
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 423
From: Long Island USA
juterbock, you bring up a good point. Usually, an O2 sensor will get lazy or give a low voltage when it gets old. Which means the PCM will adjust it rich, and the MPGs go down. WHich usually won't make it ping.
HOWEVER, if the O2 sensor is coated with crud/carbon/whatever, and can't get a good O2 reading from the exhaust, it will generate MORE voltage indicating a bigger difference between outside air and exhaust gas O2 levels, making the PCM go LEAN.
Interesting...
HOWEVER, if the O2 sensor is coated with crud/carbon/whatever, and can't get a good O2 reading from the exhaust, it will generate MORE voltage indicating a bigger difference between outside air and exhaust gas O2 levels, making the PCM go LEAN.
Interesting...
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
I have the original O2 sensor's in my 2000 V-10 with 93K, and at least replacing them is something I can do that might help, and certainly wont hurt. It has never had a CEL come on, and it passed a smog test a few years ago, but that was before it started with the light pinging.
Ill just do what Juterbock did, but start at the other end first.
Ill just do what Juterbock did, but start at the other end first.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 32
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I have almost the same truck and tow a trailer with about the same weight. I've found the pinging a tough one to completely solve. For me the new fuel filter fixed it for the most part. What I can't figure out is it pings badly still on occasion, then other times it's fine. This can occur on the same trip so it isn't the gas quality or octane. 91 octane will pretty much stop it but it still will ping sometimes even with 91. I've done the plugs, o2 sensors, thermostat, maf cleaning. The intermittent nature of the pinging had me thinking it is a sensor or something going bad and giving inconsistent readings. I might just replace the maf someday just to make sure it is good.
It's a tough one good luck!!
It's a tough one good luck!!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 184
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balfor. Man you have been there and done that, not much left to do, except the Knock Sensor, witch I understand is located under the intake manifold and requires its removal, its a big job I wouldn't want to undertake.
I also eliminated outside air temperature, and elevation, mine will occur from sea level to 6000'+ elevation, and 50* to 110*, but not under a hard pull, only vary light throttle, go figure, and it only started about 2K miles back.
Its light enough, I guess I could just live with it.
I also eliminated outside air temperature, and elevation, mine will occur from sea level to 6000'+ elevation, and 50* to 110*, but not under a hard pull, only vary light throttle, go figure, and it only started about 2K miles back.
Its light enough, I guess I could just live with it.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 268
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From: OZ
Pretty much same here.
I have found the BIGGEST impact has been fuel source, I can get it from one place for awhile, then I need to change.
Winter I can get more places than summer.
91 When towing is a must in the summer.
I have found the BIGGEST impact has been fuel source, I can get it from one place for awhile, then I need to change.
Winter I can get more places than summer.
91 When towing is a must in the summer.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 60
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From: Pacific Northwet
I don't know how they ever changed it with the intake in place.probably took them 4X as long than if they would have removed the intake if they did indeed change the sensor with the intake in place.
If the knock sensor is not reporting knock,the PCM programming advances the timing until it sees knock,or hit the table's limit for advance. With a bad sensor,you get knock since the PCM cannot "see" the knock and retard the timing appropriately..
JL
If the knock sensor is not reporting knock,the PCM programming advances the timing until it sees knock,or hit the table's limit for advance. With a bad sensor,you get knock since the PCM cannot "see" the knock and retard the timing appropriately..
JL
You can quite easily replace the knock sensor without removing the intake manifold. I replaced the knock sensor on my '01 F-250 V10. Remove the alternator and the knock sensor can be removed from the front. I did the whole job in less than an hour.
Based on numerous suggestions, here is what I had done to attempt to remedy my pinging…
Replace spark plugs
Clean MAF sensor
Replace MAF sensor
Replace fuel filter
Professional fuel injector system flush
Replace knock sensor
Replace serpentine belt
Check fuel pressure - OK
Replace oxygen sensors
Replace thermostat
Check catalytic converter for restrictions - OK.
Reset PCM multiple times
Secure exhaust heat shield.
None of these solved the pinging.
In the end a Ford specialty tuning shop…
1) Replaced the plugs with colder plugs (I don’t know the plug specs).
2) Put in a custom tune with 3% more fuel and 2 degrees of spark retard.
This solved the pinging.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
Likes: 12
From: SE Texas
You can quite easily replace the knock sensor without removing the intake manifold. I replaced the knock sensor on my '01 F-250 V10. Remove the alternator and the knock sensor can be removed from the front. I did the whole job in less than an hour.
Based on numerous suggestions, here is what I had done to attempt to remedy my pinging…
Replace spark plugs
Clean MAF sensor
Replace MAF sensor
Replace fuel filter
Professional fuel injector system flush
Replace knock sensor
Replace serpentine belt
Check fuel pressure - OK
Replace oxygen sensors
Replace thermostat
Check catalytic converter for restrictions - OK.
Reset PCM multiple times
Secure exhaust heat shield.
None of these solved the pinging.
In the end a Ford specialty tuning shop…
1) Replaced the plugs with colder plugs (I don’t know the plug specs).
2) Put in a custom tune with 3% more fuel and 2 degrees of spark retard.
This solved the pinging.
Based on numerous suggestions, here is what I had done to attempt to remedy my pinging…
Replace spark plugs
Clean MAF sensor
Replace MAF sensor
Replace fuel filter
Professional fuel injector system flush
Replace knock sensor
Replace serpentine belt
Check fuel pressure - OK
Replace oxygen sensors
Replace thermostat
Check catalytic converter for restrictions - OK.
Reset PCM multiple times
Secure exhaust heat shield.
None of these solved the pinging.
In the end a Ford specialty tuning shop…
1) Replaced the plugs with colder plugs (I don’t know the plug specs).
2) Put in a custom tune with 3% more fuel and 2 degrees of spark retard.
This solved the pinging.
The shop you're speaking of probably changed you over to an AGSF12FM1 plug. That's the coldest OEM 2V plug and it's from a Lightning application. That does help with spark knock by removing heat from the combustion chamber. The single biggest factor to getting these truck to stop the knocking is to allow open loop fueling under load,and the OEM tune does not.
JL
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 184
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Eric, you certainly went after the knock problem in a big way, and it sounds like you did finally solve it.
But, Im confused, did you have the knock problem as long as you have had your truck? Im just wondering if its done it since it was new, wouldn't it be a warranty problem? And if not what happened to cause it to start?
The solution didn't seam to be the replacement of any defective part, rather the changing of OEM speck parts, and retarded timing via reprogramming. That's major stuff.
But, Im confused, did you have the knock problem as long as you have had your truck? Im just wondering if its done it since it was new, wouldn't it be a warranty problem? And if not what happened to cause it to start?
The solution didn't seam to be the replacement of any defective part, rather the changing of OEM speck parts, and retarded timing via reprogramming. That's major stuff.