My Engine is Pinging.

[Smokie]

Today I heard a sound coming from my engine that put fear in my heart....pinging. I was making a turn at about 30-35 mph as I gently accelerated after the turn I heard pinging, I jerked my foot off the gas pedal very,very fast.

This is the first time ever I have heard my car do this, although I am very familiar with the sound; my 1975 Ford LTD used to do this if I didn't use premium fuel, even though it was supposed to run on regular. Temp was in the high 80's which is nothing unusual here.

The fuel in my car was purchased in Bradenton after a night of racing on April 21st, drove home 65 miles with no problems, parked the car for a week then drove to car show last Saturday, that was maybe 45 miles total. Today I drove about 20 miles before I heard the sound, then I accelerated a little bit once more: heard pinging again.

Drove to my local BP and filled up tank (only 7 gallons) drove the car about 10 miles and did not heard the sound again. I plan to change to my bad gas tune if I hear another ping no matter how slight...for the first time since I bought this car I am afraid to press the gas pedal.:(

[MI2QWK4U]

How aggressive is your tune?

[Tallboy]

Where in Bradenton? The Hess station on 64?

The Shell or Citgo at I-75? Inquiring minds want to know!!!!

[Smokie]

How aggressive is your tune?

Lidios base tune for the Kit.

[Hotrauder]

Javier, I agree that is scary as hell. Especially if the gas near the track is bad......wow, what a perfect senario for some rookie newby like me to do the detonation trick and close down both the track and the checking account. Glad you were paying attention and are being careful. Glad you filled up after not before racing. Your other pilots probably wouldn't have recognized the seriousness of the situation, especially under the adrenal rush at the track. Glad you are ok. Thanks for the heads up. Dennis:rolleyes:

[Smokie]

Where in Bradenton? The Hess station on 64?

The Shell or Citgo at I-75? Inquiring minds want to know!!!!

I can tell you exactly, I keep my gas reciepts:

Crazy Papas 5530 SR64 BP Amoco Fuel Gold
16.343 gallons
$3.139/gal
4/21/06 21:53

On state Rd 64 1 mile West of I-75, south side of road.

[Tallboy]

I can tell you exactly, I keep my gas reciepts:

Crazy Papas 5530 SR64 BP Amoco Fuel Gold
16.343 gallons
$3.139/gal
4/21/06 21:53

On state Rd 64 1 mile West of I-75, south side of road.

This is not the first time I've heard of this exact problem with BP gas in my area. I stopped using it a while ago. I fuel up at the Hess station down the street from the track. Three nozzles per pump at a clean, high-volume station makes me feel good. I'm sorry this happened to you, but I'm glad you're intelligent enough to know how to handle a bad tank of gas. Doing something stupid could have cost you an engine. :eek:

[Hotrauder]

BP is reputed to be one of the best and our Florida gas is very dependable. Maybe Crazy Papa is not so crazy. maybe not all 93 in his tank? Perhaps to much is not enough. $3.139. Anyway.... STAY AWAY..... FOREVER.
Dennis:beer:

[Hotrauder]

This is not the first time I've heard of this exact problem with BP gas in my area. I stopped using it a while ago. I fuel up at the Hess station down the street from the track. Three nozzles per pump at a clean, high-volume station makes me feel good. I'm sorry this happened to you, but I'm glad you're intelligent enough to know how to handle a bad tank of gas. Doing something stupid could have cost you an engine. :eek:


Thanks Chuck, I just stopped looking for BP stations. Dennis:cool:

[Tallboy]

BP is reputed to be one of the best and our Florida gas is very dependable. Maybe Crazy Papa is not so crazy. maybe not all 93 in his tank? Perhaps to much is not enough. $3.139. Anyway.... STAY AWAY..... FOREVER.
Dennis:beer:

My friend was here in his supercharged Marauder last year. We fueled up at the BP station around the corner from my house. Started detonating right away. He drove it very carefully [he's not an idiot] and burned off 1/2 a tank of fuel, then topped off with race gas. Problem solved, but I haven't bought gas there since.

[Smokie]

My friend was here in his supercharged Marauder last year. We fueled up at the BP station around the corner from my house. Started detonating right away. He drove it very carefully [he's not an idiot] and burned off 1/2 a tank of fuel, then topped off with race gas. Problem solved, but I haven't bought gas there since.

I tend to think that the problem is with that particular station, I have for nearly 4 years purchased BP fuel only at a new BP station less than a 1/4 mile from home and that was the fuel that propelled my car to several personal best on April 21st.

I enjoy the sound of my car so much I don't play the radio, if I had I would have missed the sound; it was that slight....however I know every sound my car makes and I heard it immediately and backed off like I was stepping on hot coals.

I actually drive like an old lady when I'm not racing or practicing for it, I feel certain this is the result of bad fuel, tomorrow I carry tuner with me and if I hear a peep, in goes the BAD gas tune, I don't have a modified tune; exactly the tune that came with my Kit which has over 40 passes without any problems.

[MENINBLK]

I had that problem last year and it turned out to be my thermostat.
I was pinging using Sunoco 94 !

If your temperature gauge is not pointing at the 20 on your speedometer
or lower, then your temp is too hot.
Try bleeding the air out of the cooling system.
If that doesn't work, they try replacing your stat to be sure....

The Marauder engine is very sensitive to coolant temperature.
The cooler the better.

[Smokie]

I had that problem last year and it turned out to be my thermostat.
I was pinging using Sunoco 94 !

If your temperature gauge is not pointing at the 20 on your speedometer
or lower, then your temp is too hot.
Try bleeding the air out of the cooling system.
If that doesn't work, they try replacing your stat to be sure....

The Marauder engine is very sensitive to coolant temperature.
The cooler the better.

That was the first gauge I looked at, It was pointing at 20 like always, oil gauge was my second glance and it was in it's usual fake location, then I pulled over and opened hood to verify my intercooler pump was working...it was.

I will be watching and listening very intently for quite some time to come until I am fully satisfied I am back to normal...thanks for the tip.:)

[Smokie]

Javier, I agree that is scary as hell. Especially if the gas near the track is bad......wow, what a perfect senario for some rookie newby like me to do the detonation trick and close down both the track and the checking account. Glad you were paying attention and are being careful. Glad you filled up after not before racing. Your other pilots probably wouldn't have recognized the seriousness of the situation, especially under the adrenal rush at the track. Glad you are ok. Thanks for the heads up. Dennis:rolleyes:

Thanks Dennis, if it had done it at the track that night, who knows....maybe I have to walk home. That's why I wanted you guys to know what happen, I drove an extra mile to that damn station, just to buy BP....I am grateful it didn't happen at the track....:eek:

[nomad]

Javier,if the "bad gas tune" you have is from Lidio, I would put it in now.
It's cheap insurance, and it works. I know, I have one.
When Lidio tuned my car he gave me a 2nd tune for just such an occasion.
On a trip to Lake George this spring I heard that dreaded noise after fueling at a Mobil station. Luckily I had my tuner. Installed the second tune[bad gas], then drove it like my mother drives,no cruise control,speed limit, slow acceleration, plus no O/D.
Re-fueled at my home Mobil,re-did another slow 3/4 tank drive,twice.
Finally on my 3rd tank, I slowly got on it.
Runs great now, I swear that tune saved my motor.That and knowing what
"The Sound"[pinging] is.
Good Luck, hope it works for you.

[Smokie]

Javier,if the "bad gas tune" you have is from Lidio, I would put it in now. Good Luck, hope it works for you.

Thanks, yes it's from Lidio...it goes in tomorrow morning.:D

[MikesMerc]

I also have a Lidio "bad gas" tune. A nice thing to have just in case.

[Rider90]

I also have a Lidio "bad gas" tune. A nice thing to have just in case.
I was using this tune for quite a while after bolting on the S/C..

My Scangauge at idle read the ignition advance at "-1" and now it reads "4" at idle with the premium tune. Just FYI...

[Smokie]

Bad gas tune is in, I have to go thru a couple of tanks and then reload premium fuel tune, I have no upcoming racing events in the near future so there is no hurry. If anything unexpected comes up I'll post about it. When I feel it's safe to get on it hard I'll let you guys know how it goes...:)

[Cobra25]

Sorry to hear this happened to you. I heard of other's lately experencing the same problems.

[CRZYBIKER]

If I get my gas anywhere that I am not used to my car tends to ping. Chevron is the best gas on the market...........if you have it in your area........you ask why..........?................ ................
I am a Motorcycle Technician..........when I was in training we took four different brands of gasoline and testeed them on our "dyno" motorcycles. The results would change my opinion on gas entirely when we tore the engines down for inspection.



Citgo= Thick carbon deposits.
Texaco= Same
Sunoco= Same
Chevron= Pistons and valves were spotless, absolutely no carbon.

I asked (told) a co-worker to switch to chevron in his truck; he had problems with detonation..............4 miles per gallon better mileage and zero detonation.

I know Chevron is not available everywhere, but if you have it, run it for 10,000 miles and see how much better your gas mileage is.......I promise it will go up...performance too. And no I don't sell the stuff, I build motorcycles.......so I was skeptical at first too. Co-inkidink.....no....ran it in about 5 cars since with positive results..........10 k miles........then report back, bet you will be suprised too!

[Smokie]

If I get my gas anywhere that I am not used to my car tends to ping. Chevron is the best gas on the market...........if you have it in your area........you ask why..........?................ ................
I am a Motorcycle Technician..........when I was in training we took four different brands of gasoline and testeed them on our "dyno" motorcycles. The results would change my opinion on gas entirely when we tore the engines down for inspection.



Citgo= Thick carbon deposits.
Texaco= Same
Sunoco= Same
Chevron= Pistons and valves were spotless, absolutely no carbon.

I asked (told) a co-worker to switch to chevron in his truck; he had problems with detonation..............4 miles per gallon better mileage and zero detonation.

I know Chevron is not available everywhere, but if you have it, run it for 10,000 miles and see how much better your gas mileage is.......I promise it will go up...performance too. And no I don't sell the stuff, I build motorcycles.......so I was skeptical at first too. Co-inkidink.....no....ran it in about 5 cars since with positive results..........10 k miles........then report back, bet you will be suprised too!

Thank you for that info, not sure I have Chevron locally, will look for it.

[Smokie]

Just a brief update: I have 150 miles on the Bad Gas tune, sinced I first heard the pinging I have refilled twice (16.1 gallons total) at about half a tank.

Today went to the beach, it was hot, trunk full of junk 4 adults in the car; was forced to accelerate hard once by a bad driver...all is quiet. The bad gas tune has made me feel a lot more comfortable with the throttle and yes the car is not as muscular in it's response to the throttle but it's still faster than the average bear.:)

[HwyCruiser]

Must be bad gas season...

I was up in IA visiting with TooManyFords to watch the progress on his ProRauder project this weekend. We hopped in my Marauder to take a spin and I got on it and heard it ping for the first time ever since the s/c install.

We headed over to a local 93 pump and filled it up, put in about 12 gallons and it still pinged. So I pulled out about 3 degrees of timing via the Predator and all was quite. The previous fillup was with E85 92 octane from a BP Amocco off the interstate and the 93 pump was also E85. The strange thing is I've raced up in Cedar Falls on gas bought from both of those stations.

I'm going to run through a couple of tanks of the local BP 92 (non E85) and try the base tune out again. Very strange. Thankfully I had the Predator with me.

[Smokie]

Must be bad gas season...

I was up in IA visiting with TooManyFords to watch the progress on his ProRauder project this weekend. We hopped in my Marauder to take a spin and I got on it and heard it ping for the first time ever since the s/c install.

We headed over to a local 93 pump and filled it up, put in about 12 gallons and it still pinged. So I pulled out about 3 degrees of timing via the Predator and all was quite. The previous fillup was with E85 92 octane from a BP Amocco off the interstate and the 93 pump was also E85. The strange thing is I've raced up in Cedar Falls on gas bought from both of those stations.

I'm going to run through a couple of tanks of the local BP 92 (non E85) and try the base tune out again. Very strange. Thankfully I had the Predator with me.

Something is up...my '95 Crown Vic also pinged last week for the first time in 11 years. I am very glad I bypassed the chip and chose to stay with a tuner, being able to switch to a bad gas tune in 3 1/2 minutes (yes I timed it) is something I appreciate more than ever today.:)

[Marauderjack]

You don't suppose that a few "Profit Oriented" proprietors are slipping 87 and 89 octane juice down the 92-93 hole in the ground.....do ya??:shake: :fire:

Most unmodified new cars will run on any fuel and the thieves will never get caught by a "Soccer Mom" in and Escalade!!:rolleyes:

Some of us with "Unforgiving Tunes" could be in for trouble if we don't buy from reputable outlets!!:eek:

Marauderjack:cool:

[spiders]

Guess I'm not in that general area, but I stopped using BP gas about the same time I bought my MM, it made mine ping back then. Been using shell, high test, and seem to be doing fine. Admittedly I haven't the super charger/aggresive tune on mine, she's all the way she came out of the factory, but it seems happy on the shell juice.

[MM03MOK]

Guess I'm not in that general area, but I stopped using BP gas about the same time I bought my MM, it made mine ping back then. Been using shell, high test, and seem to be doing fine. Admittedly I haven't the super charger/aggresive tune on mine, she's all the way she came out of the factory, but it seems happy on the shell juice.Hey Girl! Where you been? Glad to see you back!

[Paul T. Casey]

I've recently had a couple "pingy" tanks of gas. Just babied the car till I got a chance to try another station. I'm wondering if the use of methanol for octane boosting rather than MTBE has anything to do with this phenomena?

[MarauderTJA]

If I get my gas anywhere that I am not used to my car tends to ping. Chevron is the best gas on the market...........if you have it in your area........you ask why..........?................ ................
I am a Motorcycle Technician..........when I was in training we took four different brands of gasoline and testeed them on our "dyno" motorcycles. The results would change my opinion on gas entirely when we tore the engines down for inspection.



Citgo= Thick carbon deposits.
Texaco= Same
Sunoco= Same
Chevron= Pistons and valves were spotless, absolutely no carbon.

I asked (told) a co-worker to switch to chevron in his truck; he had problems with detonation..............4 miles per gallon better mileage and zero detonation.

I know Chevron is not available everywhere, but if you have it, run it for 10,000 miles and see how much better your gas mileage is.......I promise it will go up...performance too. And no I don't sell the stuff, I build motorcycles.......so I was skeptical at first too. Co-inkidink.....no....ran it in about 5 cars since with positive results..........10 k miles........then report back, bet you will be suprised too!

Ditto with that.. Chevron is all I run in my car....Didn't know what you said above though. Good information.

[MarauderTJA]

Just a brief update: I have 150 miles on the Bad Gas tune, sinced I first heard the pinging I have refilled twice (16.1 gallons total) at about half a tank.

Today went to the beach, it was hot, trunk full of junk 4 adults in the car; was forced to accelerate hard once by a bad driver...all is quiet. The bad gas tune has made me feel a lot more comfortable with the throttle and yes the car is not as muscular in it's response to the throttle but it's still faster than the average bear.:)

Glad to hear that everything is working out OK for you Javier.

[MarauderTJA]

Must be bad gas season...

I was up in IA visiting with TooManyFords to watch the progress on his ProRauder project this weekend. We hopped in my Marauder to take a spin and I got on it and heard it ping for the first time ever since the s/c install.

We headed over to a local 93 pump and filled it up, put in about 12 gallons and it still pinged. So I pulled out about 3 degrees of timing via the Predator and all was quite. The previous fillup was with E85 92 octane from a BP Amocco off the interstate and the 93 pump was also E85. The strange thing is I've raced up in Cedar Falls on gas bought from both of those stations.

I'm going to run through a couple of tanks of the local BP 92 (non E85) and try the base tune out again. Very strange. Thankfully I had the Predator with me.

IN your area I could see where the change over from winter to summer gas could be an issue. But here in Florida I wonder why Smokie had a problem. Obviously lower octane fuel was in the tank at the station he filled up at. Pinging is scary. A lot of people have lost engines from bad gas.