pining and knocking NEED HELP - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

09-10-2003, 14:10

I have a 1994 ford ranger with 90,000 miles 2.3l 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual and everything is stock but a k&n filter. I got the truck 2 years ago and when ever I am on the highway and put it under load it starts pining and knocking and making noises that it should not be doing. I have tried my best to fix this problem and can not figure it out so I am bringing it to the forms in hopes that some one can help me out.

What I have done is
1.change all 8 spark plugs to bosh platum plugs
2.did 2 motorvacs (is supposed to clean the fuel rail injectors and all carbon out of cylinders)
3.ran 2 cups of water into a vacuum port to get rid of carbon
4.used 10 � 20 bottles of chevron fuel system cleaner
5.ran a 3m total fuel system cleaner kit ( does upper intake and throtel plate)
6.changed the fuel filter
7.changed the PCV valve
8.remover the octane spout plug that retards the timing 3 degrees
9.took out the MAF and inspected the little wires to make sure there was not crap or carbon on them

now this is everything I can think of to do I am out of ideas and I need some help. I pretty sure it is not carbon because I think I have ran enough cleaners to get any carbon that might be in there out.
the only thing I could think of is the O2 sensor but it is not cheep from ford so if anyone know how to test it let me know and I will. I need the pin out because it is a 4 wire heated sensor and I do not know what wires do what.

PLEASE SOME ONE HELP ME I DO NOT THINK I CAN TAKE THE PINING AND MORE IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY

351w · 09-10-2003, 14:57

your problem is simply detonation from to much timing or very low octane gas.
the pinging is actually a lean fuel mixture or to much total timing. the O2 sensor would cause a rich condition if it was faulty.
and the little trick to retard timing 3 degrees is only an initial timing retard and what you need is to retard the mechanical portion and i cant quote you timing number for that model because i dont know them. maybe someone else knows how much total timing you should have. for a quick fix try running one tank of premium gas and i bet you wont have the knocking and pinging.

09-10-2003, 20:44

i have been runing 94 and that did not solve it. i checked the base timing and that is 10 when the spout conector is removed. when that is replace it is around 20. i have been runing it with the octain spout removed which gives me 23 and that still does not help. is there any other thing there could be

big1 · 09-11-2003, 10:12

I've got a 92 w/2.3 and had the same problem's, I did the same thing's, but what finally cured the problem was replacing the thermostat??
Believe it or not that got rid of the pinging. dropped from a 195 to a 180