Bassman

I am getting a bit frustrated with my ute pinging ever since having a Unichip fitted, its always during WOT and starts around 4200 rpm. I have had it back to Autotech in Fyshwick 3 times so far and every time he has just knocked a bit more timing out of it without putting it on a dyno. Its at the point now where the ute is back to pre-chip power levels but, guess what, it STILL pings. So anyway I have taken a couple of spark plugs out to check and they are covered in a hard white kind of oxidised coating all over the electrode with a dark spot on one side of the insulator core and also black on the thread, I am worried its doing damage to the engine. What can I do ? Does it sound like its running too lean ?

EDXR8

Does it have lots of built up white deposit, or is is just a light coating. Heavy white deposits are a possible sign of oil leaking into the cylinders, which would explain the pinging but hopefully it's not that. Normal spark plugs should have a light brown/grey coating to them. Are you using premium unleaded fuel? I would be demanding they check everything on the dyno, just pulling back the timing a couple of degrees is rubbish considering the money you spent having the chip done in the first place.

Bassman

Yes it has a fair bit of built up powder, but the car doesnt use a drop of oil, never has, and i always run on BP ultimate only occasionally standard premium.
I think you are right, i will have to hassle him to check everything on the dyno.

B-1B

Check that the vacuum tube to the fuel pressure regulator is connected.
Get it on the dyno and check the air fuel ratio.

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blue66coupe

tiny shiny black balls on the insulator show detonation, don't like the sound of white insulator should be light tan to dark tan sounds a bit lean (although if run highway mode will go white as closed loop sets the mix at almost 17:1)

Bassman

Whats funny is that the ute has been pinging for some time now but the plug definately has none of these little balls, only the white powdery stuff, and its only on the metal bits, not the insulator. The unichip guy also reckons that its very hard to tune the engine to run too lean, despite what he says i have been told by too many people that a white plug means too lean.
Had a look today at the chart that shows all the different spark plugs with different problems, and i would swear it just looks like the one that is worn out, cant be though, they have only done 16000 km. Another thing he said was that it could be a small amount of oil leaking through to the cylinder, and maybe changing oil types might help.

TICK4D

Why not just change the plugs and see if that works.
It was obviously tuned for/whilst using the BP Ultimate fuel?

Bassman

I have the uterus booked in next Tuesday, he says he will fit new plugs and re check air fuel ratios and a dyno run, so heres hoping he gets it right after the 4th attempt.

Noboss

If that dont work get your money back and go somewere else.....

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Bassman

Yes, thanks guys, Ill let you know how i go on Tuesday.