I have been trying to figure out what the heck is causing my 88 to ping. It seems to happen more when I first start the car up in the morning when going to work, and when I start it up when I come home from work. It doesn't take much throttle for it to start pinging, and I have to let almost completely off of the gas to get it to stop pinging.

I have checked the timing, it was at 5 deg BTDC (spec is 6) and I put it to 4 BTDC just to see if it would decrease the pinging, it didn't. When I pulled the wire from the firewall to set the timing, it dropped the idle significantly, and after timing it, when I hooked the wire back on, I could not see any timing mark (I don't know if this is normal or not).

I removed and cleaned the contacts on the ESC module and checked the ground to the batttery ground wire and found less than 2 ohms resistance there.

I run premium gas (California 91 octane) and the engine is bone stock with only 100,000 miles on it. I would really appreciate some input on what the heck this could be, I would hate to buy a knock sensor just to troubleshoot with. I do have a connector assembly to check out the knock sensor with an ohm meter, but I don't have any instructions on how to use it (anyone know how?)

This pinging is really bad, and I am afraid I am going to do some serious damage to my engine, as this has been going on for months now. Should I try some octane booster? What???

I need some help fellas, I just can't get a handle on this, and it is bugging the hell out of me.

Thanks,
RCH :cry


[Modified by RCH, 5:12 PM 4/26/2003]

 

My 86 does this, once in a while. I've checked the same things you have, and found nothing wrong. I wonder if it has to do with the car being in open loop.

Does anyone know if the knock sensor is ignored while in closed loop?