Hi All, Sorry to ask a question that has been asked a million times, and even by myself in the past. I had my car checked out today for some strange noises. When I picked it up the mechanic said he adjusted the timing down cause it was pinging a little...a sound I still don't understand, even after sitting here for 2 hours with search. He said pinging sound be ok now cause of the adjustments he made. but.... I took it for a drive and I still get a rattling/tingling type sound. It occurs when in any gear but especially when in a "wrong" gear going up a hill.....as in doing 30km/hr in 4th. It sounds like the car has a sound rattling through the exhaust cause of it being in the gear at that speed but it also sounds kind of like a jingling as people described pinging. Any thoughts to ease my worries would be appreciated. Is it just exhaust rattle ? Also happens when going up our steep driveway really slowly...almost "too" slowly.. I don't want to drive the mechanic nuts by turning up for every sound...Baff.
DON'T run your car up a hill at 30k/h in 4th That would almost definitely be causing pinging. As for the steep driveway, try to go up it in a lower gear (are you already in 1st), if not maybe take it a bit quicker. I have a very steep driveway, and I try to enter it relatively quickly so I don't have to be actually driving it up on the particularly steep bit (just rolls up) then just back on it to get it up to the shed door. Try to keep your car above 1700 rpm with the clutch fully engaged. I would more than likely detonate to if I took my driveway really slowly and drove all the way up it. Also are you using a top grade of premium?? ie Ultimate (BP), Optimax (Shell) or Mobil 8000?Disclaimer: If you drive too fast up your driveway and put your car into your house, I claim no responsibility. Just try a bit quicker, sounds like you're going too quick.
The 30km in 4th was to try... and hear noise. Any quicker up driveway and rear bottoms out.. Does it sound like pinging? Even happens a little when going 60k in 3rd up a hill... though not as bad.Is pinging, to some degree, normal behavour for a car ? B.
Its not normal and its not good... I used to get it heaps in a shit box car i had because it had no power at all, but in this car, as long as you run 98 octance fuel I have never had it ping once.However when I got it i think the wog bloke that sold it to me was tight so he just put stock unleaded in it to get it to my house, as soon as i took it for a cane, it was pinging in the high revs... so i went straight to the servo for some 98 octance and never had a problem.60km/h in 3rd it shouldn't ping... 30km/h in 4th well I don't know what you are even doing down there but of course it would because it aint meant to handle that.Try the good fuel and you shouldn't have a problem, I find BP ultimate to be the best, I used to think synergy 8000 but ultimate seems to be the go at the moment.
Hmmmmmmm..... Bruce, I know your car is excellent and stock, so it should not be pinging. Being stock, I would imagine that the timing is set on 15 degree's which is where it should be. At this setting, your car should NOT be pinging unless you have some problems. What is the timing set at now after the mechanic adjusted it??? Adjusting the timing is fine, but if its too retarded, you're losing power and not really getting to the issue of whats cuasing the pinging. I would question your mechanic more. Also, pinging is sometimes hard to pick. Gee's, in my car with my drony exhaust, it creates a nice annoying resonance which makes all the panels vibrate at a specific rev and sounds like pinging. But I know its not. Yes, going up a hill in the wrong gear can cause pinging, because it really loads up the motor. So dont do it often. Basically, I think retarding the timing on a stock motor with normal timing seems like a band aid fix. Dont worry about annoying your mechanic. Hell, with the amount of times I've been down to Nissport and asked Joe questions, I should have a VIP card by now..CheersP.s What did they say about the CAT?
Are your mufflers straight through or do they have baffles. Sometimes baffles or plates inside mufflers burn away or the weld breaks from the vbration and they rattle at certain speeds . This has happened to me on two cars of mine but pinging is never a loud noise and is a little rattly tinny noise that once you hear it you never forget it. You could use a rubber mallet and give the mufflers a bit of a flogging to see if any rattle but hit it on the corners and not on the body or you might be up for a new one! John
I get the same thing.... ....happens when going up steep hills and also when coasting at around 90 to 100kph in summer(using optimax). If its the same thing as I have you will find that it only happens at a certain accelerator pedal height, with mine being just after pressing the pedal, ie changing the height up or down can stop the pinging. Im thinking it is a fault with the fuel system causing the engine to run lean at that pedal height, and I intend to get the fuel pressure checked and get the injectors cleaned. Also dont forget to renew your fuel filter if its older than 40,000km or 2 years Another idea I have is there may be an air leak somewhere in the intake. Ive been to slack to make a blow-up tool and check for leaks but could be a possible cause
I'm running very lean and never get any pinging even on such high loads.But I did get smoke in the cabin on one such occassion.
Driving to work this morning.... not a noise. I selected better gear so the car wasn't struggling (as I am pretty slack), and all seemed ok. My car has its next service in about 2 months, so if it doesn't really happen much I will wait till then. Sometimes I think all it is is a resonance through the exhaust.B.
Where does your sound seem like it comes ... from ?Mine is about middle of car underneath front seats almost.B.
