1995 ranger 3.0 pinging problem

[Csechols]

ok so my ranger just randomly started pinging a while ago and i cant figure out how to fix it. i have started to run supreme gas (91 octane) with lucas fuel injector cleaner , but this didnt do anything. i changed my plugs, wires and my thermostat is rated at 192 dagrees if that matters. i jusgt replaced my egr valve yesterday beacsue it was stuck closed and i though this would for sure fix it but it did nothing. im just wondering if it takes the pcm a while to registor the new egr valve or if its just going to ping forever. tghe truck is a 1995 ranger 3.o (not flex fuel) with 182,000 miles.
HELP!~

 

[Big Jim M]

Pinging is caused by a lean condition, timing advanced too much, combustion temperature too high or too much compression. I'm thinking our little ladys get a small amount of crud built up in the chamber and the compression goes up just a small amount and there comes the ping.. first thing to check is the coolant level.. Is it completely full and no air in the heads? How it happened I don't know...but my son put a new coil on our 99 and it stopped pinging..
Big JIm

 

[Csechols]

well my coolant is fine, i dont have a check engine light, i did compression check 5 cylynders had 140-145 compression and #6 had 149 compression so i dont think it has too much compression.

 

[EERNGER]

I had a similar issue with my 1998 Ranger 3.0L. The problem ended up being that the truck swallowed one of the resistors in the MAF sensor. I am not saying that is THE answer for your truck, but it might be worth checking out.

 

[Csechols]

im going to pull out my thermostat and see if it does anything cuz it really only pings when its at operating temp. one other thing, my engine coolant sensor war broken and i drove it like that for 4 months and i just replaced it if that has anything to do with it.

 

[Big Jim M]

Please don't do that!

im going to pull out my thermostat and see if it does anything cuz it really only pings when its at operating temp. one other thing, my engine coolant sensor war broken and i drove it like that for 4 months and i just replaced it if that has anything to do with it.

Your engine and your engine computer depends on the temperature being at around 210*. A 195* thermostat regulates the temperature so that the computer can do it's work.
If you are in doubt about that thermostat replace it with another one.. But please don't delete it. What we don't understand is the coolant pump can pump 60 gallons a minute. Without some restriction the pump does all it can do and rushes the coolant thru the system. In hot climates the coolant isn't in the radiator long enough to lose the heat it gained in the engine and slowly overheats.. In cold climates the temp never gets up high enough to make the temp switch turn the computer to the lean condition the engine likes..
In either climate the engine uses lots more horses just pushing the coolant around needlessly.
Big Jim

 

[Csechols]

well, pulled out thermostat and no more pinging, i think its beacuse i live in tucson arizona and its 110 dagrees here and with the 192 degree thermostat it was running too hot. any suggestions on a thermostat i think im gonna get 160 beacsue running cold to me is better than my truck pinging and detonating

 

[Big Jim M]

Not right!

well, pulled out thermostat and no more pinging, i think its beacuse i live in tucson arizona and its 110 dagrees here and with the 192 degree thermostat it was running too hot. any suggestions on a thermostat i think im gonna get 160 beacsue running cold to me is better than my truck pinging and detonating

So everyone else in Tucson has pulled their thermostat? Running it cold will only make the problem WORSE! Fix the real problem. Put the 195* one back in there and fix the real problem. Your pinging has nothing to do with where you live.
Big JIm

 

[jhammel85]

So everyone else in Tucson has pulled their thermostat? Running it cold will only make the problem WORSE! Fix the real problem. Put the 195* one back in there and fix the real problem. Your pinging has nothing to do with where you live.
Big JIm

I agree. Its best to just keep the *195 in. Running a colder thermostat really will cause more problems, especially in your case. Do a search on *160 thermostats on our forum and you'll see enough to see what we mean.

Perhaps your old one was bad ?? For 10 bucks, I would give it a shot. If everything else is OK under the hood, then it should run perfectly fine with a *195.

Good luck!