Whose 2.3 "pings" like crazy?

[proftomda]

Hi Everybody. New to this websight but not to Rangers.

I've owned my 1989 2.3 litre, 5 speed ranger for 18 years and for most of that time, the engine pings under a load. If I splurge and use premium fuel, no pinging at all and more get up and go. I would guess that the pinging may have started around 100,000 miles. It now has 481,000 miles, original engine and clutch. Timing is correct. Anyone else have this experience and if so, any solutions other than premium fuel or the volume knob on the radio?

 

[Earl43P]

Wow, 481k miles.

My 93 does not ping.
I literally can't make it ping. It's new to me though I know its PO.

I can lug it down in 3rd and 4th and it just bucks.

If it has an EGR valve, pull the vaccuum hose off it and plug the line. Drive it and see if it still pings.

My 3.0 pinged when it had a bad egr DPFE, but never any other time.

I had a 92 Saturn that went 274,000 on the original clutch and engine. Son didn't put oil in it, spun the crank bearings. Still ran tho'.

You've taken good care to get all those miles.

Welcome to the Ranger Station!

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

dont just ignore the pinging (eg volume knob), thats a great way to destroy pistons and your engine should be a monument if nothing else with that many miles. its like a rolling museum (i mean this in the best way possible).

unplugging the EGR will tell you nothing since one expects pinging to occur with a disable/inoperative egr valve.

with that many miles, i would suspect carbon build up has somewhat of a role in your problem. you might try running some seafoam through the intake and see if that helps.

verify correct operation of the egr. with the engine at operating temp., pull the vacuum line off the egr valve and install a long peice of extra line. start the truck and let it idle, use a vacuum pump to vacuum the valve open, you can even use your mouth in the absence of a pump. the truck should idle rough or even stall. if it does, the egr valve is functioning.

if nothing else, you can retard the timing a few degrees. it'll cost you a little power, but more importantly, it WONT cost you an engine.

 

[scotts90ranger]

an '89 is DIS, so no timing modifications...

my '90 ('89 engine management) pings in the right situation, usually above 90*+ with high load