# Possible ping cause by...?



## dschrier (May 6, 2002)

*Possible ping cause by...?*

I have a 90 b12 with 146,000 on it. If I use 87 octane gas my car seems to ping at any type of acceleration and going up hills etc so to advoid that I have been using 93 octane gas. With the 93 octane gas the "pinging" type sound I heard with the 87 octane disappears making me assume it was a ping. However, even on really hot days I get the same ping type noise with the 93 octane gas. After doing some reading I found that a faulty or clogged egr valve can cause pinging, so I tested it by depressing the diaphram and it seems to move fine, and when the car is idling if I press the diaphram in the engine chokes and dies which I read is a sign of a good egr valve. My question is, am I really hearing a ping? I know you can't really determine this without hearing my car. Also, if it is a ping, what else could cause it. I had a new timing chain installed 30,000 miles ago, but the sound was present before that as well, and if the timing was a little bit off I think the 93 octane gas would compensate for that. I am using bosch spark plugs, could those be the problem? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


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## RiceBox (Apr 30, 2002)

Try switching to stock NGK plugs. Some people have had problems with Bosch plugs.


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## dschrier (May 6, 2002)

Could the wrong type of plug cause ping? Also, my pcv valve is clogged which could cause carbon deposits and such to build up which I read causes ping as well. I tried changing it but I can't get the thing off, it's stuck on fast.


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## RiceBox (Apr 30, 2002)

Not sure if the plugs can cause pinging but they should be changed back anyways. Just keep working on the PCV and it will eventually come off.


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2002)

*Pinging*

Hi,

For me I find the pinging to come at two times.

First when it's time for a tune up. I replace cap, rotor, wires, and plugs and pinging will go away for another 50,000 miles or so (my car has 178,000). 
Second, heat, if car is running hot it'll ping (rap). could be heat build up, valve train gets unhappy.

Check these two items. Not sure when you performed last tune up but that might do the trick,

Good luck,


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