Pinging?

I'm not sure but I think I can hear my engine pinging, I recently had a cam swap and replaced the head gasket, I used a theaner gasket to boost the c.r a bit, I'm using FelPro 1011-2 (0.039 Compressed Thickness ) and the FM calculator showd me 9.7 c.r.

Timing now is 9 initial 30 total by 3,400RPM , I tried 6 initial and 27 total by 3,400RPM but I could hear the same noise, like a ping and the car ran like a dead hours, it is definitely better @9 initial 30 total.
Spark plugs looks ok (paper bag brown).

How can I know if the engine is really pinging or it is something else?

If I don't have a lean situation, what can cause an engine to ping with a standard non aggressive timing curve?

Thanks
Roy

A higher cranking psi can cause pinging as well as a hot engine can.

Your cam may have an earlier intake valve closing which could cause a higher cranking psi.


If you are not already, use the highest octane you can get.

Put a 160 thermostat in the car to cool down the temp more.

dont run extended tip plugs.

Ive used these to good sucess on my olds that had 195 cranking psi on 93 octane.

If you heard the same noise with the timing retarded it's probably an exhaust leak. Try the good gas with the timing retarded to find out for sure. It's a shame we can't post sound here, now that would be a diagnostic tool!

Does your distributor have a vacuum advance? If so disconnect it, drive it, and see if the pinging goes away. Some canisters will let you dial back the amount of vacuum advance for a given vacuum signal, so if yours isn't adjustable you might need to swap if for one that is. Assuming it goes away with the vacuum disconnected.

Depending on the cam, most small blocks run 10-18* initial and 34-38* total advance, FWIW

Thaks guy's,
My distributor have a vacuum advance, I'll try the good gas with the vac advance disconnected and see how it runs, it is weird that it is pinging with such low ignition (6*/27*) but it is sound just like that...

Are there any more sound for pinging?

When engine pings, it needs to work worse, right? Mine is working better with the higher ignition so isn't that an indication that it isn't pinging? or it can run better/stronger and ping?

Originally Posted by MusclePoney

When engine pings, it needs to work worse, right? Mine is working better with the higher ignition so isn't that an indication that it isn't pinging? or it can run better/stronger and ping?

Are you asking if the engine will put out less power when it pings? If that's what you are asking, then I'd have to say no, not necessarily. Engine performance won't be noticeably altered if you are driving it, but on a dyno you might pick up a drop in performance.

The only thing you will notice really if you are driving the car when it pings is the noise. Sounds like pebbles going up a vacuum cleaner. But you won't necessarily notice sputter or hesitation in the engine.

Couple things make ping.

carbon'ed up combustion chamber leading to glowing red hot spots. Could be your issue, try some of the carbon remover products. 3M makes a good one for professional use.

too much timing. (12-16 initial is about right for most windsors and 32-38 total by 3000) I don't think this is your issue.

too much vacuum advance. The vac is adjustable by an allen key in the hole where the vacuum line goes. (most single and double vacuum line units) Loosen to get more advance, tighten to get less. You have to adjust intial after you diddle it.

Carb can be too lean. I suspect this is your issue. Rig up a vacuum gage into the car and run and watch. You should try and see vac level when it pings. Try adjusting the power valve to a higher number and / or 2 jet sizes larger on the primary side. Assuming it's part throttle pinging. If full throttle, go 2 jets up on the secondary also.

If you added a short duration cam and variable rate lifters you may be increasing compression too high.

Originally Posted by redneckprofessor

Are you asking if the engine will put out less power when it pings? If that's what you are asking,....

Yes, that's what I tried to ask... thaks for your reply.

john_bud, I think you are on to some thing, before I did the cam and head gasket swap I had a different jet's in the carb, after the swap I notice black spark plugs so I started leaning the carb' one step every time till I got nice brown plugs, I had to go 3 steps leaner in the power mode and 3 in the cruise mode lean, So I was running way too rich for a while, if you say carbon'ed up combustion chamber can cause that it might be the problem...

I tried to adjust the power valve to a higher number but it felt worse so I belive it was too rich.

I'll try some of the carbon remover products and go from there...

Thaks every one!

[quote=MusclePoney;1422602]
Are there any more sound for pinging?
QUOTE]

I ment to ask: Are there any more SIGNS for pinging?

If someone can't hear the pinging how else can he notice it?