Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!!

[AJ88]

Not sure if it is pinging or detonation that I'm experiencing but it feels like bogging down (loss of power) and sounds like metal to metal scraping or grinding. It sounds like marbles in the engine. It kind of bucks and clunks until I let off the gas and find a sweet spot. This only happens after the engine has fully warmed up and gets worse the longer I drive it. It seems to be worse at low rpms. It's a scary metallic sound. The lack of power is not only a pain but also dangerous. What could this be and does this description match the symptoms of pinging/detonation? Thanks

 

[dave1978]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

Check the timing then get back to us.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

Clogged or inoperable EGR can cause this.

 

[pontiacgp]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

sounds to me like your car is seriously overheating...

someone on here recently had similar symptoms and he said it turned out to be the thermostat wouldn't open

 

[CHRIS.O]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

Honestly the symptoms you describe sound nothing like detonation. I agree with Pontiacgp. Get a temperature gauge if you dont have one and see if it is getting hot.

 

[AJ88]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

This is possible as my temp gauge doesn't work.

 

[burgundy83]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

sounds to me like your car is seriously overheating...

Yeah, my car did that when I forgot to put coolant in my rad

 

[cutlassguy]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

is it possible its your lifters making noise? check your oil and an easy thing to try would be retard your timing a few degrees and see if that helps. dont be cheap either...put some premium in there and see if that changes anything. pinging usually doesnt mean things are grinding or making a metallic sound. maybe its an old vaccum line that opens up when you floor it and the "sweet spot" is just where it happens to seal for the moment. what kind of motor is it?

 

[AJ88]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

Ok so we checked the temp with a heat gun and it was all fine. Gonna install a 180 degree thermostat soon to help things a bit either way. The timing has already been retarded to 18 and there are no vacuum leaks to be found. The only thing left is the EGR valve I suppose. Maybe it's clogged. This pinging and power loss only really happens after driving for a extended period of time. In the meantime I will try better gas and Lucas engine cleaner treatment. Thanks for your help on this.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Re: Help needed with possible pinging and detonation issue!!

Check your fuel filter too. When I went leaner on the secondary rods, same marbles sound.