rboorgu

I have some thoughts for all you tuning guys. Many times when I push my V8 hard, I notice that it pings. This is apparently normal and indicates that the ecu is optimizing timing. If this is true, how can you further advance timing as is apparently done with the weapon r ecu??

Secondly, it has been noted that these cars run too rich which is probably reducing power. The ecu's adjust for this an maybe a lot of the incrrease in power is coming from this. What are everyone's thoughts on using an adjustable fuel pressure regulator to allow the car to run more lean without changing the ecu.


Raj

92 SC400
93 RX7 R1
00 A6 2.7T

JohnnySC

I have no clue because I only have a little SC3, but nice to see another RX-7 guy!!

Keith13b

iTrader: (3)

There are several ECU upgrades to optimize timing and fuel. Check out old threads. I've heard nothing but good things about them from the people who bought them.

Pinging is NOT NORMAL in our cars. If you're getting detonation, check the gas you are buying or get the ignition looked at. You can damage you motor severly if this goes uncorrected.


Keith

P.S If your detonating now, don't even think about an ECU upgrade untill your problem is fixed.

And again; nice to see another Rotary guy on the forum!!!

DIrEctQL

There is too many RX7 owners here. I am starting to feel alienated.

007lexus

hey keith and/or all

what can the pinging be? Can it be low on oil? The other day I made a fast left turn from a complete stop, I heard(windows were down) what sounded like pinging coming from lower engine bay. I had 0w30 M1 and its been approx 3k with this oil.

thanks for any info in advance.

Keith13b

iTrader: (3)

Define your "Pinging"

The common use of the term is for detonation. Sounds like marbles rattling in a coffee can. If you get this, then have your timing checked because detonation is a common side effect of over advancement. Poor gas can cause detonation as well. A lot of places have a special "winter" gas during the cold season which is notorious for causing detonation.

The problem could just be something loose under the hood. I'd get it checked out by a professional. Low oil shoudn't make a noise. Check your oil and top it off if its low.

If you ever hear pinging in your rotary - turn off your car; engine is about to go bye-bye!!!! Rotaries can be abused to all hell, but don't take an ounce of detonation.

Keith

DIrEctQL

When was the last time you did a tuneup? Perhaps your rotor or cap is worn out and causes detonation. Go do a dyno of the car in question and look at the curve, if it's jumping all over the place then you have a problem.

Lex Luthor

DIrEctQL, are you actually recommending that he dyno the car to diagnose it? I've watched you post here for awhile, and you continue to give people the wrong advice. I'm not trying to start something, but if you don't know, then please don't answer, you're going to cause someone to damage his car one day. Dynoing a car puts heavy loads on it, as you know, having been to a dyno, and you want him to take his pinging engine and run it up to redline repeatedly so you can analyze the horsepower, torque, and rpm graphs? How will that do anything but put a hole in one of his pistons? Rboorgu, listen to Keith, he knows his sh#t, you most likely have a timing problem. The knock sensor should detect repeated pre-ignition and retard the timing accordingly, if you are still hearing detonation, get this taken care of ASAP. Oh, and Keith, those rotary apex seals luuvv detonation, lol.

DIrEctQL

Hmm, if I ever did give people bad advice then I am sorry, but this is something I am certain of. When you do a dyno you don't have to rev to red line. I guess some of you performance guys overlook that dynos are also used as a diagnostic tool on the car. You're thinking about doing a peak dyno and I am talking about doing a normal run (normal drive at moderate speeds). Doing this with the wide-band O2 sensor would also quite possibly tell you some good amount of information on the car. Ask a good mechanic. Detonation would be quite noticable on the dyno just as much as timing retard.

DIrEctQL

PS. If knock sensor didn't detect the repeated pre-ignition and retarded the timing and he's still hearing the pinging problem why didn't the sensior rethard the timing to correct the problem somewhat? I mean if he's still hearing it, why? Quite possibily you're giving him bad advice as well. Am I right or am I wrong. All and all, he won't be fixing the problem by himself so he will most likely see someone who can.

Bean

iTrader: (1)

I doubt detonation would be that visible on a dynosheet.

Do a good tuneup; as in replacing the plugs, wires and diagnosing your distributor. But having a bad plug from what I've seen won't CAUSE detonation unless its severely screwing up; as in causing a delay before spark. Plug gaps may need to be checked too

But heavens NO, don't take it to a dyno if youre pinging. That could surely blow the motor sky high. Check your ignition components first starting out with the simplest stuff like plugs and wires.

If its not your ignition system (which it most likely is); make sure your fuel pump is working right; and check the injectors. These fuel components, among others, may be getting whacky at high load and causing a lean condition.

Bean

iTrader: (1)

stock knock sensors usually suck; I'm betting Toyota is in no better boat than Nissan or Mazda

most stock knock sensors will NOT detect pre-detonation at WOT... i'm talking like 99.99% of them

007lexus

Here is more info on my sc: major tuneup done 20k. I know that nothing is loose under the hood cuz this is the first time that I hear this sound. I think it might be a timing issue, cuz at times during take off (from complete stop) the car hesistates but then goes. This hesistation comes and goes only at 0-30mph! I was thinking that the 0w30 oil was the cause. As for gas, I only use Mobil 91 octane(1 octane less wont make that pinging noise??)

As for the oil, it was 1 quart low(could this have been it?)

thanks,

DIrEctQL

Ohhh, so this is why I am currently driving a blown engine, right? Yes, I had bad spark plugs, rotor, and cap and so my engine was detonating. I did a dyno and everything was revealed there. The curve tends to be very jumpy with detonation and major loss of power is thanks to timing retard. I know you guys are thinking about peak dyno run. That's when you hit the gas and go upto the redline. That's not the only thing dyno is good for.

007lexus

Lex,
this was the first time hearing this pinging sound(marbles in a coffee can). You said that the knock sensor would adjust the timing to prevent this, does this sensor info get saved in cars computer? If so will the diagnosistic computer detect this info?

thanks,