Help with my 2.4L's pinging

my 2.4L pings really bad, I have done everything i can think of, spark plugs, plug wires, air and fuel filters, cleaned throttle body, cleaned and checked egr valve and emission system, replaced knock senor, checked timing, have tried all brands and octane of gas, any ideas, truck has 225k

 

Either your plugs are wrong, or the ignition timing is too advanced. What year? Distributor ignition?

If it has a distributor, then your timing adjustment is way off.

 

I have tried several brands of spark plugs, and it has a distributorless ignition, it is a 1999 tacoma 2.4

 

mass airflow sensor. get a code reader

 

Now THIS is interesting.

First things first, go back if you ahve not already to the OEM spec spark plugs so we can rule that out. OEM is Denso, though im partial to NGK plugs. BKR5EYA-11 is the stock for the 2.7, should be for yours too, but just check. They are pre gapped, but be sure to check the gap when you get them. I think its 0.043" but again, double check.

When is this occurring? At idle?

The things that can cause this are like i said usually ignition timing being too advanced, as well it could be too high compression, cam timing being off, and a lean condition.

Your using ECU controlled ignition, so lets leave that for now. High compression is a possibility. Can you look in the combustion chamber when you take the plugs out, how does it look. Carbon buildup on the pistons are the usual culprit, this can be caused by continuous rich combustion, or incomplete combustion from overly lean condition. The rise in compression ration from the decreased cylinder volume is causing detonation before spark. If you can get pics of this, or your old plugs, it will usually tell you.

A lean condition will combust at a faster rate than a rich one, which would act the same as a early ignition.

Youre going to need to get a GOOD scan tool, dont invest in any cheap shit you get at Pepboys. The

$60 Autel AL519 Car OBD2 Scanner, Classic Enhanced Mode 6 Engine Fault Code Reader OBDII CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool, One-Click Smog Check, DTC Lookup, Upgraded of AL319, Lifetime Free Update

Autel AL519 or

$99 AL619 OBD2 Scanner, ABS SRS Airbag Warning Light Scan Tool, Turn Off Check Engine Light Car Diagnostic Tool, 10 OBDII Test Modes, Live Data, Freeze Frame, 2024 Upgraded of ML619 AL519

AL619 are good tools (one has mode $06, one has SRS/ABS coverage). Youre going to need to look at the O2 sensor reading, ignition advance, engine temp. If you could take a video of these while the engine is pinging, it would be a good help.

Also do a compression test.

 

based on your description, its not "pinging" its your valves tapping, have them checked

 

its not the valves for sure only does when taking off

 

did you get a code reader?

 

I do have a code reader, however the check engine light is not on and there are no stored codes

 

Other than the 'pinging', does it start and run OK? Normal acceleration?

If so, it might not be an ignition timing problem, but a broken (plastic) timing chain guide. The old 22R/E motors had these same type guides.
Here is a video that talks about the problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeEb5KvyURI

 

Im not asking so i can get the codes in your computer. im asking cause I would like to know the fuel trims, air intake, and o2 sensor values.

 

what are "knocks/pings"?

 

the truck starts and runs good, no problem there, just bad pinging on acceleration its a 99 2.4 with a distributorless ignition,

 

I vote for changing the MAF sensor but CodeSeven and Caligula know that I'm biased.

 

that's the $$$$$$$$$ million dollar question, I haven't seen a person other then experienced mechanic (not a back yard mechanic) be able to "properly" describe a noise their vehicle is making and because of this they often use words they find on internet they think describes their noise, when in reality it sounds nothing like the term they use.

bottom line is, if we cant hear the noise in person, we cannot rely on the owner choice of words used to describe that noise, which is why noises need to be "heard" and not "described" in order for people to be able to give accurate advice behind pure blind guessing

 

In the vehicles I've owned over the years, pings (preignition) are usually associated with higher temperatures (engine and / or air), lower RPM's and higher loads.

These are not exclusives, but if you said your engine only makes the sound going downhill in the winter when the engine is cold, preignition would not be my first guess.

 

Very true, its one of those things you have to be up next to the engine to hear. The dynamics of the sound and where you are in relation to it make a huge difference. A skilled mechanic will have no problem identifying it first hand.

 

"Sounds like someone put marbles in thum thar cylinders"