pinking
- Thread starter acerboo
- Start date
had similar with my 2.5si (both are N52 engines) only heard very few times, and as you say up hill slow and under load.
Try to replicate in front of dealer no chance, I am currently trying Shell V-Power to compare cost/mpg but to be honest have forgotten about pinking as havent heard for months.
Try to replicate in front of dealer no chance, I am currently trying Shell V-Power to compare cost/mpg but to be honest have forgotten about pinking as havent heard for months.
peartreeproductions
Member
I have the 2.5si and had my car in with the dealer this week for exactly the same problem. My car only does it very briefly under load,not continuously up a hill. The head mechanic said it is nothing to worry to about unless it is prolonged and that all these engines do it.
I use vpower always and it doesnt make a difference to mine.
I use vpower always and it doesnt make a difference to mine.
An engine can ping (or pink....) because the combustion process is incorrect in some way. A ‘spark knock’ is the result of combustion occurring too early. In a properly-firing cylinder, the flame front starts on one side of the piston and burns across the top to the other side, which creates a rapid and evenly-expanding gas that pushes down on the top of the piston.When the combustion process occurs too early, there is a random explosion in multiple locations on top of the piston; when this occurs, the flame front inside the cylinder collides with itself and does not burn evenly. An ignition timing that is too far advanced from the proper specification will create a spark knock because the combustion is initiated too early. So it's worth getting the ignition timing checked.
An engine can ping because it is too hot; this is another uneven combustion scenario that is caused by the air-to-fuel mixture ‘lighting off’ by itself. If the cooling system does not keep the engine's combustion chamber temperature in check, the air-to-fuel mixture will begin to spontaneously explode. This is also called ‘pre-ignition.’ Check the engine temperature when pinging starts to see if this has risen abive the 'norm'. A coolant flush and fresh coolant may well restore to normal operating temperatures and reduce the potential for pinging.
In addition to cooling system problems, pinging can be caused by improper petrol octane, an overly lean air-to-fuel mixture. Tesco fuels seems to create the most problems and whilst it might be cheper its worth using quality fuels with a 95 RON or above.
When an engine pings, it releases pollution into the environment in the form of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and raw, unburned hydrocarbons (HCs). These two chemicals are poisonous gases that show up as yellowish-brownish in a polluted sky.
An engine can ping because it is too hot; this is another uneven combustion scenario that is caused by the air-to-fuel mixture ‘lighting off’ by itself. If the cooling system does not keep the engine's combustion chamber temperature in check, the air-to-fuel mixture will begin to spontaneously explode. This is also called ‘pre-ignition.’ Check the engine temperature when pinging starts to see if this has risen abive the 'norm'. A coolant flush and fresh coolant may well restore to normal operating temperatures and reduce the potential for pinging.
In addition to cooling system problems, pinging can be caused by improper petrol octane, an overly lean air-to-fuel mixture. Tesco fuels seems to create the most problems and whilst it might be cheper its worth using quality fuels with a 95 RON or above.
When an engine pings, it releases pollution into the environment in the form of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and raw, unburned hydrocarbons (HCs). These two chemicals are poisonous gases that show up as yellowish-brownish in a polluted sky.
thanks for those comments, the car has only done 12000miles and is not getting hot, have filled it 3 times with v power and its still doing it but as i say only going slow uphill, still worried it might cause damage long term. its no good dealers saying they all do it because from a technical point of view there is something wrong that needs correcting. i also have a rattling clutch and looking on the forum it seems it could be a gearbox problem, anyway its going back to the dealer this week for a second investigation but and this is where the forum is so useful it helps to know others have similar problems. when you tell the dealers this they seem less willing to just dismiss problems. i recently was advised on another forum to check the boost pipe on my diesel as they are prone to leaking, when i checked sure enough it was leaking, took it to dealer said others had the problem, no trouble came away with new one fitted, amazing the difference in performance, but over time i hadnt noticed how it had dropped off. same with z4, perhaps if this pinking can be resolved the car may perform even better.
Are you sure it isn't a top end rattle like a Lazy hydraulic lifters? My car (3.0i) makes a very quiet pink like noise when at low throttle facing uphill also. Im pretty sure that the oil-pressure in the tappets/lifters is low. My old VX220 did this also and adding a touch of oil to the 'Max' helped. Make sure that your oil level is nice and high and see if it persists...
It shouldn't ping/k because it has knock sensors to prevent that, and then the O2 sensors and all the other gubbins should prevent it happening too.
Even on poor fuel it should adapt and retard the ignition.
Ie, it's either a mechanical problem (valve!?), an electronic one (sensors), or just a trait.
I'd try drive another one, or two. It is often the best way to determine a "TADS"
Dave
Even on poor fuel it should adapt and retard the ignition.
Ie, it's either a mechanical problem (valve!?), an electronic one (sensors), or just a trait.
I'd try drive another one, or two. It is often the best way to determine a "TADS"
Dave
dealer said clutch rattle is a problem being investigated by bmw at the moment so if you have this get to your dealer and insist its looked at. "they dont all do it"!! as far as the pinking is going not getting very far with this one. its worse in sport mode and worse in normal mode with unleaded. dont intend to give up until its cured.
My previous Si COupe used to do this, only really noticable during the summer months wth windows open driving through country lanes. I didn`t see it as an issue, and never got it looked at. I would assume if it was a problem it would show up during a service when the diagnostics were run (errors checked). I ran the car on 98 Ron always except once when I was forced to use 95 Ron due to availability. When I did that the car actually hessitated when in pinked. On 98 ron it still pinked but with no hessitation.
The M doesn`t many any such noises
The M doesn`t many any such noises
giorgiozeta
New member
Hi acerboo...hello everybody!
I found your forum surfing in the web looking for informations about this problem: even my 2006 3.0Si roadster (only 12000 km) pinks uphill driving slow and loading gas: it's a very light rattle and I hear it at about 1800-2500 rpm not continuosly.
V-power 100 octane reduces a lot the noise but it doesn't desappear at all.
Some other Italian 3.0Si dirver hears it and reading this discussion I begin to believe they all do that...it only depends on which roads do we drive and how attentive (or paranhoic :roll: ) we are.
Anyway next week I will take the Z at BMW for this problem (they already tried to say it's normal but I want an electrical diagnosis) and for two others
- irregular idling speed (which could be related to pinking and alimentation problems)
- sometimes slow lighting time of my left Xenon
P.S. here is my car !
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/6208/pict0166b.jpg
I found your forum surfing in the web looking for informations about this problem: even my 2006 3.0Si roadster (only 12000 km) pinks uphill driving slow and loading gas: it's a very light rattle and I hear it at about 1800-2500 rpm not continuosly.
V-power 100 octane reduces a lot the noise but it doesn't desappear at all.
Some other Italian 3.0Si dirver hears it and reading this discussion I begin to believe they all do that...it only depends on which roads do we drive and how attentive (or paranhoic :roll: ) we are.
Anyway next week I will take the Z at BMW for this problem (they already tried to say it's normal but I want an electrical diagnosis) and for two others
- irregular idling speed (which could be related to pinking and alimentation problems)
- sometimes slow lighting time of my left Xenon
P.S. here is my car !
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/6208/pict0166b.jpg
giorgiozeta
New member
Hello...I went to the dealer: obviously no error code and the tester didn't notice anything driving.
So I will keep on using V-power and listening the radio.
First time I can I want to drive another Z or a 130i...I'm nearly sure they all do that while not all the drivers hear it.
This week for example I had for a couple of day an Audi A3 2.0 FSI (no turbo): it pinked like a pig!
My friend Alfa 147 1.6 does the same and my ex girlfriend Golf 1.6 16v didi it too.
So I will keep on using V-power and listening the radio.
First time I can I want to drive another Z or a 130i...I'm nearly sure they all do that while not all the drivers hear it.
This week for example I had for a couple of day an Audi A3 2.0 FSI (no turbo): it pinked like a pig!
My friend Alfa 147 1.6 does the same and my ex girlfriend Golf 1.6 16v didi it too.
giorgiozeta
New member
Hi guys...my Z still works great but pinks too.
Anyway yesterday I finally drove a 130i: same engine and same identical electronic maps: driven in the same conditions of mine it pinks exactly the same !!! It has only 5000 km and always used 95 Ron.
The driver (brother of a friend of mine) never noticed that...
News about your pigs?
See you...
Anyway yesterday I finally drove a 130i: same engine and same identical electronic maps: driven in the same conditions of mine it pinks exactly the same !!! It has only 5000 km and always used 95 Ron.
The driver (brother of a friend of mine) never noticed that...
News about your pigs?
See you...