There are places in the Phillipines that get up to 110 F? Most places I've seen in the tropics don't even get up to 100F. (places that aren't deserts) Now you're really making me want to go there...

I'm not too good with computer controlled vehicles as there are too many things that can go wrong and very hard to diagnose. Instead of a distributer my truck uses this pos coil pack that the plug wires go to. I just don't want to just start replacing parts, but rather know for sure if they are really bad. Do you know if there is a way to check if the coil pack is working correctly, and a way to check the EGR sensor and/or valve for proper operation?

I would very much like to sell it but I still would like to at least try to fix the pinging problem, I'm going to try all the inexpensive options that I found on the computer. Tomorrow I'm going to run the Seafoam through a vacumm line on the upper intake manifold to see if this does anything. The can of Seafoam only cost me $5.44. I'd hate to cover up the pinging problem by running 93 octane just to sell it. I'd feel too guilty by doing this. This isn't the kind of person that I am. Also if I can cure the problem thats just more money that I can get for it.

As for the other minor problems I don't plan on fixing those before I try to sell it.

(FORD THE FIRST VEHICLE-THE WORST VEHICLE )

I worked on the so called truck this past weekend. Did an oil change on it Saturday, Sunday put on new radiator hoses, flushed the cooling system and put new antifreeze in it. Put a low temp. thermostat in it also. This was one of the so called cheap fixes to cure the pinging problem, but of course it didn't work. I normally run a low temp. thermostat in it when the weather gets hot and sticky. But I put it in a little bit sooner to try to see if it would help the pinging problem.

After I put the low temp. stat. in it I fiqured I would try the 87 octane. Still pings pretty bad

On my way home from work today I had to go up this big hill and it was pinging so bad I just felt like gearing down two gears and nail the go pedal, and hopefully grenade the engine. That's how bad it was pissing me off, but you know I can't do that because this is my only transportation right now.

Yep! I'm here to tell ya! I've been all over there - Subic, Olongapo city, Manila, Cebu, San Fernando, Baguio, Angeles, etc...

It gets so hot and humid over there that 'crotch rot' is common. ( a bad heat rash near the family jewels).

It gets so hot over there sometimes that you don't even want to have sex with the local honey's - Now that's a bad sitiation!!

I'm not good with electronics either, That's why my K5 has none. I can do any quick fix to get me going ( almost any ). The only electronics in this thing has is the HEI coil module and that's easily replaced for about $80.00.

Maybe you should post a new thread with this. I'm sure folks like 'blackchevy', 'guyonmob', or 'malberg' would be able to help you with this info.

I recently found out that you can buy one of those cheap (?) ( $600.00 ) plug-in engine code readers will not work on any other model car that the one specific model you buy it for!  Talk about a rigged rip off!

Can you tell where it's coming from on the engine ? Maybe it's a bad lifter ?

One other cheap diagnostic tool you can buy is an automotive stethoscope ( at most large auto parts stores )- although some mechanics use a long screwdriver put right up to their ear ( the handle side ). This way you can isolate what part of the engine the noise is coming from. Just watch out you don't get snagged by a fan belt or other moving parts while doing this.

You sure it's coming from the engine and not from something else like a brake caliper ? or exhaust ? - Does it do it all the time or only when it gets hot ? - just some ideas.

In the field I work in - technical, - the better techs ask each other questions, sometimes stupid sounding questions, that we may not have thought of at the time, but we don't get offended, or think that one person is more intelligent than the next. We just bounce ideas off each other. - I've had days where I go too far in daignosing a problem, when it's something simple that I just didn't happen to think of. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes will solve the problem for you - I've had other techs walk up to a problem I thought was complex and say "Hey, there's your problem!" - Oh, Sh*t! - I say! - It happens to all of us at one time or another. Usually when you start to go into operational theory (getting deep) - it's time to go back to square one and see if you missed something. - I'm sorry to go off on a tangent there dude!

Computer stuff sucks, if it were a pre-computer vehicle I'd have it fixed in no time.

Don't get me wrong but I love the old point type ignition systems on the good old Chevy's. But when GM went with the HEI electronics this was a job well done.

Before I get off of the computer tonight I will post a new thread for the electronics.

That's way too much money that I would want to spend for a code reader. 

Speaking of rigged ripoff, Bill Ford or whatever the idiots name is probalbly designed the freaking thing.

It doesn't do it when the engine is idiling. The engine will make the noise when under a slite load or heavy load, it doesn't matter if you going down hill, up hill or flat road driving.

It's definately coming from the engine, and only does it after the engine has reached normal operating temp.

I've talked to alot of people about the problem, and I've heard all kinds of stuff that it could be.

I know what you are saying about a fresh set of eyes. It's like  having a hard time getting a hard to get on part and you ask your friend to try it and he gets it on in no time.

I've had very few things in the past defeat me, but this pinging thing is getting the best of me.

I don't know what it is but everytime I can't fiqure something out, I'll give up and take it to an ASE Certified Mechanic and they won't have a clue on what is causing the problem. If they can't fix the problem they shouldnt be a *** mechanic.

I almost forgot to tell you, but where I live we have a bad squirrel problem. I see them every now and then climbing up into the engine compartment. In the past they have chewed on a plug wire, took the insulation of another wire and chewed on the battery blanket or whatever the heck that thing is. From time to time I look around the engine to make sure they haven't chewed on anything else. I can't always see everywhere around the engine, but try to make sure everything is hooked up right. The little *** even hide peanuts under the hood in varius places on the engine that people hand feed them. I thought of putting a rat trap under the hood to kill the little F*&$#@*. I talked to a guy across the street and he said they chewed up his wiring harness twice.

I'll ask my kid about it. Ya never know, he might have run into this sort of problem.

He was a mechanic, but got sick of how that business is run and gave it up. He loves the mechanical work just not how every employer tries to 'screw the mechanic' out of his pay by setting hourly rates and other restrictions. If you get an especially difficult job one day, it's common to go over your alloted time and end up workin all day for little or no pay! They sort of do mechanics like they do salesmen- if you don't sell nothing, you and your family go hungry!

Makes for a very dog-eat-dog and unhappy work environment in that field. That's just how this screwed up industry works now - the dealers and owners love it, of course! They get free work done on a regular basis - You over-charge the customer, and don't have to pay the mechanic for his hard work!

Thanks, let me know what he says.

I understand what you are talking about the mechanic thing. I used to work on cars back in the  80's to early 90's and had enough of the Bull*%#*. I hate working on other peoples vehicles anymore. Other than the Ferd I enjoy working on old Chevy's and  helping my friends out with their cars or trucks. To me its one of my hobbies.

A small dumb question.

Have you taken out the spark plugs and checked that one hasent broken off inside the cylinder? i had a 300 inline 6 made by ferd and had a chattery sound in the engin and found one of the spark plugs had lost its porciline ends on the inside when i got this out it stopped making racket and ran just fine

i dunno just a thought?

I don't think it's a dumb question. When I put new plugs in a vehicle I usually take them out at least once a year to check there condition and to regap them. All the plugs appear to be in excellent condition. I'm the kind of person to do regularly schedule maintenance as for tune-ups, oil changes and preventive maintenance. Thanks for your input on my situation.

Have you checked your fuel filter?

Have you ran a bottle of injector cleaner through it?

Your EGR system will just make your engine run rich when it takes a dump and should not make a your engine detonate.

How many miles are on your truck?

Fuel filter is fine, I change it out every 30,000 miles just like the owners manual says.

I run fuel injecter cleaner in it every three months.

Well it must be good because I believe my engine is running too lean by looking in the end of the tail pipe. I've never had a tailpipe that was this spotless, no black soot whatsoever.

Every vehicle that I have owned always had a sooty tailpipe and they all ran great with no knocking or pinging.

When the truck started the pinging it had about 40,000 miles on it, now it has 113,000 miles.

I have always kept up with routine maintenance, as for oil changes, tune-ups and preventive maintenance on all of my vehicles.

This problem is definately a Ford thing as I've read of many other people are having the same problem as I am.

This is my first Ford and will be the last Ford that I will ever own. ( FORD THE FIRST VEHICLE AND THE WORST VEHICLE )

Have you though of adjusting the valve lash on the rockers ? That will give you more of a chattering noise if you have one or more out of range. I'd try to isolate the problem more by locating what part of the engine the noise is loudest from.

The 'lean symptom' may be your biggest indicator. I don't think I've ever seen an exhaust that was not sutty either, other than in the case of a new exhaust.

- just a few more ideas.