Hi Wes
Engine "knock" or "ping" is generally the result of a fuel whose
properties are insufficient to meet the demands you are placing on your
engine. In order to meet federal and state guidelines regarding
environmental matters, the oil companies are presently marketing nationally
an astonishingly large variety of gasolines. We may tend to think of 3 gas
choices at our local pump however the total number is many times over that
and in the case of some states where emissions regulations vary from one part
of the state to another there are different fuels being sold. Even the time
of year has an influence on the gasoline being sold hence you may buy brand X
87 octaine-rated in winter months in your area and have it perform fine in
your truck only to find it pings like made come the summer months and the
same driving conditions. The refiners adjust their gas to the seasons.
Of course there can be some mechanical problems in your engine that are
manifesting poor performance including some audible ping or knock when under
load even if you are using the best gas you can buy. However, to find out if
you actually have some mechanical problem(s) contributing to ping, try a full
tank of the best premium you can buy and drive normally. If pinging has
disappeared you need look no further. If it has not you have other things
wrong and pinging is just a symptom or warning.
Paul Sahlin
in the San Francisco Bay Area where the greedy oil companies have been
scalping us for 4 straight years with the consistently highest priced gas in
the USA-----brand name 87 regular tonite where I live is $1.79/gal and has
never been below $1.45 in the past 4 yrs
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