1993 Chev S10 Blazer, Vortec V-6, 112,800 miles. Engine pings when accelerating. Premium gas helps, but still pings. Octane booster help?
You can put premium and all the octane boost you want in it to mask the symptoms. Or you could spend a lot less money and get a tune-up done. How long has it been since the plugs were replaced? How about blowing out some of the carbon in the throttle body? How’s the air filter?
For about $100 and 2-4 hours of your own labor you can probably solve this problem and save yourself a lot of money instead of giving it to the oil companies for their premium gas.
Here is what I’d do:
- New plugs ($2-3 each)
- New wires ($20-$30)
- Seafoam the Engine ($7)
- Air filter if needed ($8)
- Fuel filter ($8-10)
- Bottle of Seafoam in the gas tank ($7)
But that is just me…
Add to that check the timing, if the timing is adjustable on this truck (I don’t know if it is or not).
When I bought my jeep (1990) it pinged like crazy until I got a timing light. Turned out the PO had timed it without adjusting the idle screw…had it super far advanced.
If the distributor has not been messed with, then I would say that you have a problem in the EGR system.
EGR problems are common and are easily remedied.
FYI. The EGR passes exhaust gas back into the intake. This not only controls NOX emissions but lowers combustion chamber temperatures to prevent pinging.
I agree with OK4450 that the first thing to check is your EGR valve. If it is stuck, it would produce the exact symptoms that you describe.