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98 Grand Prix GTP Pinging going up hills

sdogg201 said:
Well I own a GTP and know these things have coils but back in the day when it was distributors and points pinging was from the timing when you was advancing until it pinged then turned back to retard it. How many miles are on your car? Do you get on it at all? have you ever checked the timing chain for stretch or the dampener? Like I said before not sure but pinging to me is a timing issue if your timing is off do to wear it would ping and possibly overheat under heavy load as it is working harder and having a timing issue.
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Oh, jeez, I hadn't thought of this. How often have you changed your oil? You said you've owned this car since new - have you taken care of the oil? Because the timing chain is one of the first components of an engine to complain about a lifetime of poopy oil. What I don't know is if a stretchy chain will advance or retard the timing. Someone else will have to chime in on that one.

Still primarily a coolant issue, though.
 


Most of these cars will normally ping when going up large hills. I would go through the cooling system, because you shouldn't even notice a temperature increase even though it does ping.
 
scottydoggs said:
its pinging because its hot as balls, not pinging around town. only up a large hill and then it gets hot. from what i gather from his posts,

and hes got 120,00 its in the his first post.


its a cooling issue for sure.
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Must be something new cause I have seen a lot of overheating cars never heard a ping. Also stated was he can barely make it up the hill he use to "fly up" thats loss of power to me. Like I said Im not saying thats the cause I have seen dampeners go and chains stretch on these cars. I also know on an older vehicle I can make the timeing so off the car wont even barely turn over let a lone start.

As for the cooling Issue if it's pinging under load then overheat then it would be false to say it was because of heat. Now if he was over heating first then pinging I could see it maybe.

The other thing is the dealership would NOT find the problem unless they psychically inspected the chain and dampener

Aslo I had a 1996 Nissan sentra would not go up a hill to save its life it was the timing. I had to advance it was of a bit. The over heating could be a separate issue
 
Sdogg,
Car has 122K miles. Your right about the timing. I know about pinging on carb. cars, timing to advance. It could also be too lead a mixture, but have already replaced the filter and pump. There are knock sensor right? Could it be that? I have not checked or replaced the thermostat.
 
sdogg201 said:
Must be something new cause I have seen a lot of overheating cars never heard a ping. Also stated was he can barely make it up the hill he use to "fly up" thats loss of power to me. Like I said Im not saying thats the cause I have seen dampeners go and chains stretch on these cars. I also know on an older vehicle I can make the timeing so off the car wont even barely turn over let a lone start.

As for the cooling Issue if it's pinging under load then overheat then it would be false to say it was because of heat. Now if he was over heating first then pinging I could see it maybe.

The other thing is the dealership would NOT find the problem unless they psychically inspected the chain and dampener
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Like I said, and we have kinda monitored this a few time. Started climbing 65-70 mph, about 2 miles starts to ping and then temp start shoot up and starts to lose power.
ak
 
awk409ak said:
Sdogg,
Car has 122K miles. Your right about the timing. I know about pinging on carb. cars, timing to advance. It could also be too lead a mixture, but have already replaced the filter and pump. There are knock sensor right? Could it be that? I have not checked or replaced the thermostat.
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Well, do that first. YOU'RE KILLIN' ME, SMALLS! :)
 


ive asked a ton of very relevant questions that have gone un answered so far..........

and im stuck on the cars getting hot, then pinging because its heat soaked and ready to blow a head gasket.
 
I think your cooling issue a a separate animal that is happening under hard loads for sure. The loss of power/pinging is in my opinion the timing chain or dampener. If your overheating and system has no air in it and head gaskets are good etc etc I would assume thermostat. Like I said tho im no expert mechanic but these are what I would check
 
scottydoggs said:
ive asked a ton of very relevant questions that have gone un answered so far..........

and im stuck on the cars getting hot, then pinging because its heat soaked and ready to blow a head gasket.
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I would totally agree here scotty but he stated the pinging starts first under load then overheats. As anyone who has taken super steep uphill rides for a mile or longer knows it makes that engine work like a dog.

Now if it was overheating first to the point of heat soaking the engine then pinging that would be very relevant IMO
 
Just to clarify, Denver is 5280 ft. The top of the pass 11000ft that I used to fly up. Let say we start about 5600ft (near Golden CO.), I'm not even make 6200ft up the pass before it ping and then overheats. I really appreciate everyones help! It not like I haven't had it to a mechanic, I have like three times for this.

ak
 
awk409ak said:
Just to clarify, Denver is 5280 ft. The top of the pass 11000ft that I used to fly up. Let say we start about 5600ft (near Golden CO.), I'm not even make 6200ft up the pass before it ping and then overheats. I really appreciate everyones help! It not like I haven't had it to a mechanic, I have like three times for this.

ak
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".... but no one's checked the thermostat, so I'll start with that next."
 


that dont make sense tho, it should ping when its floored then and at least throw a misfire code, dont ya think. he may have a lazy temp gauge too. reads lower then it really is, bad temp sensor, aka no fans, still dont know if they work or not?

or lots of air in the system or a stuck t stat.
 
awk409ak said:
Just to clarify, Denver is 5280 ft. The top of the pass 11000ft that I used to fly up. Let say we start about 5600ft (near Golden CO.), I'm not even make 6200ft up the pass before it ping and then overheats. I really appreciate everyones help! It not like I haven't had it to a mechanic, I have like three times for this.

ak
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like I said IF and im saying IF it was timing the only way to determine its a loose/stretch chain or bad dampener is a visual inspection. only other way would be hooking it up driving it up the hill and seeing what the timing is doing to see if it actually is faulting enough to make it ping under that load you would have to recreate that condition. The over heating I believe is a separate issue. If it's pinging first then timing if it's pinging after overheating then I would go with what scotty said. The loss of power that you have noticed seems to be would be timing in this case.
 
OK, I'll change the thermostat. The outside temp is correct. The fans I believe are working, I'll check them tonight again. Like I said Sat. it was starting to ping with no increase in temp, because to hill was very long near my home. It seem to only do this when it is under a heavy load, like climbing a hill.

ak
 
scottydoggs said:
that dont make sense tho, it should ping when its floored then and at least throw a misfire code, dont ya think. he may have a lazy temp gauge too. reads lower then it really is, bad temp sensor, aka no fans, still dont know if they work or not?

or lots of air in the system or a stuck t stat.
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it very well could be I would jump the relay see if the fans turn on,test the relay, check Tstat, bleed the system, etc. The pinging if it was bad enough would ping under WOT unless it's just enough that under uphill loads cars work way harder even at half throttle then flat road at WOT. gravity,resistance,and wieght become major factors at this point and even if the stretching is very minimal or dampener is slight worn could really show in that type of environment. My Nissan ran great all the time had really good acceleration untill I wnet to Bisby, AZ, 2 miles of crazy grade (almost like 45 degrees the whole way or more) and I couldn't get past 30MPH. took it to the dealership said nothing was wrong it was a 4cyl what did I expect, and get a tune up. Went to my uncles shop he messed with the distributor a bit we took it up the same hill 60MPH all day and climbed when I put the gas to it.


Also see if they can check the knock sensor as well might be bad scotty did mention knock sensor.
 
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