I've noticed lately that my truck pings pretty badly when going up hills. I put new 8mm wires, Autolite Platinums, and a Screamin' Demon on it a little over a year ago. Think another dose of Seafoam will help?

 

before that run a tank of 89 or 93 in it

 

Yeah I would suggest running something to clean the carbon buildup. I have an 01 so mine rattles and pings all the time, damn timing chain tensioner (however that is not your problem). Might even want to take the throttle body off and see what it looks like and see if needs a good cleaning, and at the same time take the throttle body cleaner and shoot down into the intake manifold.

Notice any difference with the wires, plugs, and coil pack???

 

I run a container of Lucas fuel system cleaner thru it at every oil change. I cleaned the throttle body, IAC, and MAF a couple of months ago, but I'll check those again.

 

You sound like me trying to keep the engine and truck in good running order.

The way you describe the noise at lower RPMs does suggest piston knocking due to excess carbon buildup, but it could also be a bad tank of gas too. This 10% ethanol crap is garbage. I swear I get better gas mileage and a better running truck when I use straight gas, however that is HARD to come by these days.

 

Mine did that too here and there. I tried seafoam, gas additives and it still continued. I ran 2 tanks of 89 octane in it and it has been good since!

 

Ive been having that problem with my '04 for a while as well, since summer of 2010 is when it started. Right about 2000rpm going up hills it will ping like a mother, but if I press the gas a lil more than it instantly disappears. Tried fuel cleaner, seafoam, new plugs and wires, cleaned maf, iac, throttle body etc. I've read one thing that could work on ford explorers/rangers , but I havent tried this: tightening the bolts on the upper intake manifold. I guess the bolts can loosen over time and lets in way too much air and causing the ping.

I'm not really sure which bolts or where they are located, but if you know what they are it could be worth a shot...lol. If you try it, be careful I think the upper manifold is plastic and easily warped/broken.

Let us know if you figure it out....I'd love to get rid of this rattle.

 

My '04 does the same thing as paganwars. Can ping like crazy at about 3/4 throttle, but floor it, and it goes away.