So when I step on the gas harder in most any gear, the pistons ping. Not too loud but I hear it. What could cause this? I will give it a tune up and see if that helps. What else?

Thanks.

 

Not the pistons, but it reads like you are getting Pre-ignition/self ignition often called pinging and/or Knocking

What makes the noise is that the air/fuel mix in a cylinder is self igniting before spark plug can ignite it, and it either ignites in several places or spark plug ignites some of the mix just after it self ignites in another place.
So there are at least TWO explosions inside the same cylinder, the two wave fronts of the two explosions collide and make that pinging/knock noise
This collision also makes cylinder very very HOT, so it can melt pistons and valve.

Diesel engines run on self ignition, no spark plugs, but they are built to withstand the wave fronts colliding, this is why Diesel engines sound "pingy"

Cause for pinging in a gas engine is HEAT.
Regular gasoline is 87 Octane, Octane is a HEAT rating
87 Octane will self ignite at a lower HEAT than 89 Octane, and 89 Octane will self ignite at a lower HEAT than 91 octane, ect....

And there are few things that can make a previously "no ping" engine become a pinging engine.
First is "new" gas station with GREAT PRICES, lol, 87 octane is the lowest legal limit, but..............

Is engine running warmer than usual, instead of just below 1/2 on temp gauge, is it at 1/2 now.

1993 Ranger 3.0l has a distributor and adjustable spark timing, you need to set Base Spark Timing or at least check it
You need a timing light and to find your SPOUT connector
Unplug SPOUT JUMPER
See what Base Timing is

3.0l will have a Remote Mounted TFI module, it is on the rad support, usually by the battery, but not always, SPOUT connector is near that module on its wiring harness, just a grey connector you unplug

Base timing should be 10 deg BTDC, you can move it to 12 deg BTDC which will have less pinging, and less power


Compression is HEAT, 3.0l has higher compression ratio, which will make it a "pingy" engine if everything is not perfect.
If engine was running Rich(poor MPG) for awhile it will get carbon build up inside the cylinders, this INCREASES compression, and will make engine ping

When you change spark plugs look at their tips, if you see a black coating then you HAVE carbon build up.

EGR system, if you have one, then it MUST BE WORKING.
EGR(exhaust gas re-circulation) is used to keep cylinders cooler, especially when accelerating.
When cylinders get too hot, NOX emissions get very very high, toxic gas, so EGR system was added to cool cylinders to keep NOX level down.
As a GOOD side effect the EGR also prevents pinging, so Rangers with EGR systems are programmed for spark timing that is more aggressive for better power than non-EGR Rangers
If EGR is not working then you would get pinging.
If you have EGR then clean out the tube and valve and make sure it is working


For now you can try running 89 Octane, to stop the pinging, may have to go to 91 Octane

 

Thanks sir, helps a lot. What does the EGR valve look like? And how do you check if it's working?