Fixed my "pinging" issue!!!

[smier]

I just wanted to thank everyone that helped me resolve this issue, I had a really informative thread going that was unfortunately lost when the database crashed.
I had an intermittent "pinging" when under load, it was barely noticable, I doubt if the average person would have even noticed it. But it was slowly getting worse, and really starting to make me nervous. So after all the great advice I decided it was time to pull the plugs and wires and check my timing. Plugs looked great, but I swapped them anyway. My cheapo plug wires however looked like crap, I guess that's what you get when I bought the cheap set from autozone, I bit the bullet this time and put acdelco's back on. Next I decided to check my timing, followed the directions on the sticker on the cowl I discovered my timing was set at 8*, I've read that you can push it to 6* on these TBI motors, but I set it back to the stock 0* and no more "pinging"!!! I still have a tankful of premium to burn off, but I'm hoping I can go back to running regular gas again.
The truck runs great, and seems to shift better. I'm not sure why, but it shifts out of overdrive a little earlier than it used to, and it used to shift up into overdrive a bit too early, and would seem to struggle. Thanks so much for everyones advice, I'm so happy with this truck, it runs as good as our new cars, and makes me feel better about all the $$$$ I've invested in this truck. It also makes me feel better about all the $$$$ I still have to spend on this truck to get it to where I want it!!! Thanks again guys!!!

 

[Jessie James]

Yeah, with the TBI engine you need to unplug the EST wire that connects to the distributor (tan/black) and then set the timing to 0 degrees. Reconnect it and the TBI ECM will handle the rest. You will probably have a lot more more now.

However, it strikes me odd that you could hear the pinging. The knock sensor on the passenger side of the block is supposed to tell the ECM to back off the timing. I would check the knock sensor and be sure it is hooked up and is working properly. With a TBI truck you should never have ping if everything is working right.

 

[smier]

I will check it out, the knock sensor appears to be original, so it may not be functioning as good as when it was new. The "pinging" was very faint and very hard to hear, I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I still had carpet and all the interior panels installed. That and I'm a bit OCD about having my cars run perfectly, I'm the guy you want to buy a vehicle from because sometimes parts get replaced from old age and not from total failure. I would have no problem driving across the country in it if I had to though.
The challenging thing about this truck has been that everything kind of worked for it to run ok, but not great... I was actually debating changing the knock sensor and the ignition control Module, they're really about The only things i havent changed yet besides the ignition coil and the entire distributor. I've learned a lot tinkering with this truck, it's starting to be a fun project again. For a while last year I was beginning to wonder if it was a bad decision keeping it after all the body work it took to get rid of what seemed to be just a little bit of rust... I keep telling myself it's cheaper than buying a new truck, and at least the top comes off!!!

 

[4xcrazy]

I had a pinging issue with my old original 250k mile motor, especially after i took it to Cali with a trailer and brought it back with alot of heavy stuff on it, ran it up to about 250* (cause i didn't have a fan shroud) climbing out of Indio,CA. the big hill climb outta there, the next day i go out and drive around, heard some pinging under acceleration climbing a small hill at about 45mph. I figured it was just old wore out heads/valves, didn't really care as i knew the motor was on it's way out soon anyways. A month later the headgasket gave way..

AND BTW, i HAVE seen a core support sticker on a TBI powered truck that said to set the timing to 4*BTDC. Not sure where that truck was sent to, maybe a Cali truck originally or something, i dunno, i thought it was weird, cause i argued with the dude about it as well, telling him they are set to 0*, until he showed me the sticker.. ah well, wow, weird, but OK i guess..