*Update on Ping/Pre-Detonation*!

[2000corollaaz]

Well, I posted about a week ago with a ping/poor acceleration problem: the car pings especially bad at 60-70, and when the car is cold, it surges and sometimes you have to push the pedal a ways to get the car to get going, but as soon as it's at operating temperature that problem goes away. But when hot on the freeway is when the ping happens.

So we took my girlfriend's car: 2000 corolla, to her cousin who runs a shop here. He replaced the plugs, hooked up a machine for a fuel system flush and cleaned the map sensor. When we got it back we put in an additive that he gave us and filled up with 89 shell. Overall, car runs a little better, but problems still evident. This was saturday, so today we dropped it off at Toyota. The guy called and said he recommends changing the coolant, thermostat(said it was partially sticking), and a major cleaning of the throttle body(said, it has pretty good buildup).

I am weary of this actually fixing the problem, especially since these two trips combined equal a total of $525. The guy at toyota said he couldn't get it to ping but did notice the hesitation/poor acceleration. Do you guys think this could be it or is toyota just guessing as well?

Thanks in advance,
Mike

[Flashmn]

thermostat(said it was partially sticking)

I wonder if he pulled that from his ass or did he actually test it with boiling water.

[2000corollaaz]

I really hope so, we will be picking up the car this evening. I will post up tomorrow with an update.

Mike

[2000corollaaz]

No change whatsoever, called the guy. He said to give it a couple of days for the "special additive" to start working. I call B.S.

Anyone think it could be the timing belt?

Mike

[Flashmn]

probably not, I think it should have a timing chain.

[retiredat44]

how many tanks of gas did it go through witht he bad ping? maybe you got some bad gas? It happens often... sometimes a gas station will have bad gas, or mislabled, and not tell anyone... it may take a tank of good higher octane gas to clean out the bad gas... Just a thought...

[2000corollaaz]

Originally Posted by retiredat44

how many tanks of gas did it go through witht he bad ping? maybe you got some bad gas? It happens often... sometimes a gas station will have bad gas, or mislabled, and not tell anyone... it may take a tank of good higher octane gas to clean out the bad gas... Just a thought...

It's been going on for at least 10 months.

Also, I just got off the phone with my mechanic(the one I thought we should have used to begin with). But my girlfriend's family has the belief that the dealer will always do the best job. Anyways got off the phone with him, told him all recent repairs, etc. and he is convinced it is probably the knock sensor. Only thing is, he said most of the time that will throw a code, but he has seen it not do it before, so it's possible. Going to take the car to his shop later this evening to take a drive.

Also on a side note, I know some dealers are different but this one Right Toyota, doesn't have a clue. I tried talking to different mechanics and they seemed like they thought I was stupid for asking if they thought the knock sensor was the culprit.

And finally, I don't know much about the timing chains but since it has been pinging for so long, is it possible that the timing chain has been damaged or would it be unaffected?

Thanks,
Mike

[2000corollaaz]

Finally took the car in last week, He couldn't get it to replicate the ping? So for now we'll just keep driving it and one day i'll have to take a drive with him, wasn't able to last week.