How to Stop Pinging in a 2000 Nissan Maxima

Iskandar Blogger 3:44 AM

Whether you call it knocking, pinging or detonation, fuel preignition is one of the biggest engine killers out there. In a gasoline engine, the fuel should only ignite when the spark plug triggers the ignition. However, a number of factors, including hot spots in the combustion chamber, can cause the fuel -- especially if it's low octane -- to ignite before the piston reaches the apex of its travel. This uncontrolled combustion can quickly melt spark plugs and pistons alike, ultimately resulting in a forlorn phone call to Triple-A.

Instructions

    1

    Locate the engine's knock sensor and unplug it. This sensitive acoustic sensor listens to the engine for signs of knocks. Upon detecting knocks, the sensor tells the computer to reduce ignition timing and send the car into "limp home" mode before any serious damage occurs. If the engine knocks without triggering a "check engine" light, then the knock sensor has probably gone bad.

    2

    Connect a multi-meter to the terminals on the sensor plug and set the multi-meter to read resistance in Ohms. An inactive sensor is a nearly-open circuit, and should return a very high reading in Ohms; a low Ohm reading indicates a bad sensor, but compare the reading to your reference material to be sure.

    3

    Remove and replace the knock sensor according to the instructions given in your repair manual. At this point, you've still only solved half of the problem. The new knock sensor will tell the computer that the engine is experiencing detonation, but you still need to address the cause of the detonation. Disconnect the battery for five minutes to clear any stored codes, then start the car and test drive it to see if the "check engine" light illuminates.

    4

    Take the car to your local chain auto parts store or dealer and have them plug a scanner into the car's OBD-II port to read the error codes. At this point, the scanner will point you in the right direction in terms of repair. Consider replacing the spark plugs, switching to a higher octane fuel and "seafoaming" the engine. Seafoaming involves introducing a solvent into the intake system to dissolve carbon build-up in the engine; enter the term into your favorite Internet search engine and follow any one of the many tutorials you'll find.