Pinking

[gingerprince]

Okay, I see quite a few posts of people saying their car is "pinking" when running on cheap fuel, etc. Now, I know that pinking is essentially detonation (fuel exploding before the spark actually ignites it), but how would one recognise the symptoms. Is it a subtle thing or will I know there's something wrong?

Reason is a couple of weeks ago I was running on fresh-air so had to fill with some cheap super (97 RON). All seemed fine, however it'd be nice to know if it's pinking without me being clever enough to notice

[RUSSELLM]

Well, I'm no mechanic, but I've always accociated pinking, as having a little man with a little bell, furious shaking away under your bonnet.

Or a fire alarm going off, 100 yards away

Tee Hee

[Painey]

I always used to wonder what this was until my Griff started making funny noises when I was taking it above 4,000rpm on warm days this summer. Asked Mike at Austec if it was pinking, he asked what it sounded like so I replied "a metallic kind of rattling" and he straight away said "yep that's it". I always run the Griff on Optimax as well so it needs to be looked at methinks.

Hope this helps!

[Tyre Smoke]

Metallic 'rattling' when engine is under load i.e. accelerating away from stationary.

Essentially it's the piston skirts slapping the bores, I believe.

[jessica]

Tyre Smoke said:

Metallic 'rattling' when engine is under load i.e. accelerating away from stationary. Essentially it's the piston skirts slapping the bores, I believe.

"suit you sir"

I must admit my car much prefers Shell to the new BP Ultima.

and pinks like hell on cheap nasty everyday unleaded.

[ricardinho]

Jess, Serves you right for being greedy and getting a 500

Should've got a 450 Mines fine on anything 95-98.

gingerprince, have you tried putting octane booster in? I've heard this can help cure some car's pinking issues. So you could always carry a few bottles with you if your only choice at the pump is 95.

Richard

>> Edited by ricardinho on Thursday 14th October 14:28

[groucho]

Make sure the octane booster is cat friendly though.

Grouch.

[gingerprince]

Cheers all, sounds like it should be relatively easy to spot then! Guess I haven't been "in the pink" so far

Thought about carrying a bottle of Millers along with my tyre-weld, just never got round to it.


Sy

[trooper1212]

Did you ever put playing cards in the spokes of your bike? It sounds like that...

[gingerprince]

trooper1212 said:

Did you ever put playing cards in the spokes of your bike? It sounds like that...

Yes :bmx-ing:

[bennem]

I have a 500 chim which likes to pink on Optimax. Took the thing to a dealer and they fitted a TVR Power "pinking" kit. Which is a valve doda which they bung in the vacuum advance pipe. Have to say it's done the job and the car drives much better with no pinking.... surprisingly enough

[RUSSELLM]

gingerprince said:

trooper1212 said: Did you ever put playing cards in the spokes of your bike? It sounds like that... Yes :bmx-ing:

Must be a young pup,

I had them on me raleigh chopper

[groucho]

bennem said:

I have a 500 chim which likes to pink on Optimax. Took the thing to a dealer and they fitted a TVR Power "pinking" kit. Which is a valve doda which they bung in the vacuum advance pipe. Have to say it's done the job and the car drives much better with no pinking.... surprisingly enough

Mine was pinking on Optimax in the summer. I put some octane booster to a full tank once and it seemed to do the trick. I am really interested in this pinking kit.
Was it expensive? and can you get it anywhere?
A valve doda, I'll have to look that up.

Grouch.

[gingerprince]

RUSSELLM said:

Must be a young pup, I had them on me raleigh chopper

Had a Raleigh Boxer before the BMX In bright yellow!

[loose cannon]

you didnt need playing card's then if you had a boxer
or striker or grifter
get ya ignition timing checked first and go from there