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The ol' beetle and the dreaded pinging!

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bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#782326
Gah! i need to vent...

the amount of vw's i see around here chuggin around with a screaming ping is rediculous! Its so common that people treat it as if its meant to be the 'norm', so much so this dirt racing computer game where you select a mean as baja has the pinging vw engine sound screaming in the whole game.

ITS ENOUGH TO DRIVE ME MAD!
After seeing the cheesed pistons i pulled out of a stock 1600 sp 12 months ago, sheesh.

You try to tell them, and so far all i have recieved was a wierd eye. (queer fella from Burleigh in a white super bug, customer of a friends dad getting panel work done)

ah well... 🙁
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782386
Hi Chris

well I have never heard a PING...
that I know of... lol

I would like someone to show Me what it sounds like....

as I wouldn't like to have it in My engine...

although 95RON is usually enough to stop it...
from what I have read..??

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782406
Hi Lee

It sounds like steel ball bearings getting shock up in a tin can.

I had pinging in the 1904 I built for my sons car, turned out that the crank pulley or the crank was 6 degrees out after I did a lock stop check, Scat pulley & Chinese crank.

Steve

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782431
A stock VW engine - with 7.3:1 compression - shouldn't ping on 91 octane, let alone on 95. If it does, there's something wrong.

Rebuilt engines could have modified (ie flycut) heads, which would reduce the combustion chamber size, and hence raise the compression ratio. Likewise, bigger than stock cylinders, and/or a stroker crank, will also raise the compression ratio. A properly built VW engine (stock or modified) should have the heads CCd, the deck height measured, and the CR calculated and checked, at the first assembly stage.

If you have a nice conservative CR and it still pings, then you probably have too much ignition advance.

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#782445
Phil74Camper wrote:A stock VW engine - with 7.3:1 compression - shouldn't ping on 91 octane, let alone on 95. If it does, there's something wrong.

Rebuilt engines could have modified (ie flycut) heads, which would reduce the combustion chamber size, and hence raise the compression ratio. Likewise, bigger than stock cylinders, and/or a stroker crank, will also raise the compression ratio. A properly built VW engine (stock or modified) should have the heads CCd, the deck height measured, and the CR calculated and checked, at the first assembly stage.

If you have a nice conservative CR and it still pings, then you probably have too much ignition advance.
Well said Phill
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782581
1303Steve wrote:Hi Lee

It sounds like steel ball bearings getting shock up in a tin can.

I had pinging in the 1904 I built for my sons car, turned out that the crank pulley or the crank was 6 degrees out after I did a lock stop check, Scat pulley & Chinese crank.

Steve

YIKES..

I don't think I've ever heard that in My VW engine.... lol

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#782584
Hi guys, yea i told the lad at the shop to check teh timing, cause it was a stock donk from what he said.

there was a pink bug at the shopping centre ringing throughout the whole car park too... last week.
and yesterday a white one with the same issue. sigh.

Their cars, they can do whateva they want. its just a shame.

Lee i will see if i can find an example on youtube. if u hear it, u will know it.
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782589
Hi

Its sometimes called pinking

Steve

chippy Slammed & Awesome Dubber

94 posts · joined Jan 2010 ·

#782671
A beetle will usually have slight tappet noise ...thats the nature of the beast. But not pinging ....If it is pingning something is wrong. I would suggest a timing check! :S
cheers
Chippy 😀

type3lover in the garage...

796 posts · joined Feb 2005 ·

#782752
Also called detonation. To be avoided at all costs or it will cost you!

Usually the engine needs to be under a fair load before this is likely so I'm curious to hear what you mean.

There is that classic "pingy" sounding noise from some Vw's with pea shooter exhausts. I've never been a real fan either if that's what you mean 😁
.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782756
1303Steve wrote:Hi

Its sometimes called pinking

Steve
I haven't seen that written for a long Time... Steve....

Showing Your age there...

or You have some really old books... lol

LEE

[I wonder how pinking ended up being Pinging??]
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

waveman1500 Also rides a Honda

1,346 posts · joined Dec 2009 ·

#782759
My old Type 3 wagon used to ping like a machine gun up every hill on 98 octane. I retarded the timing as much as I could, which only made the car slower, but no matter what I did to it I could never stop the poor thing from pinging. Someone must have done something wrong the last time they had the engine apart, but thankfully it never blew up on me! Those VW engines are built strong!
1972 VW S-Bug - For Sale!
1968-onwards Beetle panels and glass for sale

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782762
i PROBABLY COULDN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TAPPETS AND PINGING/PINKING... LOL

You may have had too much compression... with the type 3..

the 1500S imported engines had High Compression engines back in the 60's..

Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782781
Lee the 1500S was made here. It was the 1600TS Fastback that was imported. They used to have domed pistons to increase the CR slightly. Remember that in the '60s, our leaded super petrol was less than 95 octane. A 1600 that pings on 98, even with retarded ignition, has something seriously wrong.

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#782820
Yea i'm pretty sure it wasn't the pea shooter noise, because i never hear it on all the other bugs with pea shooters that i have seen at shows, and u would assume if it was a show car at a show the owner would certainly prioritise a solution if it was a ping (because if theu restored a car i would assume they would know it inside and out).

I never heard it been called a pinking before lol. I'm not old enough i guess haha. I'm going to use that term though, just to trip out all the young ricers lol.

I mainly only see L bugs and superbugs up my way, and they are the ones that have been singing the pinking tone. Well what i think is pinking lol. Not all of them, but more than a few, but when its 150metres across teh car park and u hear it loud and clear, its sad 🙁. I'm not going to blame the drivers though, they might not be aware of what its suppose to sound. Naturally all aspects of a vw is meant to be different to the common car, one would assume its jsut the 'state' of what it is i guess. Thats if i got teh right diagnosis of the sound, but i swear its got to be pinging lol.


I have had bad experiences iwth pinging on other engines etc. And when the dub is changing gears, whilst not under load with the clutch in, it ain't doing its pingin, then they have the gear and clutch engaged, and put the foot down again, off it pings etc... I'm pretty sure it is. Best if i had one of you guys to confirm if u were around lol.

I would imagine young guns buying these cars would mistakenly assume the maintenance procedure to be the same as a modern day car. I would have if it was the first vehicle i ever jumped in. I dunno... who knows! lol.
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#782898
Pinging is a common term, well at lease with every one I know. Usually caused by poor fuel, low RON, too much advance in timing and probably one of the more common causes "high head temperature".
do you know what a victor 2 stroke sound like while idling? well that high pitch "ping""ping""ping" sound is actually pinging. 2 stoke ping as its a natural part of their design, well at least the old ones.

Btw hello every one. I'm new here 😵‍💫

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782921
Detonation is when a petrol engine runs like a diesel, therefore it starts to make a diesel noise. More like a cold diesel engine when it's quite loud and rattly. Some people have described it as the sound of billiard balls hitting together.

An old engine with a lot of blow-by will ping / knock easier.

2 strokes don't ping at idle.
Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

type3lover in the garage...

796 posts · joined Feb 2005 ·

#782933
Detonation (pinging, pinking) is uncontrolled burning of the compressing combustion mixture...kind of like an explosion (as compared to a perfectly timed burn that normally happens) that occurs before the piston is at the top of its travel and is very bad for any engine.

Dieselling is different...also referred to as pre-ignition. Hot spots in the combustion chamber such as glowing carbon buildup cause the mixture to ignite before the spark occurs.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. It's happened before 😂
.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#782935
Yes preignition is different.. or run-on..

when carbon etc is hot enough to ignite the fuel mixture..

used to happen a lot to VWs... run-on..
when the engine is very hot...

that is why VW fitted the electromagnetic control valve on the solex carbies...
so, once the key is turned off...
there is no fuel to keep the engine going...
so, it stops..

LEE


type3lover wrote:Detonation (pinging, pinking) is uncontrolled burning of the compressing combustion mixture...kind of like an explosion (as compared to a perfectly timed burn that normally happens) that occurs before the piston is at the top of its travel and is very bad for any engine.

Dieselling is different...also referred to as pre-ignition. Hot spots in the combustion chamber such as glowing carbon buildup cause the mixture to ignite before the spark occurs.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. It's happened before 😂
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#782959
type3lover wrote:Detonation (pinging, pinking) is uncontrolled burning of the compressing combustion mixture...kind of like an explosion (as compared to a perfectly timed burn that normally happens) that occurs before the piston is at the top of its travel and is very bad for any engine.

Dieselling is different...also referred to as pre-ignition. Hot spots in the combustion chamber such as glowing carbon buildup cause the mixture to ignite before the spark occurs.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. It's happened before 😂

You got that spot on.

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#783007
I made the comparison to give people an idea of the sound. Pre-ignition is sometimes referred to dieseling when the engine runs on after the key is turned off, but it is a misleading term. A diesel engine does not run by a pre-ignition method of combustion. A diesel is closer to a detonation combustion, but the rate of the detonaton is controlled by the rate of the fuel being fed into the detonating cylinder.

The sound of a cold diesel engine is similar to a knocking petrol engine. When a diesel is cold more fuel gets into the engine before it detonates, giving a more pronounced knocking noise.
Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,476 posts · joined Jun 2004 ·

#783178
just found these on my computer. should help the discussion

2 attachments · Log in to view

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#783443
here is a perfect example. took me an hour to find this as all other videos on tube were people mistaking rod bearing for ping/detonation.



Also this might be usefull, using a knock headset. Like a stethoscope for engines.


71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE