My car pinks a lot, especially when cold. I can't do 30-40mph in fourth gear without the engine pinking, I need to go upto about
32/33mph in 3rd. It really needs working hard and pinks on hills, and usually when I pull away when it's cold.My car's a V reg 899cc Fiat Seicento and has done 35,000 miles. I always use branded petrol, usually BP, and I can't change the ignition timing.
Is this normal or are there ways to stop it?
I suggest Shell Optimax and an "italian service" i.e foot down/high revvs for a 100 miles @least (service starts after 5 miles when water and oil are warm)
Higher octane fuel should help - Shell Optimax, Super unleaded at other places. AFAIK normal unleaded is 95RON, Super is 97 and Optimax is 98. That said, the car shouldn't be pinking on normal 95RON fuel unless the manual specifies that better fuel should be used. Another cause could be that the Seicento isn't geared to do 30 in 4th, which could be likely with that 900cc engine (50 horses?). Or that something's borked of course.
Something's borked.
It's the pinking when cold bit that sounds odd
I have tried Optimax, and BP Greener unleaded, but I can't remember a difference. I'll probably give it another go.
The has short gearing and does do 30mph in 4th. I believe the engine is 39bhp :-D
It's only because it labours more.
One of the things I've thought about is the spark plugs and ignition leads. The spark plugs are only a few months old so I'm only going to check the gaps but I'm thinking about replacing the ignition leads.
I'm going to give Shell Optimax another go too.
It did it today when I was doing about 23mph in 2nd gear going up a hill, that's probably near maximum torque (3000rpm) on my engine too.
From my experience it's almost impossible to get pinking on a cold or warm engine, it has to be hot. In fact if it was pinking at cold then it would be horrendous when hot. It sounds more like piston slap to me, that's usually worse when cold and sounds a bit like pinking, especially on a small engine..
Donks don't labour more when cold.
Get Fiat to look at it!
No, the labouring is fine. I've always found that cold engines don't perform as good. What's weird is that I can labour it quite badly without the engine pinking! It's even weirder though when I go along a poorly maintained (slightly bumpy), striaght road, doing 30mph in
4th, and I get pinking.
Labouring an engine is never good news! But I think you're mistaking what labouring is and sounds like, and perhaps what pinking sounds like. Your Siecento is designed for 95 RON and it does not need any higher rating fuel to perform, it won't pink on 95 RON unless it's knackered, or you're mistaken about the noise it's making and what it's doing.
One would hope that your car isn't especially worn given the mileage.
Perhaps you need to record the noise it makes.
Go-on then i will ask the dumb ass questions..
What does a *pinking* sound sound like?>
" " " labouring sound sound like?
and what is piston slap [redlight district rqd?] and whats that sound like?
Little ends?
Rob Graham
It's possible, I'm starting to wonder whether it is pinking. I definately know what labouring sounds like but the pinking doesn't sound like any other pinking I've heard. My dad tells me it's pinking and he knows a bit about cars, he's blown two pistons due to pinking! I really can't describe the noise though. Could it be the injector making a weird noise?
I suppose it's like a (VERY) small/quiet popping noise, about 2/second when it happens. It usually happens when under load.
It'll be tricky to get a good mp3 as there's always other louder noises around (unless lifes truly about to go wrong in which case switching off is going to make more sense than running for a microphone ) but anyway I'll try & look silly
Pinking literaly goes "inck inck inck inck inck" with the emphasis on the c labouring goes burrgg & sounds like your Dad driving uphill in 5th piston slap varies dependent on the car but it's more unk unk unk than ink ink ink. It's also worse when cold
Doesn't sound like pinking to me. Pinking is a tinkly/rattly sound
How does one solve piston slap then? Methinks that I might have that too. Only happens when car is very cold. Usually after 1/4 mile. Sounds like a metallic woodpecker down there in the engine bay, Volvo 400, 14 years old,
1.7 engine with 85k on the clock. I have used one of those valve cleaner type liquids - you know, warm engine - pour 50ml into each plug hole, leave for 20 mins, cover/fill holes with cloths, turn engine for 10 secs and cover yerself with oil and then drive for 3 miles with a wall of smoke behind you (only joking with the last bit). Once warm the car is fine and the noise only happens for a hundred yards or so. It is intermittent - so garage and me can't get it to produce the sound on order.
around (unless lifes truly about to go wrong in which case switching off is going to make more sense than running for a microphone ) but anyway I'll try & look silly
ink ink. It's also worse when cold
The usual advice for piston slap is to ignore it if it goes away when the engine has warmed up and you're not burning oil either. To fix it means new pistons & rings, possibly a rebore (more likely not), but it could just be that 'they all do it'. The noise is from the piston skirt hitting the cylinder wall when it rocks at the top and bottom of the stroke due to excessive clearance. As the piston heats it expands and takes up most of the free play and the noise quietens down.
around (unless lifes truly about to go wrong in which case switching off is going to make more sense than running for a microphone ) but anyway I'll try & look silly
uh uh :)
Youve met him too?
ink ink. It's also worse when cold
lol love the descriptions
thanks!
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