Pinking - How can I 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

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,

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!