diddles Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 I've fitted a new Bosch map sensor and it's still the same, pinking at low throttle input. Going to see if the updates improve it, if not I'm going to have to live with it. I've heard the belt tensioners can make a similar sound, I may be mistaking it for pinking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artscot79 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Entirely possible since we cant hear the noise its difficult to confirm what it is youre hearing the tensioner can make noises when needing renewed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 Today my girlfriend drove the car as I had a drink , so I was in the passenger seat and I didn't hear any noises with the window open, so could well be something around the belt area making the noise, it sounds like pinking tho, strange one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 Just drove to and from Devon from London and its still pinking worst when I on half throttle. I've noticed when accelerating on half throttle on the motorway it seems to jerk a little bit like it holds back then goes then holds back. Fuel economy doesn't seem to be affected as I did a measured 40mpg. I'm hoping the software updates will help and also I'm going to buy Ford spark plugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 I have just found this online http://forums.mightycarmods.com/showthread.php?3741-Advanced-spark-timing-for-your-Ford-Duratec-Mazda-MZR-engine-power-for-free Basically you can adjust the position of the crankshaft position sensor to advance or !Removed! the ignition timing slightly. The crankshaft position sensor has elongated holes which the bolts go through. I turn't the steering wheel as far as it can go to the right and you can get to it without having to remove anything. I loosened the two 8mm bolts and moved the sensor all the way down (advanced) and the pinking got worse, i then moved the sensor as far as it can go up to !Removed! the timing and 90% of the pinking has gone. I'm not sure if this is a safe way of sorting it but it has made the pinking basically disappear and the car hasn't really lost any power. Please give me your opinion on this, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That bloke Richard Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Hi diddles - been following your post since you posted on my post about the same issue! Bizzare, I also did a trip from Devon to London the other day, but chose to take the C-max! Got to go again in a couple of weeks time back to Heathrow and would prefer to take my car, it's far more comfortable, but the c-max at least drives fine! Hows that "workaround" going? Do you still get the stumbling / hesitation when hitting a slight hill on the motorway or A-road? Mines been fine over the last few days, still pinking, but not stumbled. Went out in it last night though on a 10 mile drive up a dual carraigeway and it was awful again.... basically "rocking back and forth" up inclines! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 I put the crankshaft sensor into the normal posistion now still get a bit of pinking. The stuttering on the motorway isn't that bad but it doesn't feel right. I might !Removed! the timing a bit more again and see how that goes. It drove fine with the crankshaft sensor fully retarded as it only adjusts it a few degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 I put in a bottle of wynns injector cleaner and half a tank of 99ron tesco momentum instead of the recommend full tank which the injector cleaner states. The car runs better than ever with no pinking and no surging on the motorway, and acceleration is smoother and more responsive. When my tank runs low I will top it up with normal 95ron and see if it starts to pink again, and it used to pink on v power before the injector cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic113 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I put in a bottle of wynns injector cleaner and half a tank of 99ron tesco momentum instead of the recommend full tank which the injector cleaner states. The car runs better than ever with no pinking and no surging on the motorway, and acceleration is smoother and more responsive. When my tank runs low I will top it up with normal 95ron and see if it starts to pink again, and it used to pink on v power before the injector cleaner. Good to hear you may have found and fixed this issue. I will put some injector cleaner through mine and see how things go. I will keep progress updates on this thread. Do you think Wynne's is better stuff than the redex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'm not really sure to be honest, I tried redex and it didn't do anything so thought I'd try wynns. Just got to check if it still pinking on Friday when I top up with the norma fuel. Hopefully it has fixed it but I'll update soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic113 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I'm not really sure to be honest, I tried redex and it didn't do anything so thought I'd try wynns. Just got to check if it still pinking on Friday when I top up with the norma fuel. Hopefully it has fixed it but I'll update soon. No problem do let us know how it drives on your next top up. Hopefully though its solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That bloke Richard Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Thanks for the updates guys. I haven't had my car this week, I've had my partners, so no updates. However, I did find a product people with pinking issues seem to rave about, called Cataclean. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cataclean-Catalytic-Converter-Cleaning-Treatment/dp/B002BVXM92 I'm going to give it a go at the weekend. If it continues to run well on 99 ron stuff as apposed to 95ron, then the only thing it can be really is the octane levels I believe? I'm no mechanic, can only do the basics, so anyone know which sensors would be affected by Octane ratings? We may be a step closer....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 The knock sensor would be affected by the octane rating, but the fact it was still pinking on V power which is 99ron made me think the injector cleaner may have helped. If it returns I'm going to try a cleaner called BG 44k which is suppose to be really good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic113 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Thanks for the updates guys. I haven't had my car this week, I've had my partners, so no updates. However, I did find a product people with pinking issues seem to rave about, called Cataclean. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cataclean-Catalytic-Converter-Cleaning-Treatment/dp/B002BVXM92 I'm going to give it a go at the weekend. If it continues to run well on 99 ron stuff as apposed to 95ron, then the only thing it can be really is the octane levels I believe? I'm no mechanic, can only do the basics, so anyone know which sensors would be affected by Octane ratings? We may be a step closer....! I have heard very positive reviews of that cataclean product. I have been meaning to try it but I have to get a ford fuel pipe for my focus as its easy fuel and I lost the fuel pipe that came with it so thats why I have not been able to try any of these products out yet. I also think that amazon may be the cheapest place to buy it so when I get the fuel pipe adopter I will purchase some and try it out. If you get to test it before me do let us know hoe ity performs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That bloke Richard Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Well, coming back to report that I've tried the cataclean, driven about 30 miles, and unfortunately, the only difference it has made is that my car now sounds different. Doesn't sound as throaty, sounds more like a hairdryer when putting my foot down. It's likely done something, but that something hasn't sorted the initial problem. Revs seem to be sticking quite high when changing gear of late too. Still rocking back and fourth when putting my foot down at around 70. Guess I'll have to get a garage to investigate for vacumn leaks, maybe clean out the throttle body and the EGR. It's all guesswork on my part though, no one can find the fault (2 garage I have tried including ford). After that, I'm gonna have to look to get rid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Mine aslso feels the same. I went to Woburn safari and the jerky motorway acceleration still seems to be there. My missus in the passenger seat doesn't notice it but when I'm driving I can. It's not very noticeable but it's very annoying as it feels like the throttle is opening and closing very quickly. I've cleaned the throttle body today and I don't have any vacuum leaks as my torque app reads -22 psi at idle which is where it should be. I'm going to try some bg44k as it's a very strong and excellent injector and fuel system cleaner. If that doesn't sort it I think I'm going to live with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Is your rocking on the motorway really bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That bloke Richard Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Is your rocking on the motorway really bad? Well I don't know how to explain it really. It sits there fine if I'm at 70mph and on the flat. However, as soon as I hit an incline, or have to slow down and then put my foot down a bit to pass something, such as a lorry, it starts to hesitate. Best way I can describe it is a bit like a surge in power and then you can feel the power cut out. It's as if the car knows it's surging, so cuts back. As soon as it does that, theres a rocking like motion. The engine note changes to a deeper, throatier note. All is OK again as soon as you let off the accelerator..... until next time! On general A roads, sometimes it's fine, others you put your foot down and it feels like you are pushing a huge weight in front of you, or the wind is holding you back. It wants to go, but you've lost a good 3rd of the power. Again, the note of the engine changes noticeably, as if theres an obstruction somewhere. It certainly doesn't like going up hills much. The pinking (at least I think it's that) is seemingly always threre when changing the throttle position, even ever so slightly. Can only generally hear it with the passenger window down slightly and a wall, or hedge next to the car. Sounds like someone hitting the exhaust very gently with a small screwdriver...but fast!. Sounds like its coming from the battery area. Not sure what the revs are about, but they stay pretty high if starting from warm, holding around 1,500-2k revs. In general, changing from first to second there is a lag in the revs dropping, so you hit second quite violently sometimes. That certainly seems to be getting worse. Had the car since 70,000 miles. Been absolutely fine until around 95,000. On 99,400 now, and the car is better than it was, but certainly not right. If cleaning your throttle body hasn't done anything, I guess the only thing left is coils, EGR, throttle position sensor. Anything else? Wish I'd bought the 1.6. My partners C-Max seems much faster and everything is much easier to work on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Could be coils, as mine feels like a slight misfire on the motorway. What sort of mpg do you get in the motorway, I get around 40 not really taking it easy, if driving sensibly I could get 45+. Mine has only done 50,000 but seems but it does seem lethargic on the motorway with a very similar problem that you describe, haven't noticed the engine changing note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 The throttle position sensor is built into the throttle housing and isn't changeable, so I've read, so would need to buy a complete throttle. It may be worth changing the coolant temperature sensor as it will adjusting fueling and it's only £12 from Ford, I'm going to get one soon but need to find out which one I need because you can get a push or screw in one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That bloke Richard Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Could be coils, as mine feels like a slight misfire on the motorway. What sort of mpg do you get in the motorway, I get around 40 not really taking it easy, if driving sensibly I could get 45+. Mine has only done 50,000 but seems but it does seem lethargic on the motorway with a very similar problem that you describe, haven't noticed the engine changing note. I'm not sure what MPG I get on the motorway, don't really take much notice. The average shows at 37.6mpg, but I do a lot of A road driving too. Funnily enough, my 20 mile trip to work this morning was absolutely fine, all A roads, no dual carriageway or motorway work. Just wish it wasn't so random. I've lost my bluetooth OBDII gadget thing. I'm going to order another one and get Torque Pro. However, last time I did this I was presented with stuff and no idea how I should interpret it all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That bloke Richard Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 The throttle position sensor is built into the throttle housing and isn't changeable, so I've read, so would need to buy a complete throttle. It may be worth changing the coolant temperature sensor as it will adjusting fueling and it's only £12 from Ford, I'm going to get one soon but need to find out which one I need because you can get a push or screw in one. Hmm, thinking about it, you might be on to something here. When cold, driving is absolutely fine. Feels free, feels like I have a lot more power. It only ever gives problems when fully warmed up. I just assumed it was something to do with the richer fuel mixture when cold masking the problems. Bit busy this week, but might ring up ford and get one ordered in for the weekend. I think this is an easy fit isn't it? Down between the coils? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 I don't think it is between the coils on this engine. I think its at the back on the engine on the far right hand side. I'm going to have a look tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 The throttle position sensor is built into the throttle housing and isn't changeable, so I've read, so would need to buy a complete throttle. From what I've read the throttle position sensor is built into the accelerator pedal assembly. The butterfly valve in the throttle housing is driven by a servo motor to follow the pedal position. In other words it's a drive-by-wire system. On the 1.8 engine the throttle housing is at the front of the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diddles Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 This is the location on the coolant temp sensor on our engines. http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae46/martind786/ PicsArt_1409603740300_zpsxtkrzta0.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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