Checks 
 | Action 
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DEFINITION: A mild to severe ping, usually worse under acceleration. The engine
makes sharp metallic knocks that change with the throttle opening. 
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Preliminary Checks 
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|     •  | Ensure the vehicle has an actual problem. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect for smoke associated with the combustion noise. Refer to Fuel
System Checks below. |  
  
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Cooling System Checks 
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|     •  | Inspect for obvious overheating problems. Refer to 
Engine Overheating 
 in Engine Cooling. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect for a low engine coolant level. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect for any restricted air flow through the radiator. Refer to 
Radiator Cleaning 
 in Engine Cooling. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect for a malfunctioning or incorrect thermostat. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect for a correct coolant solution. The solution should be a 50/50
mix of anti-freeze and water. |  
  
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Sensor Inspection 
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|     •  | Inspect the engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor by using the scan
tool in order to compare the ECT with the ambient air temperature on a cold engine.
If the coolant temperature reading is more than 5 degrees more or less than the ambient
air temperature on a cold engine, check for a high resistance in the coolant sensor
circuit or the sensor itself. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect the fuel rail pressure (FRP) sensor. Use the scan tool to observe
FRP with ignition ON and the engine OFF. FRP should be 1.1-1.4 MPa. If
FRP is not within this range, check for high resistance in the low reference or 5-volt
reference circuits or the sensor, or a faulty sensor. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect the CKP sensor reluctor wheel. Remove the CKP sensor and attempt
to move the reluctor wheel front to back or side to side with a probe. If there is
any movement the reluctor wheel retaining bolts are loose. |  
  
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Fuel System Checks 
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|     •  | If excessive smoke is present, check for a stuck open fuel injector by
performing the following procedure: |  
  
|         1.  | Remove the ignition 1 relay. |  
  
|          | Important: Do not stand in front of the glow plug holes
while cranking the engine.
 |  
 |         3.  | Crank the engine while observing the glow plug holes for fuel spray. |  
  
|         4.  | Replace the fuel injectors for the cylinders that spray fuel. |  
  
|         5.  | Check for fuel in the oil and proper oil level. Refer to 
Fuel in Engine Oil 
 in Engine Mechanical. |  
  
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Engine Mechanical Checks 
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|     •  | Inspect for incorrect basic engine parts such as cam, heads, pistons,
etc. |  
  
|     •  | Inspect for any excessive oil entering combustion chamber. |  
  
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Additional Checks 
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|     •  | Review the Service Bulletins for control module software updates. |  
  
|     •  | Compare the scan tool data at idle with the scan tool data list. Refer
to 
Scan Tool Data List 
 . |  
  
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