Check 
 | Action 
 | 
DEFINITION: A mild
to severe ping, usually worse under acceleration. The engine makes sharp metallic
    knocks that change with   the throttle opening. 
 | 
Preliminary Checks 
 | Refer to 
Symptoms - Engine Controls 
. 
Verify the customer concern. 
 | 
Cooling System Checks 
 | 
|     •  | Check for a low engine coolant level. |  
  
|     •  | Check for the proper tension on the drive belts. |  
  
|     •  | Check for restricted air flow through the radiator, or for restricted
coolant flow. |  
  
|     •  | Check for a correct coolant mixture.  |  
  
 | 
Sensor Check 
 | Check for
an engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor that has a shift in value.  Refer
 to 
Temperature Versus Resistance 
. 
 | 
Fuel
System Checks 
 | 
|     •  | Check if a lean system causes this condition. Drive the vehicle
at the speed that caused this condition. Monitoring the fuel trim will help
to identify        the problem. |  
  
|     •  | If the system is lean, the long term fuel trim will be more than
150. |  
  
|     •  | Check for a poor fuel quality and for an incorrect octane rating. |  
  
|     •  | If the fuel trim readings are normal and there are no engine mechanical
concerns, then fill the fuel tank with a known good fuel, and re-evaluate
the        vehicle performance. |  
  
 | 
Ignition System Checks 
 | 
|     •  | Check the spark plugs for their proper heat range and gap. |  
  
|     •  | Check the knock sensor (KS) system operation. |  
  
|     •  | Check the ignition timing. |  
  
 | 
Engine Mechanical Checks 
 | 
|     •  | Check for carbon build-up. Remove the carbon with a high quality
engine cleaner. Follow the instructions on the can. |  
  
|     •  | Check the combustion chamber pressure by performing a compression
test. |  
  
 | 
Additional Checks 
 | 
|     •  | Check for the proper operation of the exhaust gas recirculation
(EGR) valve. |  
  
|     •  | Check the Service Bulletins for calibration updates. |  
  
 |