Honda Car Forum

Jason wrote:

> Great post. Keep up the good work. We now know why Honda is placing knock
> sensors on their cars. They must have received thousands of complaints
> from Honda owners in the 1980s and early 1990s that had knocking and
> pinging problems. The knock sensors were the solution to the problem.
> However, if the timing is off or the knock sensor is broken--pinging and
> knocking problems happen.

Sometimes cheap quality gasoline brands can contribute to pinging, and it
doesn't matter what octane you use. This happened with my '93 Accord.

"Grahame" <grahame.joyce@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>I know this engine does not have a knock sensor, I have owned a 91 for
>10
> yrs now.
> I am assuming you are using regular gas, if so this is normal with an
> older
> engine, you might want to switch to a higher grade fuel. Also do not
> just
> retard the timing without a timing light.

Any idea if the '94 Accord LX uses knock sensors? My Owner's Manual
says: "Your Honda operates most effectively on unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 86 or higher."
I use the medium grade gasoline with pump octane ((R+M)/2) of 89, yet I
do get some pinging on hotter days or during heavier engine load. So I
wonder if my car has knock sensors but don't work.

Rudy

Grahame wrote:
> I know this engine does not have a knock sensor, I have owned a 91
for 10
> yrs now.
> I am assuming you are using regular gas, if so this is normal with an
older
> engine, you might want to switch to a higher grade fuel. Also do not
just
> retard the timing without a timing light.
>
>
Grahame
thanks
yes regular gas. I don't like the cost of premium gas.

what changes in an older engine to make it knock/ping

carbon buildup in the cylinders?
EGR valve problems?

Why can I not retard the spark a few degrees. I scribe a mark to mark
the starting point then retard the distributor a few degrees while
idleing listening to the idle slow down a bit.

Mark

In article <u86dnZXNvNYsARffRVn-1Q@comcast.com>, "R. P."
<r_pol12gar@hotmail.com> wrote:

> "Grahame" <grahame.joyce@sympatico.ca> wrote:
> >I know this engine does not have a knock sensor, I have owned a 91 for
> >10
> > yrs now.
> > I am assuming you are using regular gas, if so this is normal with an
> > older
> > engine, you might want to switch to a higher grade fuel. Also do not
> > just
> > retard the timing without a timing light.
>
> Any idea if the '94 Accord LX uses knock sensors? My Owner's Manual
> says: "Your Honda operates most effectively on unleaded gasoline with a
> pump octane number of 86 or higher."
> I use the medium grade gasoline with pump octane ((R+M)/2) of 89, yet I
> do get some pinging on hotter days or during heavier engine load. So I
> wonder if my car has knock sensors but don't work.
>
> Rudy

Rudy,
Visit the local Honda dealership and ask the person at the parts counter
to give you the part number and price of a new knock sensor. He or she
will check their computer and parts books. He or she will tell you whether
or not you have a knock sensor in your car. They have detailed diagrams of
every Honda engine.
Jason

--
NEWSGROUP SUBSCRIBERS MOTTO
We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice.
We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people.

The answer is yes to the first two questions,
You can adjust your timing this way but how do you know how many degrees you
have gone by just listening to the idle speed? A timing light is a cheap
enough investment for the do it yourselfer.

"Mark" <makolber@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1116425137.077847.280810@g49g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Grahame wrote:
> > I know this engine does not have a knock sensor, I have owned a 91
> for 10
> > yrs now.
> > I am assuming you are using regular gas, if so this is normal with an
> older
> > engine, you might want to switch to a higher grade fuel. Also do not
> just
> > retard the timing without a timing light.
> >
> >
> Grahame
> thanks
> yes regular gas. I don't like the cost of premium gas.
>
> what changes in an older engine to make it knock/ping
>
> carbon buildup in the cylinders?
> EGR valve problems?
>
> Why can I not retard the spark a few degrees. I scribe a mark to mark
> the starting point then retard the distributor a few degrees while
> idleing listening to the idle slow down a bit.
>
> Mark
>

Hey Jason, I also have a 2001 Accord and it does not have a knock sensor
either!

"Jason" <jason@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:jason-1705051552060001@pm4-broad-61.snlo.dialup.fix.net...
> In article <Nmsie.1442$Wp.363463@news20.bellglobal.com>, "Grahame"
> <grahame.joyce@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> > I know this engine does not have a knock sensor, I have owned a 91 for
10
> > yrs now.
> > I am assuming you are using regular gas, if so this is normal with an
older
> > engine, you might want to switch to a higher grade fuel. Also do not
just
> > retard the timing without a timing light.
>
> Grahame,
> Great post. Keep up the good work. We now know why Honda is placing knock
> sensors on their cars. They must have received thousands of complaints
> from Honda owners in the 1980s and early 1990s that had knocking and
> pinging problems. The knock sensors were the solution to the problem.
> However, if the timing is off or the knock sensor is broken--pinging and
> knocking problems happen.
>
> --
> NEWSGROUP SUBSCRIBERS MOTTO
> We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice.
> We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people.
>
>
>

"Jason" <jason@nospam.com> wrote:
> Visit the local Honda dealership and ask the person at the parts
> counter
> to give you the part number and price of a new knock sensor. He or she
> will check their computer and parts books. He or she will tell you
> whether
> or not you have a knock sensor in your car. They have detailed
> diagrams of
> every Honda engine.

Well, I did call up my Honda dealer's service dept and I was told that
my model did not have a knock sensor. So now I wonder if the reason for
pinging is too much timing advance or the car really needs the highest
octane gas available at pumps: 93. I can easily try the latter option
even though I think the Chevron 89 octane I use now should be more than
enough if the Owner's Manual is to be believed.

Rudy

Mark wrote:
> Grahame wrote:
>
>>I know this engine does not have a knock sensor, I have owned a 91
>
> for 10
>
>>yrs now.
>>I am assuming you are using regular gas, if so this is normal with an
>
> older
>
>>engine, you might want to switch to a higher grade fuel. Also do not
>
> just
>
>>retard the timing without a timing light.
>>
>>
>
> Grahame
> thanks
> yes regular gas. I don't like the cost of premium gas.
>
> what changes in an older engine to make it knock/ping
>
> carbon buildup in the cylinders?
> EGR valve problems?
>
> Why can I not retard the spark a few degrees. I scribe a mark to mark
> the starting point then retard the distributor a few degrees while
> idleing listening to the idle slow down a bit.
>
> Mark
>
yes, carbon build up can do it, or wrong grade plugs. also check things
like the thermostat.

regarding timing, yes, that'll definitely do it. if the timing belt is
out a tooth, it can advance the timing significantly.

regarding fuel grade, etc., i have had "bad" tanks of gas that have made
a car ping like crazy, but that's rare & fixable. regarding general
honda stuff, because honda are so consistent, if one honda has a
problem, they /all/ do, eg. main relay. it's unusual for hondas to ping
unless there's something wrong. i'd look to whatever the service items
were before the onset of pinging & there will be your problem.