I have a 98 LX 1.5L, 5-spd that I bought two months ago with 42K. Great car, handles better than a lot of cars twice its price with no modifications. Here's my problem. I live in a very hilly part of CT. There's this one steep hill by my house that I have to come up every day. Usually I can pull up it in 2nd -- not very fast (maybe 20 mph), but the rev's are okay at 2500 or so. I hear an irregular metallic ping noise (not a true ping, the closest description) all the way up when I'm at WOT. I think the main reason I can hear it well on this hill is that there's a 6 ft wall on the one side. I think it happens everytime I'm at WOT. I've tried going up to 89 octane, but couldn't tell a difference. Is there anything else it could be, or something else I should try, like fuel injector cleaner? Or is this normal?

 

One thing to check would be possibly a loose heat shield on the exhaust? That is one of the more common things that makes noise on the older pro.

 

Try checking your timing first. It maybe advanced. I'll be posting pics and instructions on timing adjustments soon. You may try opting to try higher octane gas such as 92 or 93 octane.

Regards,

Oz

 

If its spark knock, it is a ignition(timing problem or some other
ignition problem) or gas problem.

Does car run hot when the knock occurs? Have the valves been
adjusted? Could be the timing belt is going bad too.....

If its a gas problem, try amoco white premium 93 octane....
Water in the gas also cause the problem, try buying gas at
a different station....

I always was told that the computer adjusts timing, so
I cant comment on adjusting of timing.

I have a 98 protege with about 30k, no knocking here..

obx

 

I can hear the same thing.
It use to do it a bit when I was at 14degBTDC+91octane but it got worse at 10degBTDC+87octane.
I've put Pensoil Fuel System cleaner with a full tank of 87 and I'm now at 1/4tank and it still do it.

Did you got rid of it?
If yes, how?

Thanks, hope you can help.

 

My '98 Protege had a really noticeable engine ping.
I was a shmuck back then, took it into a shop, they said that my fuel injection system was ruined, they flushed it, or supposedly did..
But it only made the pinging worse!
So I had a friend look at it.. He adjusted the rotor (engine timing or something) and not only was my idle smoother, the pinging went away.
Since then, I've been using gas treatments, and higher octane fuel, and Ive never noticed it pinging again.
The idle is a little rough again, wheel shakes on real cold days, but I think I just need to replace the spark plugs...

 

Carbon accumulation can actually increase your compression ratio. It's possible you may be running as much as .5 over stock..enough to cause detonation problems, especially in hot weather or low rpm full load situations.

Apparently carbon build up is a problem for 2nd gens...there's even a TSB for dealing with it:
TSBs

 

Thanks!
Do I need to see the dealer for that kind of job?
I don't want anybody to hydrau-lock my engine!