focus LS-LV pinging

[sambb]

Hi,

I'm in the market for a small/medium car and an LS - LV zetec is the car I'd pretty much settled on. I'd read a lot about the pinging issues these cars are meant to experience but put it down to the fact that its only people with problems who post and the happy majority don't. Well during my test drive I didn't have to try very hard to make it ping - I'm talking 3rd gear up a slight incline and just easing open the throttle and it was rattling like crazy. I'm fully aware they should run >95 but even if it was 91 in the tank, that was way too excessive. So was my experience still an odd one out or is this a chronic issue for basically all these high comp mazda motors?
Is there an easy fix for this ie. a ford ecu update. I mean its got to be fuel map/timing map based if you have the correct fuel right?

thanks for any advice
sam

[Franco Cozzo]

I'd be checking condition of the plugs if it has the right fuel in it.

Test drive another and see if it does it as well.

If all else fails, get a TDCI, none of this spark plug crap or pinging problems, only TORQUE, BOOYAH!

[Mulga]

I had an LS Focus for 7 years and it always pinged, especially under load on unleaded fuel. I only ever used regular unleaded if PULP was not available. No problem with PULP and it was fine with E10 as well. However I only ever used shell E 10 which was a available at our local station.

[DZFord]

I have always used 98 and never experienced any pinging (even before it was modified). Good chance that it is a fuel / octane rating issue.

[Prodrive]

I use 91 or 95 and sometimes 98. I don't get any pinging. (09 LV Zetec)

[sambb]

Mulga,

So it was OK on premium 95 or shell E10 (94' ish now isn't it), but not straight unleaded 91. Is that right?

[KenN0898]

My Focus is the petrol engined 2012 LW Trend sedan with just under 7000 kms on the speedo. I usually fill up with 91 octane and occasionally 95 octane fuel, my car has never pinged and I get an average urban fuel consumption readout of 7.5ltrs. per 100Kms irrespective of the fuel used. I am more than happy.

[sambb]

are the 2.0L duratecs knock sensed?

[In Focus]

I used to get pinging in 3rd gear (of 4 in the auto) when pushing on with 91 in my old LV. I ran it on 98 (and occasionally 95) after that - no more pinging. My take is that they'll run on 91, but don't particularly "like" it.

[Prodrive]

My car does surge occasionally, on any fuel.

[STINKY NINJA]

Pay a couple of extra bucks when filling and use 98 and it will get better economy,make more power and go better,no more pinging either.
People persist to put crap fuel in their cars and then have issues,they know what causes it and would still rather save 2 dollars when filling up...
Modern engines these days are quite highly strung to make the quoted power and need good fuel to run correctly,if you are worried about having to put good fuel in then buy a car that will happily run on 91.

[Mulga]

Originally Posted by sambb

Mulga,

So it was OK on premium 95 or shell E10 (94' ish now isn't it), but not straight unleaded 91. Is that right?

Yes, that's right......give the E10 a go and see how it works out.

I'm pretty sure than shell E10 is rated between 94-95.

[sambb]

righto. premium it is then and E10 if premium isn't around. Sounds like these motors are very sensitive to octane. hadn't really experienced that before in a run of the mill passenger car engine before. It just surprised me that they are so sensitive to fueling - c'mon 100 and a bit kw aint much. They must be pulling sooo much fuel out of these things that they are right on the edge.
thx all

[Psi-Pop]

Both my girlfriends and and her mums will ping if loaded up on 91. Then you can feel it pull timing out, it feels like it anyway not sure if they actually do or not.

[wombat66]

We had an LS that pinged on any petrol. Ford could not fix it and said it was within specification. After 18 months we traded it in.

[DeKa]

My LV will ping on 91. It's mostly fine on e10 from Woolworths/Caltex and shell which is 94. It doesn't ping on 95 or 98.

I get the best fuel economy on 98, but only 0.2L/100km over 95, so 95 is far better value.

Here's a graph comparing 35000km worth of fuel consumption figures. There are at least 5000km worth of driving on each fuel except 91 where I only did about 800 (2 tanks) due to pinging.