I've noticed a common trend on the maxima recently. It always pings, part throttle and WOT, especially when it gets to the higher rpm's. However, it pings worse when low on oil.

When I get gas, I always check the oil ( because it drinks it between typical burning and a new leak). When it's low, I add oil and it completely stops pinging for a few miles. Then once oil is up to operating temp, it pings again. Hotter weather aggravates the pinging condition.


Maxima 3.5se, 6mt, 202k, timing chain rattles, and burns oil (800miles/quart), always 91octane, and booster doesn't really help much.

Runs perfect otherwise. My question here is, is does the oil pressure manipulate the valve timing? Or is that all computer controlled?

 

I am reviving an old thread as I have exact same issue as mentioned above. My 02 when low on oil pings excessively and pinging greatly reduces once i bring oil level back to full mark. Could someone explain why this happens? My car has 181K miles and besides the oil burn issue, the car runs perfectly. I burn about one quart every 1500 miles.

 

Isn't 1800-2000 rpm pinging considered normal?