Hey guys,

There have been a lot of posts on this subject, but I have an I35 with the VQ35 engine. It pings under light loads especially around 45 MPH. It is not unlike a bracelet dragging, or a gerbil in the engine. My spark plugs are probably stock and need to be replaced, but I was also wondering if my knock sensor could be bad, or if a fuel injector cleaner would help to remedy the problem?

 

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are you using premium fuel?

 

Premium fuel I think is a must. It is for my 2003, I tried mid-grade and it took several tanks of 94 to get back to normal.

If your car has more than 150km, plugs are a must. Changing them anyways gives you an idea of how things are running. Kind of a big expensive job. While at it, add an oil catcher to to the pcv I read... and might as well throw in NWP spacers. Made a noticeable difference in the mid-end day to day driving for me.

And probably most important, try spray cleaning your MAF. It will take 15 minutes and you can eliminate it as a problem easily. Take it out, (two torx screws), spray the air pathways with cnc sensor cleaner, replace and presto. Your ping is gone but you probably need a new sensor for a long-term fix.

Knock sensor can be tested for acceptable resistance. Doesn't seem to be a common problem. But, if it is high in resistance, when changing make sure to take care of plugs at the same time as the intake comes off.

When swapping plugs, check for oil on plug exterior. If oil is found in plug well, make sure to change the valve cover. Enough oil can cause miss-fire.

Good luck

 

This was very helpful. My 2002 also has pinging issues when engine warms up. I exclusively run premium (91 in california) so fuel octane is not the cause of this issue. Where is MAF in this car? I don't have FSM so any help will be appreciated. Are there any stickies on how to clean this MAF? Does this require a special spray?

 

The MAF is between the air filter and the throttle body. it will have a 5 pin connector, with a green push lock. You can buy CRC MAF cleaner from Autozone/Pepboys/Advance/O'Reilley.

 

look for any vaccuum leaks, if its good clean the MAF like others said

check out my thread http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...sor-p0325.html

my car was pinging since i bought it. i was looking for this problem over a year i finnally fix that up

 

I have an 03 I35 with 112K miles on it, that I bought in 09 with 56K. It has pinged ever since I bought it. I have read every pinging thread I could find on this site and every other site applicable to the VQ35DE, and I have tried every reasonable thing suggested. I replaced plugs, PCV, MAF sensor + dealer ECU reprogram, I tried octane boost, checked the knock sensor (readings were fine), did the seafoam treatment, replaced the fuel strainer, etc., etc., etc..... all to no avail. Then later on I found a thread on here, which I can't seem to find again, where a senior member said that the pinging problem is due to a bad cylinder head design on these engines so that nothing you do or try will ever fix the problem, so I gave up.

Having tried every possible thing, I believe he was probably correct. So my question is, what year did they change/fix the cylinder head design to eliminate the problem? Was it 2004+? And can I buy heads with the redesigned dome or whatever fixed the problem, and will they bolt onto my block with no other mods necessary?

 

That sounds like an insane amount of work to fix pinging, it cant be that bad if your doing the right things. Such as using a good 93 gas. If the cars running right theres no need to swap ur engine. I have a ever so slight pinging nothing to be concerned about only between 2000-2500rpms uphill

 

03 I35 - Sounds like a nightmare. I remember reading the thread you were talking about.
You don't mention colder plugs, or oil catcher on pcv? If your engine burns oil this will reduce octane of gas. Oil catcher is also good preventative maintenance. My car pings with anything less than 94.

New plugs, colder plugs, inspect coils and checking for oil in the plugs wells? If you havn't changed the valve cover under intake it is probably leaking. Of course spray down intake with cleaner to check for vacuum leaks. Shame to swap engine but I have read they fixed the issue somewhere. Although the timing chain guides are not as durable in 6th gen I think.

 

In regards to he MAF cleaning, I would spray with the cleaner and let it sit awhile to dry completely. If it is wet what so ever it will shyt the bed. I recommend at least a solid hour to let it dry .