Just installed my Bama 91 SCT Tunes I got from AM and when rpms hit between 4.5-5.5 I get ping/knock raspy engine sounds.

I drove my usual loop earlier in the day without the tune, no problems.
I then loaded the tune and drove the same loop, and I hear the noise.

I only put in 93 Amoco for years and I'm only loading the 91 tune.

Very frustrating, so I put the car back to stock and ran the same loop and no problems.

Solutions?

I've go a K&N CAI, no other engine mods.
Thanks
LJS

 

this is a common occurrence but not just with Bama. You can let them know you have this problem and they can adjust the tune. I have had this problem and now run 89 tunes with 91.

 

Engine knock happens sometimes, depending on the fuel quality you're running. Obviously much of the power comes from the spark calibration, and the factory calibration will pull bundles of timing out in order to keep the car from pinging, plus they command a very low timing number to begin with. We increase timing, still allowing the knock sensors to pull timing, but either way fuel quality can cause issues with ANY aftermarket tune.

A couple things that are worth trying... clean your throttle body and MAF, check for any vacuum leaks, check for any leaks at the couplers when you install the CAI, change your fuel filter (cheap and easy to do) and try filling up at a different gas station. Just because Amoco has worked out on a stock tune doesn't mean their fuel quality is great. You could have a problem that is being masked with the stock tune.

If this is unsuccessful in stopping the noise, give Bama a call Monday-Friday from 9AM-5:30PM EST at 888.226.9764. They'll make sure that the tunes are set up for the correct modifications and verify that the tune submission form was also filled out correctly to avoid human error on both of our ends.

Lastly, if your car still continues to ping, they can make modifications in the tune. Again, the timing number that you're running is optimized and is still not "on the edge" by any means. So if we have to lower timing to correct the issue, it's possible you could be sacrificing power.

Do you have a Sunoco around?

 

Thanks for the fast response Chris.
I did check all the connections, throttle body, and the MAF is clean. The car only has 2,500 miles on it.
I believe I can find a Sunoco, I'll try that next. However if it still pings, is there after hours support as it's not my DD and I don't get home till after 7:30PM. I assume you want me to pull some info for you.
Will this damage my vehicle with this tune loaded? I did return it to stock, but once I run some Sunoco thru it, I'll have to load the tune again. On another note, after the tune is loaded it takes longer for the vehicle to start, turn over, crank, whatever you wish to call it. Is this normal?
Thanks
LJS

 

If your car is knocking/pinging from the tune then don't run it-- PERIOD.

If you're using decent gas (meaning not gas from Uncle Bob's Chicken Shack or something like that) there definitely should be enough room allowed in the timing so that you aren't getting detonation.

Are you by any chance located in CA?

CA gas sucks big time so even 91 octane isn't as good as 91 elsewhere.

Other than that (being in CA) your tune should have enough room to run especially since you're running 93 in the car.

 

The first start should. After the car goes through the idle learning process it should be normal. Tune the car, start it, let it sit for 8 minutes without touching the throttle. Let it sit for another 2 minutes after that with the A/C on. Then drive the car for 10 miles. The next start should be completely normal. Every time you flash the car or go back to stock, you wipe out all learned values, emissions switches, etc.

Pinging isn't good by any means. There's enough padding (as mentioned above) in this tune that it is not only running a normal timing number for 91, but the knock sensors are allowing it to pull a bit from that. If it's STILL pinging, that's weird. Did this car sit over winter? Possible moisture in the tank?

Seafoam might not be a bad idea...

 

It's a leisure driver, so I rarely drive it in the winter, I'd say every 2 weeks or so. It's kept in a the garage all the time. I'll try the seafoam, drive the car, fill up with Sunoco then try the tune again.
Thanks
LJS

 

The adjustability on these tunes is probably what I love about the Bama tunes... I had similar issues with detonation with the race tune. It takes a little time, but you can dial it in... I'd start by adjusting the base timing down a couple degress, if it's still pinging, adjust the timing down a couple degrees in the RPM range your having issues with. If it's detonating while your on it (WOT), try richening the mixture a couple percentages... All this is adjustable within the tune. Even when Doug was exclusively doing the tunes, all the adjustability is there... Just takes some time, or if you do some data logging it's even better to pinpoint the issue... There is too many variables in gas for us to not have issues, just take a little know how to overcome them. Just sharing my experiences, hopefully they can help you out...

 

I would give the guys over at Bama a call any time Monday-Friday from 9AM-5:30PM EST at 888.226.9764 and let them know the symptoms. Just have them triple check the tunes to make sure that everything was put together correctly on our end. It might be simple human error on our side and maybe we did something wrong in the file. They'll also check to make sure the form was filled out correctly on your end. Sometimes it's something small. We'll start there.. maybe we'll find the issue and it could be a 10 second fix with one email update.

Chris

 

I am currently having this exact problem on my 08 GT. Pinging at WOT between 4500-5500 rpm.

Bama is currently working on the fifth tune to correct the problem. But I'm starting to loses faith. They don't seem to know why its happening.

I've gone over everything I can think of on my end to make sure its not the car. Replaced plugs and fuel filter, cleaned throttle body and injectors. Ran two cans of Seafoam separately through the gas tank. Changed gas station. Only use Shell or Chevron gas. No change on anything.

The only result I've had is the pinging went away on the most recent street tune. It still does it on the performance tune which is what i usually drive it on. I haven't tried the race tune because I figure it will be worse.

There are a few threads online about this happening with Bama tunes, but no one ever posts the follow up to what happened or if it got fixed!

Mr-Stang - what happened after this?

 

Quite a few posts like these are popping up on a several different mustang forums. Modded mustangs, the corral, all ford mustangs etc. Interesting. I am sure BAMA tunes will get it sorted.

 

To be honest they sent a new tune via email, I uploaded it and had the same exact issue. I removed the tune. It's so frustrating that they don't have after hours support, ie. Saturday or Sunday as I don't have time during the week to do this troubleshooting. It's been nearly 2 years now and I have not re-loaded or followed up with Bama on the issue. I have been exclusively using Sunoco 93 here in NJ. I'm convinced it's the Tune and not my vehicle. I need to get hold of Bama for a real solution! $379 down the drain. Thinking of finding a custom tuner, anybody know a reliable shop in NJ?
LJS

 

Received a new 91 tune from Bama and still pinging/knocking between 4500-5500 rpm
Only been using 93 Sunoco gas, MAF is clean car has only a K&N CAI and Corsa axle backs
Put tune on car let idle 10 min then turned on A/C in for 5 min. Drove 15 mi then got on it.
And pining and knocking between 4500-5500 RPM
What's the next step?
Bama? Please help

 

Do u live in CA? What gas station do u use? I have only used Chevron and I think is the best. What do u think?

 

Not to sound like an idiot, but how do you know if your car is pinging?

 

I don't anymore, but did for 10 years.

The gas there is just not very good unfortunately.

I know there used to be a 76 in the valley where you could get 100 octane, but unless you live in the valley there's not much point.

Chevron is what I tried to stick to as well. But pretty much any of the named stations (shell, BP, 76 etc.) are fine.

It's just the additives that are put into the gas in CA that make it crappy and lower the octane.

BUT this being said, if you have the correct tune you should have NO problems.

A 91 octane tune for anywhere else in the country will probably not work in CA because of the crap gas so the tune would have to be adjusted for the crap gas (mine did)

I ran a Saleen supercharger for four years before I moved from LA and it ran without any issues except for once when I did get a crap tank of gas and it was a particularly hot day.

(You can get detonation on a stock setup with crappy gas so....)

Usually you hear pinging/detonation under load (when you get on the gas) and it kind of sounds like marbles in a tin can.

OP I would see about getting a different tune from another vendor if you're still wanting a tune... be nice if they would give you a refund, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it or anything.

 

Bama sent me new tunes to try, I'll post results soon.
LJS

 

Is the timing adjustable from the user menu? I had a similar problem on the GT500 with a VMP canned tune, went into the user adjustable settings on my SCT X3 and pulled a degree of timing out, IIRC there were three areas I could adjust timing corresponding to low, mid and high engine speeds. I pulled a degree from each setting and haven't had problems since.

 

I'm pretty sure on the tuners you can adjust the timing. If I were you I would back timing off. When I tuned my buddies car I would advance timing til it pings then back it off a couple degrees but he was drag racing so he wanted as much out of it as possible. That's why its best to buy the tuner and have a speed shop that knows what they are doing tune it.

 

Depends on the tune. Some of them are locked... some of them aren't.