JPop

I would definitely check the heat shield on your Y pipe. I have heard that this has been an issue for a couple of people and it isn't something that would stand out when trying different plugs or higher octane fuel. Quite simply the knock sensors can't determine the difference between an engine knock and rattling on the exhaust and may retard timing. It's all metal in effect bolted to the block so any harmonics passed trough will be picked up by the knock sensors.

NGINIER

So are you saying that this consistent knock retard reading is not normal? I don't really hear too much in the form of pinging (I've been told what it sounds like but haven't been able to hear pinging and be told that it's definitely pinging) I can't find anything loose on the heat shields and have not experienced any loss in power. I just want to make sure I am not doing any harm to my engine.

JPop

There will always be a level of knock suppression and timing. An engine make the most power on the verge of knock and it is a definitive balancing act. Finding the edge between where the knock sensors can do their job and where they can't is the crux of the biscuit.

Very few people have actually experienced the pinging issue and several who have, have found it to be something other than A/F mixture and detonation. That's not to say it doesn't exist just that you need to really be thorough in checking things and actually give the PCM an opportunity to tune out the knock.

There has been a ton of posts where people experienced knock and immediately reverted to stock. It's important to note that the PCM re-learn process can take as many as 40 on/off key cycles (with some miles in between each one). If you just throw a tune on run around the block and have some knock, it shouldn't come as a surprise knowing that much of the power gains come from advancing the timing.

I have a little routine that I do any time I switch tunes. I make a couple back and forth trips between some freeway on/off ramps a mile apart from one another. I turn the vehicle off and hit the next one at near WOT until I reach cruise speed. Turn the vehicle off and repeat. Gets the tune dialed in pretty quick and I return to my old man normal driving style.

Anyway, I think there is certainly some imaginary hysteria and hypochondria going on and it detracts from those who have a real issue.

him

Grrrr...

I have a 2010 JKU, bone stock except a week ago Saturday I loaded the FlashPaq 87 Octane tune.

On Thursday I hit the road for the first real highway trip with my new jeep, a drive to Big Bend National Park.

Fuel economy was worse than expected. I suspect I averaged 16MPG while driving exactly the speed limit, cruise control locked whenever possible and never exiting except to get fuel.

At the park I realized the engine was pinging. I hadn't noticed any pinging after loading the tune and driving around Dallas but it was really obvious at Big Bend. The difference, I suspect, comes down to terrain. Dallas is flat. Big Bend has lots of hills.

Unfortunately one of the things I forgot to bring along on the trip was the flashpaq, so I wasn't able to revert to stock. I switched to midgrade (89) at the park and for the drive home. The pinging seemed to go away with midgrade.

On the trip home (running 89 or 93 depending on availability) the dash display ranged between 18.5 and 19.3 MPG. I drove exactly the same way (roll up to the speed limit and lock the cruise control) each way. It's possible that other factors (wind) contributed to the difference but it was at least a 17% change and the only known factor was fuel octane rating. Edit to add: I also had the front panels off of the hard top for half of the return trip... wouldn't expect that to improve mileage though.

I just switched to the 91 tune (running 93 octane fuel) and so far it seems OK. I'm going to try the 93 tune in a few days to see if the pinging is a problem there as well. It seriously sucks that the 87 octane tune pings though since that's what I would want to run 99% of the time.

jdubb75

I'm guessing you didn't read the post above your post? Which now happens to be quoted below?

I cut away the fat and got right to the meat of it.

him

I read it. It's totally irrelevant.

After tuning I drove close to 1000 miles over the course of 6 days, including one 560+ mile day. I can't say how many on/off cycles but at least 40, probably over 60. At the END of that I was experiencing pinging.

Sorry, but that's not hysteria or hypochondria...and it's not immediately reverting to stock. It's a bad tune. Or if not a bad tune then something else wrong. The system had plenty of time to calibrate and the pinging was not minor ... it was VERY noticeable every time I went up a hill.

Switching fuel grades not only resolved the knock but resulted in about a 17% increase in fuel economy, real numbers.

dstock

I don't agree with the "hysteria" either.

It's been several months now since I bought my flashpaq and still I have a pinging issue. Superchips has been very responsive in trying to work this out but the issue remains. ( I know the issues are largely due to the many versions of tunes Jeep seems to put in their vehicles).

I downloaded a new 87 tune a couple of days ago. Still have some pinging but don't have many miles with the new tune yet and I am taking the Jpop approach of running it in. I am running 87 octane and my next tank if pinging doesn't go away will be 89 to see if that helps.

The bottom line here is some of us have spent $350 on a product that isn't working as advertised. Yes, Superchips has been responsive in trying to get this resolved but after several months of trying to work through the issue, you can't blame us if some of us are starting to get a bit frustrated.

Sixgun

Try higher octane 1st. It's works for me. I run 91 octane with 87 tune. no issues.

dstock

Thanks for the info. I really would prefer not to have to run 91 all the time but will give it a shot as soon as this tank is gone.

I had literally just filled up the day I found out there was a new tune.

RevyJKU08

I finally just had enough of the 87 tune knock/ping and started using the tow tune and it has not knocked or pinged since. I have been on tow tune since July of this year. I still use 87 Octane fuel and to be honest I have not found much of a difference in power between the 87 and tow tune but it maybe different for an Auto.