i had the same problem with my corsa (different engine 1.2i 8v) it pinked like f**k up hills and stuff like that. adjusted the valve timing and ignition timing and it worked a treat. Then i changed the octane sensor around and used octane booster and high octane fuel and its great now!:thumbs:

first of all to clear up a few points, the c14se does not have a knock sensor and you can adjust the timing slightly by changing the RON plug. thats the brown plug up top left of the engine bay, one side is marked 95 the other 98 and you flick it round depending on the fuel you are using. there are other colour plugs as well, yellow and red that vary the timing ever so slightly to compensate for 91 too but mostly your stuck with the control from the ecu.
the problem you have is common but not well documented, I first had it on my 94sri and reported to garage who argued for a long time that it was not possible for the engine to pink coz of the ecu control etc eventually I proved them wrong and vauxhall issued a repair notice for it. initially the engine will only pink between 2500 and 3500 under full load, gradually worsening to about two-thirds load. the timing does not advance properly as the revs increase and actually stops between 2500+3500 hence the pink. you need to have your ecu reprogrammed to cure. i had a second 94 gls with the same engine and had the same problem, same hassle with garage but they had to give in in the end and update too. if your garage cant help contact vauxhall and tell them 'premier of edinburgh' cured this four years ago on a wee blue 94 1.4 gls....

it's probably down to the car being in the wrong gear. pinking usually only occurs high up the rev range. is the car serviced properly?

my car pinks!

but the best solution that i have found (for a short term fix) is to use optimax

[Edited on 26-06-2004 by B19 GAV]

Havent got an answer for why, I tryed 2 or 3 sets of the suposed right NGK plug with the correct gap for the engine but it still would only run like a dog on 1,2 maybe 3 cylinders! The GM plugs give me no hassle so I'm goin to stick with them:boggle:

Vauxhall only use twin sparks inall their cars during services, and they are bosch twin electrodes with a GM stamp on them. There is no reason why NGK plugs wound not work in any corsa engine, since the plug gaps are universal to the plug number. Bosch Super4's work well in the old 8v units.

if you still have problems put the car on a rolling road, they should be able to tell you for shore if its pinking or worn?

If you have a rattle at about 2,500 - 3,200 rpm then I think you probably have a worn cam, mines the same, doesnt make much difference to the performance just sounds bad. I run mine on optimax seems to make a difference with this engine, run with mine with the octane plug on 95, even when using octane booster, if you have been using the optimax and been pushing the car hard there shouldnt be much coke on the valves, the only other thing, would spark plugs make any difference, mine runs on GM, standard or GM twin spark, I tryed NGK's but the engine would not run on these for some still unknown reason, if they are non GM ones maybe worth a try?

cheers guys but i've trird everything mentioned! i can't adjust the timing cos its distributorless. is there any way of resetting the ecu or something like that???

I dont think that would cause pinking cyber, it would the other way around.

if you have been using optimax, check tha your ron plug is on 98, not 95 or even 91. this wll cause pinking.

You might have a carbon build-up on one or more exhaust valves. This carbon gets hot and glows when the engine is running, and can ignite the fuel before the spark plug does.
If this is the case, you need to decoke the valves.
Have you tried running 3 tankfulls of Optimax and caning it? If you are lucky this might burn it off....

Tony

Isn't the ignition ecu controled from a dispack? My misses K reg Sri is.

Sure its pinking and not just a rattly engine?

:lol: fookin' pinking!! Me uncles were talking bout this the other day about the good ole days in their old cars, etc... went to devon and he picked up some hot chicks and went up a steep hill and was pinking and conked out :lol: the gurls go out n walked :P

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kenni

quote:

---

Originally posted by AndyW
how can u tell its doin this?

---

when you drive up a hill in a high gear/ when you accelerate hard...the engine makes a noise similar to shaking a bag of nails..:look:...nasty....some corsas are fitted with a knock sensor, which elimiate pinking. the C14se doesnt have a knock sensor.

---

try adjusting ignition timing mate and change your spark plugs

[Edited on 21-06-2004 by AdamF]

quote:

---

Originally posted by AndyW
how can u tell its doin this?

---

how can u tell its doin this?

slap higher octane fuel in. unleaded 97ron

pre ignition, the mixture goes "bang" before the piston reaches at the top of its cycle

i think you can adjust the dizzy to retard the ignition cycle

wats pinking?

i'm really desperate guys, got a 94 sri 8v mpi with the c14se lump. a couple of years ago i put a pipercross cone on but took it off after about 5 month cos i losts loads of power(sounded good tho!) a while after that i noticed it wos pinking slightly but took no notice. then last summer the head gasket went so i took 6 thou off the head and decoked the valves,etc. it helps slightly if i run it on optimax with octane booster but when i'm powering up a hill or the slightest bit load on the engine and it pinks like mad. i've also tried valve lifter lubricant with no joy and its bn on 3 different computers with no problems showing. also replaced the map sensor and throttle potentiometer and now i'm getting really desperate. please sum1 talk some sense 2 me!