The history of my problem is that my truck would ping either under load or whenever I went over 1/2 throttle. I cleaned the EGR valve and passage ways, installed new plugs and wires and ran several bottles of cleaner through the system without any help. I also have ECU code FOU1.

I hooked up my voltmeter to the EVR solenoid to watch when the ECU was calling for the EGR valve to open. Sure enough, whenever I put the engine under load (even going up a moderate hill) or went over 1/2 throttle, the voltage signal to the EVR would shutdown and therefore the vacuum to the EGR would be cut off.

So I cleaned the DPFE sensor and hooked everything back up and went for several test drives. Now the EVR valve continues to receive a voltage signal except at WOT and idle and the pinging is gone!

If your engine is still pinging after many different attempts to fix the problem, you might want to give this a try, it didn't take much time and didn't cost anything.

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1998 F-150 XLT, Ext Cab, 4.6/auto, 3.55 R, FlowMaster 40 Series w/ dual 3" chrome tips, CraneCams 8.5mm FireWire spark plug wires

 

Since the location of the DPFE sensor may be different from your '97 to my '98, probably the easiest way to find it is to locate the tube that runs from the exhaust manifold to the EGR valve. That tube has two T-fittings that have rubber hoses connected to them. The other end of those rubber hoses are connected to the DPFE sensor (a little bigger than a deck of cards and it has a 3 wire harness connnected to it).

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1998 F-150 XLT, Ext Cab, 4.6/auto, 3.55 R, FlowMaster 40 Series w/ dual 3" chrome tips, CraneCams 8.5mm FireWire spark plug wires

 

. . . hit the wrong key.

I was desperate and the only thing I had handy was WD-40. I removed the sensor, turned it upside down and sprayed WD-40 into the two tubes/orifices that the hoses were connected to. I let it sit for a while and then emptied the WD-40 out and let it dry before re-installing.

I'm sure carb cleaner would work better and I'm planning on getting some and doing the procedure over again. Whatever you use, you want something that will disolve the carbon/exhaust deposits that collect in the sensor.

Hope that helps.

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1998 F-150 XLT, Ext Cab, 4.6/auto, 3.55 R, FlowMaster 40 Series w/ dual 3" chrome tips, CraneCams 8.5mm FireWire spark plug wires

 

Ted:

I have a 1997 4.6L (Windsor) Super Cab Lariat. For about the last 2,500 miles I have been getting some pinging (not very loud, mostly when engine is cold) I have Bosch platinum +4 spark plugs in the engine (which I have heard may not be a good idea) I have a lot of power and torque but I am also experiencing a little miss in my idle. Where is the DPFE sensor located on a 4.6L and how do you clean it? I have tried everything possible (including cleaning the MAF) but am still pinging. Any help you can provide will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rick K.

 

Ted'98

I am impressed with your original post. I like to see people using basic trouble shooting techniques to find a small problem instead of taking it to a dealer and then complaining about the crappy service. Again thanks for the simple explanation you have given us. If I ever have a ping I will be one step closer to fixing the problem without relying on anyone but myself.