[s-cars] ping vs. rattle

[Tom Green]

I believe the suggestions have been to investigate via a compression  
and/or leakdown test.  If the results point to a headgasket failure  
between cylinders, I am sure the owner
will be glad to have this information rather than find it after it  
burns a trace across both the head and block and the pre-ignition has  
done the usual damage to the cylinder.  At the point that crud is  
found in the oil, it will be in the form of piston and ring parts.

Considering that guys are hearing pinging in this moderately insulated  
luxury car means (1) it is somewhat loud, (2) they have good hearing,  
and (3) the knock sensors do not find it is the noise they associate  
with detonation, but (4) it is of enough concern for the driver to  
write about it but not get cold checking on it.  Am I missing something?

Tom

On Wednesday January26, 2011, at 6:42 PM, "Wylie Bean" <theringmeister at triad.rr.com 
 >   wrote:
>
> The head gasket on my car was replaced by the PO just before I  
> bought it.... Approx 100K miles and 4 years ago.  I guess it's not  
> at all out of the question that it could be going.  I guess it's  
> possible w/ this sort of failure that there wouldn't be signs of  
> crud either in the oil or in the coolant?
> Wylie Bean
> TheRingmeister at triad.rr.com
> 90 cq
> 91 90q20v
> 92 UrS4
> 08 Q7 3.6
> via BlackBerry?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: james McCarthy <jjssmccarthy at yahoo.com>
> Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:23:15
> To: Phil Mische<pmische at att.net>; <Vittorio.Bares at nuance.com>; <djdawson2 at aol.com 
> >; <theringmeister at triad.rr.com>; <s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com>;  
> <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] ping vs. rattle
>
> Head gasket would be a major bummer as it&#39;s only a year old with  
> metal gasket and arp studs...