Grounded

Does anyone know what might be happening when there are pinging noises after an engine is shut off? It sounds like a nail head being tapped quickly inside of a hollow soup can.

Any ideas?

TIA
Pat

Grounded

Bump....

Right after the engine is shut off, it goes...
ping! ping! ping! ping! ping! ping! ping! ping!
and as the engine starts cooling, the pinging sounds slow down.

I was hoping to find out what this was about, because my friends lent me their car and this pinging noise started a week after I started driving it. Shoot, I hope they don't think I did this to their car!

mike_d

are you sure that you've never heard this before? if it is what i think it is, then every car does it and it's not a big deal. if i'm understanding what you're describing, i'd say its the metal contracting as it cools. generally it's the thinner fins in the radiator that you hear. as they cool down the metal contracts and you hear it "snapping" or "pinging" back into place. (at least that's what my dad told me when i asked him about it when i was 5)

i've noticed this on every single car i've ever driven. so maybe you're talking about a different noise that's new, but maybe you'll need to give a better description of it.

2001Millrunner

sounds like your truck is settling.......

Grounded

Thanks for your reply. I don't believe it is the metal contracting - I understand what you're both referring to. I'll check out the noise again this evening after a drive and I'll try to describe it in another way.

Grounded

Well, I give up. There was no "pinging" after I shut off the engine this evening (just metal contracting)...but the engine wasn't running for very long either. I'll just mention it to the owners when they return. Maybe I'm just not used to their car.

farmerj

after long trips we will hear this noise as well. Near as I can tell, just the engine cooling. Try letting it idle for longer or just don't worry about it.