I have a 1994 22re 5 speed manual that needs a little advice. I'm getting a detonation noise out of it however my timing is back to a base setting. I'm running quite a few mods in it which include:
-LC Engineering pro split duration camshaft
-LC Engineering pro air/fuel tuning module
-Electric fan
-Intake
-Exhaust (Header, 2 1/4 exhaust pace setter)
-MSD Blaster SS Coil
-Magnecor 8.5mm racing wires
-NGK platinum Spark plugs

The pickup has 189000 miles on it with all stock bearings. The head came out of a engine that had stopped running with no warning, and the people didn't bother to understand why.

The noise happens even when I just fire it up warm or cold it doesn't matter. It also takes about 1-3 seconds to get my oil pressure up to around 17-25 psi at idle( I'm running a auto meter phantom gauge).

When driving it mostly happens when i'm running down the highway around 55-60 mph. It doesn't matter if my foots to the floor or if i'm just barley stepping on it, the noise seems to be there. I have further concluded that it happens more with a light throttle position or around 4500-5500 rpm.

I have looked at my plugs and there doesn't seem to be any sort of detonation wear on them. I can't get my bore camera down into the spark plug hole to look because the head of it is just to big.

I haven't replaced the timing chain or either timing gears. I have replaced the guides and the tensioner though. I have also replaced the head gasket a few times (once was because of my hard-headedness). I have adjusted the valves a few times to try to see if that gets rid of the noise but no such luck.

If you need any further information to try to help me solve the noise please tell me. I want to find out what the noise is before the engine completely dies.

 

Its not detonation if you are hearing it when you first start it. Piston slap, chain, rod bearing, rocker arms are all possibilities.
As for the oil pressure issue on start up, are you running good fresh oil and a factory oil filter?

 

Yes i'm running royal purple 10w-30, and a k&n hp 1002 filter.

 

Anybody else have any ideas about the sound. I noticed it yesterday it got louder when pulling a trailer. Plugs still look good. I'm still in wonder. I'm also almost positive its in my top end.

 

Kinda tough to accurately diagnose a noise without actually hearing it

 

A clogged EGR valve could have the effect under load, however it wouldn't have any effect on detonation/pinging at idle.

 

Interesting I'm doing a rebuild this summer and I'm going to remove all of the emissions controls, hopefully it will go away.

 

If your EGR is clogged it is essentially already removed, which creates the problem. If the EGR is functioning it can reduce the combustion temperature to resolve pinging/knocking issues under load.

 

OK good info to have but I'm still confused why I can hear it when I start it. The engine isn't under load, Also when I back my foot out of the throttle the noise is still present.

 

What's your timing at. I have a 93 22re with NWOR header 2 1/4 exhaust all the way back. Middle of the road cat and flowmaster muffler. 83 supra afm and the evil cone filter. I got it smog ok but she was a slug. I very slowly started advancing the timing. No timing light just gorilla timing it. I first marked the location of the distributor with a new sharpie. Then I advanced it by about the width of the sharpie line. And drove it in between each adjustment. I ended up vey happy with the results. I did have just the slightest hint of detonation so I bumped the octane from 87 to 89 and the ping is gone. Ymmv but I figured I might share the info.