Pinking

[GolfMad]

Please could somebody clarify exactly what is 'pinking', what it sounds like, when it occurs and what problems it causes.

Have read a few posts on this subject band my haynes manual but still baffled to be honest. 

cheers Andy

[rubjonny]

if you imagine the noise you get rattling a tin of spray paint, it sounds a bit like that!

[GolfMad]

thanks for reply jonny,

if my cars was doing this would it be all the time or hit and miss? i have a slight noise that i cant diagnose, all can say is it doesnt sound to 'metallicy' and only happens when driving, doesnt happen when stationary if that helps?

cheers andy

[tobz.]

Pinking is only usually noticible when the engine is under load, e.g. when accelerating hard or going up a hill in a high gear. It would be very unlikely to happen when stationary unless the timing was WAAAY out.
The way I describe the sound pinking makes is it's like a metallic crackling.

[rubjonny]

if you imagine the sound you get when you rattle a tin of sparay paint, its like that