Normally just give it a huge amount of throttle a low rpm under load.
That will make most engines ping if they are going to, or tend to.
I don't think I've ever heard actual ping in a waterboxer engine.
I suppose if one advances the timing a lot, and lugs the hell out of it
with a lot of throttle ..
one could be made to ping.  ( harder with an auto trans of course )
No point in doing that - trying to make it ping.
I think perhaps someone is worrying about something when it isn't
necessary to worry about it.

it's like this ..if they timing is where it belongs ..
and timing curve is working properly ...don't worry about it.

On 8/23/2012 11:18 AM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> On 08/22/2012 07:45 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>
> "VW really went out of their way to make the water boxer ping resistant
> and to be able to work under load for extended periods without damage."
>
> I am sure they did and I sure don't want to break my one-and-only
> engine. So lemme ax you sump'en:
>
> What's a surefire way to find out if the engine pings with these
> non-standard plugs? Can one pull off the engine compartment cover and go
> up a steep hill in a tall gear or something? Would ping be audible under
> such conditions?
>
> I have an auto transmission.
>
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
> Bend, Ore.
>