There's a lot of talk online about "self-learning ECUs". I'm a bit on the fence about it and whether they actually exist in the way that people think they do. Who knows. I'd be interested to hear if it sorts your problem out though.

You could try disconnecting the battery for at least an hour (switch the ignition on and press the brake pedal after disconnecting the battery too to use up any residual power in the circuit) and then drive the car gently.

If the ECU does reset, the car may run rough for a bit until it "re-learns" (if it is in fact an ECU capable of that).

You may lose any radio presets etc. and may need the radio code.

Edited by Braunschweig on 21/07/2013 at 23:21

which sounds like pinking

That's very unlikely. Modern cars have been using knock sensors to control ignition advance for years now and will retard to avoid pinking well before you hear it.

Usual way of doing things, since the demise of distributors with mechanical advance, is to run with a default of some horrendous level of advance, with the ECU retarding as necessary to avoid knocking.

Edit: Here's a thought. You say it's a vvti? A colleague has an old Alfa 156 that sound like it's pinking under load. He says it's the variable valvetrain rattling as it does its stuff......

Edited by TeeCee on 22/07/2013 at 11:00