DodgeTalk Forum banner

Which engine pings for you ?

  • 318

    Votes: 155 48.3%
  • 360

    Votes: 166 51.7%
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ping survey 318 or 360 ?

26K views 135 replies 99 participants last post by  MRDANGERUS 
#1 ·
for those unfortunate owners who suffer with a continuous ping problem, I'd like to know if you own the 5.2 (318) or the 5.9 (360)
 
#3 ·
Had a '99 with a 360, and an '01 with a 318, both pinged. So far, the new one doesn't (360).

Mike
 
#4 ·
5.2L

This was a serious b*tch of a problem to solve; 180 t-stat and cooler plugs helped, M1 reduced the pinging alot, and a new EGR valve. Truck still pings a little bit, but I guess it is something I'll have to live with.
 
#6 ·
Ping

I've got the 5.2, don't have the ping but it sure lacks in power. I've got the flashed PCM.
 
#9 ·
5.2. Pings on one cylinder, I'm getting some oil fouling on the one plug, either a valve stem seal or more likely the intake manifold to head gasket, dealer has been useless/obstructive, I've been complaining about this for two years now, now it's out of warranty, so I'll have a go at it myself this summer when I've got time. In the meanwhile Autolite 3924s keep the ping under control.
 
#10 ·
having my 01 1500 2wd 3.9 flashed this FRI / I hope it clears it up with no lose of power / there is a TSB on this subject / I hear its a common problem with all the motors 3.9-5.2-5.9 / I,ll let you know how it comes out / later and MOPAR TO YA ///////// DEANO:dunno:
 
#11 ·
My 360/5.9 Magnum V8 in a 1995 Ram pings slightly on 87 octane with the factory original PCM, but stops pinging if 93 octane is used.

It also pings a bit harder with the Mopar Perf PCM installed and 93 octane fuel. It will stop pinging if I spray Mopar Combustion Chamber Conditioner directly into cylinder 7 and 8 thru open sparkplug holes. This cleans away carbon deposits, but the pinging comes back in 1000-2000 miles.

The 360/5.9 V8 has 4.00 inch diameter pistons with 'soap-dish' reverse domes cast into their piston tops. I think these soap-dish depressions are more prone to fill up with carbon deposits, even though the 5.9V8 after 1995 had its compression ratio dropped from 9.1 to 8.9 The top of the 360 piston is also a fairly rough surface casting with a Chrysler emblem foolishly cast in the center. This roughness lets carbon stick better.

The 318/5.2 V8 has 'flat top' pistons that are slightly smaller at 3.91 inches. This type of piston should have slightly better combustion characteristics and less carbon build-up. I predict that this piston difference makes the 318 'slightly' less prone to pinging than the 360. The rod/stroke ratio of the 318 is also slightly better than the 360 and some engine experts have written that this may reduce pinging.
 
#12 ·
Never had any pinging, either pure stock or going through the mods.

What percent of V8 Magnums have the pinging problem?
Am I in the lucky minority?
 
#13 ·
'99 3.9L

'99 3.9L 2wd, 5sp. 47.7K mi. Has pinged since day one. Better gas does not help.
Sometimes pings at idle.
I think a very prevalent problem.
I live at about 5200 ft. altitude - have driven the truck from sea level to nearly 2 mi high. It pings.
Glad to know I'm not the only one.
Sam ******
 
#15 · (Edited)
Ping FIX
1995 Ram 1500 5.9
Noticed ping @2500-3000 rpm under light load.
Installed a 180 t-stat, Autolite 3924 plugs, 2.2k ohm resistor in the IAT plug (= bout 70 f to the computer) and went to 93 octane gas giving me smoother idle, quicker throttle response and quicker starts but STILL pinging.
When changing plugs I noticed that #7 had heavy oil deposits. This truck being new to me I changed oil and kept track of the level. Engine comsumed 3 quarts in 500 miles!.
Did an internal Vacumn leak test and didnt even have to hook up the Vac. guage because when I took the PCV Breather hose off I could hear the air being sucked in like a vacumn cleaner. The plenum pan gasket was leaking so bad im surprised it was running at all much less as good as it was.
Took the air cleaner assembly off and looked down the TB and saw the gasket sticking out at a 90 degree angle in THREE PLACES, worst of which was..........yep you guessed it-right beside the #7 intake runner.
The plenum Pan is made of stamped steel which seems to have shitty heat properties. Speedtweaks.net has a replacement Aluminum pan that fixes the problem. (bout 100$) A less expensive solution is the reinforcement kit from Hughesengines.com. It comes complete with rebars and new (longer) bolts, new "improved" mopar plenum pan gasket, intake gasket set and new intake bolts. As of this post, the rebar kit is on sale for 39.95 (regular 54.00).
The kit comes with great instructions showing the locations to put the rebars and revised torque specs.
I now can pull my 31 foot airstream on 87 octane with no ping at all and NO oil consumption.
while you are in there put in a 180 t-stat and its also a good time for wires, cap (with brass poles) and rotor.
I reused my TB gasket and EGR gasket because they looked to be in good shape.
I also left the fuel rails/ injectors in place-if you take them off, get the o-rings or you'll be sorry.
Get a spray can of gasket remover for the plenum pan gasket, it will be stuck good around the bolt holes.
 
#16 ·
Two 360s. The 95 occasionally pinged but only long enough to notice... the computer changed timing and it was only a once in several months item... typically in summer hot months never in winter and always under very light throttle.

The 02 has never pinged yet... running 89 octane 100% of the time.

If you are a light foot like me and do only intermittent towing duty, then you'll find that the occasional fuel system clean in a bottle and a good run on the highway will help with those undetected (until you are pinging like crazy) carbon deposits.

If your rig has a bad build-up... forget the cleaner in a bottle - it won't help... it's more an occasional clean-up for well running engines - it ain't no miracle cure :rolleyes:
 
#19 ·
I've had no pinging and no plug fouling problems. If y'all are referring to the "ticking sound" the 5.9 and 5.2 make it is from the T.B. sending fuel and air into the runners on the intake manifold.
 
#20 ·
There is a gas additive called RXP you can get at Auto Zone that really works. Cleans all the carbon out of your engine and reduces ping. Fixed my truck when I got a tank of bad gas.
 
#24 ·
Have to run 89 octane fuel or I get some ping
under load. Most of this problem is due to all
my mods.
 
#26 ·
{HankL saw this tip:}

Oil driven detonation: The Porsche 928's chronic oil lifting behavior at
higher rpms dumps oil into the induction system, causes smoke in the exhaust
and, detonation of the engine at its peak output. That's because oil mixing
with the injected fuel lowers the effective octane rating and hence the
detonation threshold. Detonation damages pistons, valves, and rings, and
forces rebuilds before the 928's 200,000+ mile engine life has been attained.
Some racers use two-cycle engine oil in the crankcase because that oil is
formulated to be burned and is specially blended to be compatible with fuel.

The Fix: Install oil control modifications at the next engine disassembly. At
the next oil change, fill with Red Line or Valvoline synthetic oils. Porsche
tested a broad range of oils for fuel compatibility and found Valvoline
synthetics to reduce detonation when mixed with fuel and burned in an internal
combustion engine. The Red Line synthetic oils are blended for compatibility
with the higher octane fuels recommended for Porsche engines.

{and it got HankL wondering if this same trick could be used to see if
detonation in a Dodge Magnum 5.2/5.9 V8 due solely to a belly pan gasket leak
could be diagnosed in the same way - temporarily use Valvoline synthetic 2
stroke oil in the crankcase and see if the detonation goes away}

original tech tips at

http://www.devek.net/index.php?page=nfo_tech_tips
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top