[highheat2004]

98 dodge ram 1500 has 120,000 mi, was pinging alittle bit now it is doing it alot!! has anyone had this problem........any suggestions!!

 

[Jmw132001]

alot of people have had this problem. solution is a new plenum gasket. do a search on here for plenum gasket and you should come up with alot of threads. good luck

 

[charger72]

I think darn near all of us with over 100,000 have had the same problem.

 

[chizzle1]

if it's not the plenum gasket, try switching to a 180* t-stat and a cooler range plug such as the Autolite 3923.

To check for the plenum gasket problem: remove the stock air box, remove the throttle body, use an inspection mirror w/ a flash light and check for oil collecting around the corners on the inside of the intake manifold.

Mine was pinging when I bought it (back in 99 with about 27000-30000 miles on it), but it turned out my plenum gasket was fine. I installed a 180* t-stat and some Bosch +4s and it fixed it. I have since replaced the Bosch +4s with autolite 3923s. Plenum gasket still good with over 109,000 on it.

edit: can you post a pic of your PCM? Would like to see if it's got the death flash or not. If it has been flashed, and you still get ping, then I'd bet it's the plenum gasket.
Dodge issued a PCM flash (commonly called the Death Flash) that advances the timing and makes the engine a total pig, don't get the flash if it hasn't been done yet.

 

[Dodge318]

Mine always pings. Always Has, I've tried everything you can possibly imagine short of the death flash. It has right around 270K on it and it's fine. Mine really only pings at about 45mph at light throttle so it's really not a huge deal.

Death Flash is bad news. My girlfriends truck has it and it's so gutless it's too slow to get out of it's own way. Literaly, The difference between the two trucks is night and day.

 

[DerwooD509]

Hey chizzle1, how do you know if the PCM has received the death flash or not??? Would like to know if mine has.

Thanks
D

 

[kennethpruett]

Look at post 7 and 9 in this thread:

http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122909&highlight=deathflash

KP

 

[DerwooD509]

Mine doesn't have the sticker, so no death flash :rck:

Thanks guys!!

 

[turbinemech]

My 95 ram pinged when new. I finally got it to stop at 138,000 miles. It needed a tune up. I purchased an Accel truck tune up kit. I also purchased an accel coil for it. The stupid thing still pinged. Intake gasket was fine, no oil. Tried rerouting wires per the service bulletin, this didn't work. I was talking to a buddy who runs a dragster. He suggested opening the plug gap. I opened the gap .005" over stock setting and NO More Pinging!!! Even while towing my boat.

 

[kennethpruett]

What plug types do you run?
I thought gapping the plug wider would be worse.

KP

 

[turbinemech]

The truck tune up kit includes Accel plugs, high temp wires, cap and rotor. Opening the gap would hurt if I had a stock coil. I installled and Acell coil, which has higher voltage than stock. The high temp wires made it so I could remove those stupid little heat shields around the plugs, without worrying about the wires. My gas mileage is about 18-19 highway and 12-15 around town.

 

[kennethpruett]

Ah, makes sense.
Thanks for clearing that up.

KP

 

[kirk_ringey]

what size engine's are the ones that everyone is getting a pinging sound... my dads truck has a 360 and it was pinging new intake manifold gasket and solved it, 10 thousand miles and its pinging again when u hit about 3 grand and I really notice it when im towing something? what could help this and where is teh pinging coming from

 

[turbinemech]

The ping comes from the unburned fuel in the combustion chamber. My 95 ram has a 360. See post #9 above. This is how I finally got rid of it.

 

[ppp1182]

pinging happens when the fuel in the combustion chamber begins burning before the spark plug ignites it at the end of the compression cycle. this can be due to improper timing, too much O2 (increases burn temp and heats incoming air...), induction (spark current jumping across wires), too much compression, and a few other things. then the spark plug fires and the two burn fronts meet each other, causing the "ping." the sound comes from the flame/heat trying to expand the compression chamber (apply force to the piston) when that cylinder is still in the compression cycle. it causes partially burned fuel to escape, but it is not caused by partially burned fuel, since it actually results from the fuel burning too easily.

i would check the plenum gasket. I had two go in 3000 miles and finally decided to rid myself of the gasket all together.

 

[kirk_ringey]

Do you think running a some midgrade every now and then would help? seems like it would to me... this along with changing the plugs seems to be a good start huh. The plugs are stock and the truck now has 61 thousand. If that doesn't work then what would u suggest being the next best place to start other then the manifold which has been replaced about 12 thousand miles ago. It's not burning oil so i figure the intake manifold is fine :crazy:

 

[ppp1182]

mid-grade might help in the warm months. I have found "premium" brand fuel to be better in regards to anti-detonation ("pinging"). I would start by checking the wire routing TSB, doing the aforementioned ignition tune up (wires, cap, rotor, plugs), 180* thermostat (if you like), replacing the coolant (if it is old), and doing a seafoam or autoRX combustion chamber clean. Make sure your oil level is good, too, because high engine temps can cause pinging.

 

[kirk_ringey]

I see you have the same truck that my dad does. His is a 99 sport with a 360 and has 61k. Did you ever exsperience this pinging? Have you do all the tune up stuff yet? I know that stuff should be replaced at this time, just haven't do it but my dad thinks its running fine (he's hard of hearing :huh: ) . I think i might just do the tune up for him and see what happens. Yeah it also only happens when it's warm really so that thermostate might help

 

[kirk_ringey]

Just another question you said something about an 02 sensor. I have never heard of them making an engine ping, maybe it does if it makes it run to rich. But then again i should be able to notice it in the gas mileage which is still the good old 13~!

 

[ppp1182]

I had terrible problems on my move from Seattle to New Orleans. That's why I now have the M-1 intake (no gasket; runners go directly to the cylinders). The ignition tune up is a great place to start with 61k miles on the clock. Pick up a brass cap and rotor, autolite or champion plugs (standard...nothing fancy), and wires. Everything should cost less than $100 and should only take 2 hours to do. Be careful, because the rear 4 plugs are kind of a PITA and you can break the ceramic insulators getting them out.