Hello, I just bought a used 2000 Durango with 75K on it and a 4.7 motor. When I bought it I checked the plugs and found that they looked pretty worn so I replaced them with a single tip Bosh platinum plug. The rig ran fine after that. This last weekend I took it up on a camping trip. Up and down several steep mountain passes. Coming back I began to notice more engine 'ping' then I think is normal. At first I thought that the gas that I filled up with in the small town I was near was bad or that the octane rating was not the 87 as recommended by the Durango manual. When I got home I topped off the tank (about 1/2 full at the time) with 91 octane but I still noticed what I considered to be too much pinging. I need to note that the weather here has been in the mid to high 90's. I then did a little research online and found that some people are highly against using any platinum plugs. So, for $10 I switched back to the standard RC12MCC4 plug. Upon my test drive I could still hear some pinging around 2500-3000rpm when going up hill or when mildly accelerating in that rpm range. I think the stock plug is an improvement but I'm still wondering if there is anything more I can do short of taking it to the dealer and getting a hose job. The Durango manual even states that a small amount of pinging at low rpms is normal but a large amount at high rpms can cause engine damage. I guess one of my questions is what is considered low and high rpms on a the 4.7 ? Am I being too paranoid about this ?
Any thought would be appreciated.
Thanks !
Mike

 

Wow, this forum is pretty dull. I thought I would at least get a couple of replys to my post regarding my pinging issue. This is the first forum I've ever been involved in that seems like a gohst town.
I'll try a different forum.....later.

 

Hey there are good people in here! [sm=boosign.gif]You want a good reply you got to give some of these people a chance. Most people are hanging out haven a good time. When we get on line we try to help people out!

You are right to go back to the stock OEM plugs. In dodge the computers are set up to read the spark and if anything has changed (you put a different plug in, or the spark is bad) it will cripple the PMC and read it as a miss fire. ONLY USE OEM PLUGS AND WIRES! You will do your self a favor. Some companies offer good wires but I have never had good luck with them, only on older cars and trucks without computers.

Now I have a 5.9L so mine is different. But I've seen enough of the 4.7L. You have coil packs over each one of your spark plugs. One of these might be going out but the only way I know to find out is when the PMC finally trips a code. Even if it runs bad it wont trip a code in less it really runs bad. you might have a clogged injector try to run a good strong cleaner through it. I don't like them but a lot of people swear by them. Did you make sure all the parts of the plugs came out if something dropped in there it could make it do this? Also if it sounds like a poof-ping it very well could be a bad exhaust manifold gasket.

Check your pilot bearing on your belt and also your belt tensioner bearings. Put some water on your belts as they spin and see if the noise goes away if it dose this might be your problem.

Next time you want help why don't you try waiting![sm=shootshoot.gif]

 

I'm thinking you may have a bad O2 sensor or an issue with the air intake sensor. I understand Dodge uses a speed air sensor for their ecm so that could be an issue. Might just be out of time a bit too. Could be an ER valve come to think of it.

 

Dudes,

I have a 5.9L and under heavy acceleration I hear some pinging .... my mechanic buddy told me that the timing needs to be adjusted ... simple as that ....

 

Sounds like your mechanic buddy he hit the nail on the head. Can he time the motor or do you have to take it to the dealer for their computer to do it?