Hey guys, a few months back I noticed my Durango pinging a little bit pulling a 5000 pound trailer up a hill but that was the only time it would do it. Now it is getting worse, it does it pretty much every hill I go up when I go over quarter throttle. Usually when I start hearing it I just pop it out of over drive but I know that isn't fixing the problem. I'm up in Maine so we still have the ****ty winter blend gas. Do you think that could be the problem? The only other thing I can think of is something is wrong wih the cat. I have two codes that come on when it's wet out: p0420 and p0138 not sure if this would have anything to do with it or not. Thank you everybody.

 

The codes somewhat relate to eachother, change your post cat o2 sensor with a good denso or dealer part. Do NOT get Bosch. Run like Lucas fuel cleaner, or another good fuel cleaner through every other tank.

 

also make sure you are up to date on tune up (good plugs, rotor, cap and wires) and try running some higher octane gas, winter blend really does screw with the way the vehicle can run, but if everything is kept up with it shouldnt be too bad.

 

+1 plugs should be changed every 15,000!

 

+3 on the tune up. Seen to many vehicles ping cause of bad ignition components.

 

Thank you for the replies. I did a tune up on it over the summer, new cap, plug wires and plugs. I could not get the friggin rotor off but anyway I was going to out some 89 octane in it today to see if it helps any. Just seems weird, you would think sense it has EFI the computer would pick up on the pinging and adjust the timing so it doesn't ping.

 

you are wrong, the plugs are a 30k mile part, if you want to change them more frequently thats fine, but dont be telling others to waste their money, unless there is a problem with the plugs 30k miles is the change interval

 

Also these engines don't have knock sensors so the computer won't adjust the timing according to that.

 

if all else fails dodge has plenum plate problem because they are not made of the same metal and a bad plenum can cause pinging. oil will leak into intake you may want to look up hughes plenum kit on Hughes web site they do have more info and step by step installing with pictures

 

Oh, that'd be why the computer doesnt pick up on that. And I'm pretty sure the plenum gasket is ok because I can go 5000 miles on a synthetic oil change and it wont burn a drop.