ok here goes! i recently purchased a 2000 ram 2500 with 82,000 miles with the 360 and 4.10 or 4.11 s (not sure which) truck has 4" susp lift 315/75/16 tire and a butt load of acessories visor, brush gaurd, step bars, air intake.etc... and im getting about 8 miles to the gallon.. 1. is this normal?... Im also getting a ping when the engine is under a load,(pulling a trailer, getting on highway.etc). Im not much into engines especially the new computer stuff. im lost on what to do with this ping.. the dealer wants like 100 bucks just to check the computer! what are my options????????????

 

Any check engine light? Usualy this is a sign of your timing being off a few degrees, or too much fuel . Ford explorers had this problem right out of the factory. Try running a tank of high octang fuel. If it is from pre- ignition this might cure it. Lower octane fuels are less stabl, and under a lot of pressure they would start to burn before the plug fired. This is usually a problem with modified engines or engines of highe compression. But give it a shot. Also I heard somewhere this might be a cause of a lot of carbon buildup on the valves. I have never run into this problem, so I can't say for sure. Maybe someone else can post to confirm or deny this.