Actually it is a pretty common problem. Almost as common as the leaking plenum gasket, seens how that's what causes it. People let the leaking gasket go for too long and all that burned oil builds up in the cats and plugs 'em up. But you're right, it depends on the mileage and how long he let it go.

 

things that can cause pinging -

leaking intake/plenum.
fuel mix too lean.
plugs too hot of heat range.
carbon buildup inside cylinder.
cylinder temp too hot for other reasons (restricted exhaust or cat problem)
timing too advanced.
timing chain problem.

 

Sorry it took so long for me to respond back. My truck has a little over 100,000 miles on it. I'm not sure exactly what gears I have in it. At the moment I'm deployed overseas so I can't get to it. I'm just getting some ideas about possible causes so I can run through it when I get back. I appreciate all the responses. I'm not sure how long the pinging has been going on. I bought it with it without really knowing it. When I changed my Plenum gasket I never ran Sea Foam through it. So when I get back thats the first thing I'm going to try. I forgott to mention something. Before I switched my gasket out I kept getting a code that would pop up every now an then. It said it was my rear O2 sensor acting up. It would come and go. After I changed my gasket I never had it pop up. I drove the truck about 2 months after I changed the gasket. I never got a code for the front ones though. Is there any way to check them without a code? It was mentioned that they might be gummed up. Can I take them out and just clean them or should I just buy new ones. I would really like a way to pin point what is causeing this pinging low power thing. I hate it when I just throw parts at a vehicle. But if I have to I will. I'm not giving up on her yet.

 

I just did the Hughes kit. I also put in a 180* thermostat(bad timing also, too cold) and I put in a new NGK O2 sensor up front. I would just get a couple and go ahead and replace them both. I was pinging pretty bad before the plenum was replaced. I also had no power. I thought that that was the only problem until my water pump went out. After it went bad and I could wiggle the bearing around, I think that it was slowing the motor and making it work harder. That could rob the engine of power also. I noticed that the pinging has went away in mine. But I Have Seafoamed it, put 91 octane in it, and did a complete tune-up also. I still need to drive it more to see if I gained any more power. But right now it is back in the shop because it has a mysterious coolant leak. I am going to put a 14x3 aircleaner on it and get rid of the stock airbox. I'll see if that helps a little. I went out and drove it 2 days ago befor I noticed the leak and I said lets see if it will spin the tires from a stop. I was surprised that it spun the tires for about 10 feet. I guess thats not too bad for a heavy truck? Sorry for the ramble. Thanks for helping too protect our country.

 

I'm pretty determined to figure this thing out. I can't afford to buy another truck. To answer a question from a previous post. I have 33's tires on it. No lift. The truck is also a 5 speed if that helps anyone. I wanna use it to pull a camper when I get back but I'm afraid to. I'm sure its something so simple that its right under my nose. Well I have decided when I get back to, first run Sea Foam through it. Replace the O2 sensors and go from there.

 

as a quick fix for pinging, use higher octane gas. try the highest first - 92-93-94, and if that solves the ping, then come down to 89 to see where your threshold is.

read through squirrels long pinging thread. he spent about a million dollars to solve it. i'm not sure what was the actual cause. contact him for info.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...need-help.html

the front 02 is what directs the pcm to adjust fuel mix. i'd replace it. the post-cat 02 just monitors the cat. i wouldn't waste money on it.

i had a bad ping that went away with the combination of plenum fix and new timing chain. i don't know which had the most effect.

 

i have a question about this death-flash thing. i know my 01 got the death-flash. i saw the sticker on the PCM. im in the process of doing my plenum gasket and other things right now and i would like to get rid of the death-flash. the question- can i just borrow some ones tuner and program my PCM or is it something that would have to become a permanent part of the truck?

 

Idk.. If it does not have many miles, cats arent usually a problem. unless it is pretty sh****. Doesnt matter. Could be anything named.

 

the superchips or hypertech tuner is not portable and it can't be applied to multiple trucks at the same time. instead, it only installs to the pcm of one truck at a time and has an update process called VIN Lock to prevent it.

it doesn't become a permanent part of the truck in a physical sense. instead its more like a handheld computer that marries itself to the truck and extracts/saves the stock program, installs the modified program, and updates the status to VIN locked. after this is complete, you toss the tuner into a drawer somewhere and forget it. If you wish, you can reverse the process, return the stock program to the pcm, unlock the tuner, and re-use it on a different truck.

 

ahh, i gotcha. i thought that was the case, just wasnt sure. so i just wanted to clear that up. im just recently starting to get a little interest in automobile performance. im more into motorcycles and quads. thats my area of specialties. thanks alot for your help man. i appreciate it.