Alright before you say search, I have and this is more of a specific type of question. I have gathered also of data on this subject and unfortunately i still have questions.

I understand that there are two different problems when you hear the pinging coming from the engine. First is the Plenum and second is the one where you have it fixed by getting a death-flash from the dealer. I have no idea what this is specifically called.

Now my Truck is an 02 1500 with the 5.9. Its getting close to 100k miles and this problem has been there for most of its life. Now that its mine, it was my dads truck, I'm hoping to get it fixed. It has had a tune up but my father is unsure if they only did plugs or all the components, like wires and caps. That was about 50k ago. and it did not solve the problem.

It pings, not always, but sometimes. Enough to annoy me to no end and cringe when it happens, it also dies it at the most inconveint of times. Sometimes it does it when its under a load (towing my four place, or going up a hill) and other times it happens when I'm slowly accelerating to, lets say 45mph. Not even being very hard on it. - This lead me to believe that it was the death-flash problem.

however..

It also drinks oil. a quart every tank and a half-ish, its not constant. So about 300 to 600 miles. The oil is changed regularly, altho with the oil it consumes problem more often than that. I looked down the TB and it seemed clean, the truck was cold and pointed uphill when i checked. also i understand that others dint see oil and the plenum is still bad. So I'm leaning towards the plenum..

On a additional note the TB was clean, like spotless clean after almost 30k or more miles, without cleaning it. seemed kinda odd, unless a mechanic cleaned it without telling me.

Now the confusing part to me, and this is why i think its both. I decided to start running 90 octane, the highest it goes here in ak, to see if it stopped, or made a difference at all. It did, it pinged less often, but just as bad. and after 3 tanks of this it required almost 2 and a half quarts of oil. It seemed more powerful, yet less than i feel it should have.

So my plan was to order the reinforcement kit, and while I'm down there do the 180- thermo, plugs wires distributor cap and rotor. As i understand sometimes the tune up can help solve the pinging with out death-flashing.

and I'm not going to get it death-flashed...

additionally i will be getting a superchip, and a intake for the truck soon, as in whenever i get the pinging fixed.

So my questions..

what should i get to avoid death-flashing it. plugs and what not like i thought above? A superchip and keep it on the high octane tune? would a superchip help. as i understand that it voids an already death-flashed cpu, an thus solve the pinging? is that right?

Should i still get the reinforcement kit, even if its not that, just as a precaution. it has alot of miles and from that alone, even tho its a 3rd gen i thinks its probably gone.

Any comments or suggestions are very much helpful and wanted. I posted it in this section because you guys seem to know alot more about it. As there was only one or two years of the 3rd gens with the 5.9

Thanks in advance Ak Soul

 

Well if your using that much oil and you're not seeing a visible leak from the engine bay you definetly need to do the plenum reinforcement kit cause you have plenum blow-out for sure. Get this fixed and your send your death-flash to the grave!

 

Being in Alaska, I don't think going to a 180* thermostat would be a good plan.

50K miles on a set of plugs is too long. Change them at the very least, have a look at the other ignition parts, and change them as well if you suspect they need it.

The throttle body only flows air, so, it staying clean really isn't a surprise. Mine is pretty clean too, and I have a 160K miles on it......

 

Why would a 180 thermo be bad? is it just too cold up here to often? Where i live it gets down to zero and sometimes below that but not that often. It doesnt get to hot, either, seventies here in anchorage but in Fairbanks it can get to the nineties.

so i should just swap out the plenum first and see what happens? With the reinforcement kit. I still plan on getting a supechip. but now that can wait another week or two.

 

In the winter, you may have issues with inadequate heat, and the engine may not warm enough to run at its most efficient. If you don't clue in the PCM that you have a lower temp thermostat, it is going to base its opinions on what should happen thinking the engine is not warming up completely. Will this be an issue for you? Maybe. Thermo's are cheap though, and easy to change, so, you could try it with the 180, and see how you like it. If you don't, simply change it out.

 

Ohh wow fast reply.

Aright i see your point. If i did go with it is there a way to 'clue in the PCM' that it is getting warm enough. I not all that mechanically inclined, but for the most part i can figure things out that are not computer related.

 

You're a bit confused on the deathflash.

That was Chysler's "fix" for a blown plenum gasket. They reflashed the PCM and took some timing advance out of the curve to keep the truck for pinging under load, rather than correctly fixing the problem by replacing the plenum gasket.
Its simple economics for them: 10min reflash Vs. A 4.5 hour teardown on the dealer's dime.

A super chips performance tune is set for 91 octane due to the lovely State of California. 90 should be fine, provided the truck is running tip top.

If you are still pinging on a Higher Octane, my guess is that the severe oil consumption has caused major carbon build up in the cylinders and valves. A few treatments of Seafoam or Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner should help rectify the problem, but it will return unless you repair the plenum issue first.

 

To add, the superchips tune will increase the tendency to ping on a poor running engine, as it advances timing beyond stock.

 

In order to let the PCM know you are running a colder thermostat, you need to reflash it. Some customer tuners can do this, don't know if Hemifever does this. (you would need to contact him about that.)

 

Ahh ok, your right was was confused about the whole deathflash fix. Thanks for clearing that up. I understand dodges reasoning to simply solve it with a flash. So yea i'll be getting the reinforcement kit in a couple of days, well at least ordering it. and while im at it might was well give it a tune up. Im not going to put in the 180 thermo.. yet, but what is the temp on the stock one set to?

Additionally ill hold of on getting a superchip until it is running properly.

Thanks HeyYou and aim4squrils, any other comments or suggests are much appreciated.