I'm glad someone posted to check your spokes, I was gonna do the same...LOL

Anyway back on topic: In addition to the higher octane, you may want to pull your pre CAT o2 sensor see if the ping subsides a bit more.
Bad plenum=plugged CAT.... which= PING.
Pulling o2 sensor will relieve some pressure.

 

I had my cat replaced with a high flo magnaflow cat little less than a year ago. Ever since then the CEL has been on, but ive read its not all that uncommon. Could a faulty cat or an incorrectly installed cat cause ping?


PS
Well aware that the clutch is suppose to kick on durring defrost, however didn't know if it was suppose to kick on and off every 5 seconds.

And yes ive checked for the card its not there!

 

A clogged cat will cause ping.

So can a blown plenum, which we already told you to check on.

You might be low on refrigerant, which would cause the compressor to cycle quickly.

 

To drive my Dad crazy my brother and I would put a marble under the hubcap. Until he saw us doing it and whopped us both.

 

That's brilliant....-ly evil!

 

whats a hub cap?

 

That thing, on your wheels, that you bolt on or snap on.

 

Yes, I will check on the plenum!!! Just throwing other factors out there, Im working 12 hours a day and its in the single digit temps here at night so I have not got a chance to check.

Just throwing it out there about my cat, I don't post much here just because I don't run into many problems here, and use this as a research tool.

Im not hasslehoff eating a burger around my bathtub!

 

A/C clutch should NOT cycle every five seconds. Indicates the system has a low charge. (needs more refrigerant.)

If the plenum is blown, and your 'new' cat is a year old, real possibility it is clogging up as well.

 

The first time I checked my intake manifold for oil by looking through the throttle body I didn't see any oil either but when I took the throttle body off and got a good look at the inside of the intake manifold I saw a lot of oil toward the back.
A bad PCV valve will allow some oil into the intake manifold and put a thin layer of oil all over it.