Ok, i have a 1500 2001 5.9L 4x4 quad cab.... Sometimes when pulling a hill or bogging the RPMs i hear an intermittent tick under the hood....sometimes it gets bad enough that i'll feel a slight loss of power immediately following the tick but picking right back up a split second later. I was pulling a load up a hill and it started ticking so I figured if I shifted down, it would go away. This was the only time it did it, but the ticking got much worse and then my CE light started flashing, so I pulled off and shut the truck down. After sitting a few minutes I fired it back up and haven't had the light come on since. However, it still will intermittently tick. Any clue what it is????

 

Sounds like ping to me, also called spark knock.

 

did you install a hypertech programmer on your truck??? try running a low temp thermostat and maybe a higher octane gas.. helped for me

 

I had the same problem wen my cat went out. The flashing check engine light means you have a serious misfire. When the cat gets clogged it causes the rear cylenders to get to hot and ping so bad that it will cause a misfire and can crack your heads due to the heat and extensive backpressure. The best and easist way I have found to test the cat is to remove the front o2 sensor and then drive the truck. If you notice a big improvement on performance and the tick goes away then it is the cat and needs to replaced before it causes damage.

 

I was running 89 octane....and nope, no chip or program. I am a bit confused about what a cat is..... catalytic convertor?

and i think it already does have a colder temp thermostat in it, cause the gauge reads a quarter of hte way between cold and hot rather than the normal halfway.....

 

You could have shorted plug wires.........

 

Not to sure about this but check your oil level....

 

Well, if a cat = catalytic convertor....then would a bad cat also cause my engine temp to climb under harsh towing conditions up steep hills?

 

probally not.. my truck does that too just trying to pull itself up those mountains.. the more load you have the more your engine has to work.. and the longer its working like that the higher the temp it going to be.. especially going up those mountain roads

 

IF your temp climbs especially when towing up hills your gonna ping alot more.

Yes cat = catylitic converter

Check your plenum gasket.