So I'm not sure what may the issue, so I'm hoping y'all got some ideas on what to check.

The ping/tick/sound starts randomly randomly between 4.5k-5k rpm, and it usually is most noticeable in 2nd or 3rd gear (manual tranny) due to the engine being loaded up longer. First gear is so short that if the tick is happening, its not very long at all and/or masked by the synchro's in first gear. When it does happen, the truck falls on its face either from me instinctively letting off the gas or just the performance suffering greatly due to whatever may be wrong.

I don't have very many engine mods: cai, custom cat-back, TB-bypass. That's it. Surely I'm not already running lean just from those that the engine is pinging at high rpm, right?? I wanna get a tune but also want to slap some more mods (headers, cam, etc) on beforehand to get the most outta the tune, but I'm hesitant if its already leaning out as it is.

The only other thing I could think of was a lifter failing at high rpm, but I dunno why it'd be failing only then and not at normal street rpm levels. Can you check lifter integrity by popping the valve covers and inspecting the pre-load?

Any ideas/suggestions would be awesome.

 

With a stock tune, I'm not all that sure. Is this a one time thing or has it been going on for a long time? Might have gotten some bad gas if it is a one time thing. To rule out detonation due to gas, put in some 93 gas next time you fill up and see what happens.

 

what kind of gas are you running? sounds like detenation, you may have other problems creating a lean condition like a weak fuel pump. those mods will not create a lean problem like that. The stock timing table is very conservative and should never detonate on 87 octane

 

I usually run 87 octane, and it's been happening for a while. I always figured it was bad gas, but because it keeps happening time and again, I think something else may be the culprit. I don't always buy gas from the same place, but its 87 octane when every I do.

A couple weeks ago I was down to about 1/8th of a tank and filled up with 93. I'll admit the pinging wasn't as prominent, but it was still there ever so slightly. The trouble is that it doesn't do it every time I go WOT but maybe every other time.

When I got the truck I did a tune up on it, which was about 30k miles and 2 years ago. I went to replace the fuel filter some time this year only to realize the wonderful in tank fuel filter GM started doing in 04.

 

check your spark plugs and make sure none are loose. also inspect your wires. ive had the ticking issue twice and its been the wires or the plugs.

 

Alright, I'll check that out.

I'm thinking I should go ahead and try to get it tuned so then I can find out exactly what the issue is during the process. I'm thinking a dyno-tune at a local shop here in DFW (any recommendations?) would be better than trying to do a mail-order tune.

I would have gone with Blackbear so he can have the log of my truck, but since I'm trying to solve this issue I think the in-person dyno tune might be best.