When under a slight load in the upper-half of the RPM range (no tach), I get this sound from the motor that sounds like someone is throwing small tacks at it, one by one. Sometimes I'll only hear 1 "tack" hit the motor, other times there will be 3 or 4 "tack" sounds.

Is that pinging that I'm hearing? And if so, does my description sound as if this is "severe" pinging?

It's on a stock 09 RKC. Always run Shell or Unocal, always 91 octane.

 

sounds like it and any ping is bad ping.

 

That is not exactly the way I would describe pinging (like tacks), I would say it sounds more like marbles in a can. Not saying yours is not pinging, just doesn't sound right. I also agree that any pinging is a bad thing.

 

Do you think it's a bunch of these:


Or a lot of this:

 

LoL

Ok, "tacks" may under-describe what I'm hearing... Maybe more like sheetmetal screws being thrown at the motor.