I believe GW says premium fuel for their 2.3 engines.
What are you running ?
Pinging is never acceptable to me ...even when 'driving around it' as
you describe.

It comes down to timing advance or fuel octane or both.
fwiw ...I tuned a GW 23. really carefully ( I generally make sure it's
not too advanced at idle ) and it ran like gangbusters without any
pinging on mid-gradefuel.

I think yours is an 86 or later ..those use a defelctor shield..
83's to 85's do not.

On 3/17/2013 8:32 AM, Steve Williams wrote:
> Thanks, very interesting.
>
> At 11:18 PM 3/16/2013, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>> ... the Cat and O2 sensor failing together is usually due to a common
>> cause.
>
> Just to clarify, I don't know whether mine failed together.  My O2
> sensor failed two years ago, right after passing smog.  It's possible
> the cat failed then, or anytime since.
>
>> There was a deflector shield that I bet is missing.
>
> Is that something I can look for?  Photo?
>
>> Since you have a modified engine there is probably increased
>> compression and you may also have the ignition timing over advanced.
>
> That could be.  I have noticed what I think is some pinging in high
> gear at full throttle going up a modest hill.  That went away when
> Van Cafe tuned the engine six months ago, but now it has returned, so
> I must reduce throttle or gear down to prevent it.  I don't know what
> might change the advance over time, but it may be time to adjust it
> again.
>