[Lucky9teen]

Ok, maybe not "pinging", but data was being sent by the engines.

...one of the few facts that does not appear to be in dispute is that the Rolls-Royce engines on the Boeing 777 had an engine monitoring system.

There are numerous reports, that this "data", was still being communicated hours after losing contact.

[deport]

There are numerous reports, that this “data”, was still
being communicated hours after losing contact.

---

From your link info:

******
Now Malaysia Airlines has told Sky News that the Roll-Royce engines stopped transmitting
updates when the plane lost contact, according to its correspondent Mark Stone.
He did not elaborate.
******

*********

Signal reports are ‘inaccurate’

Hussein opened the press conference by denying reports that the missing plane sent out
engine data after it disappeared from contact with air traffic control. He said:

I would like to refer to news reports suggesting that the aircraft may have been flying
for some time after the last contact. Those reports are inaccurate. The last transmission
from the aircraft was at 01.07, which indicated everything was normal. Rolls-Royce and
Boeing teams are here in Kuala Lumpur and have worked with MAS and the investigation teams
since Sunday. This issue has never been raised … Since today’s media reports MAS has
asked Rolls-Royce and Boeing specifically about the data. As far as Rolls-Royce and
Boeing are concerned those reports are inaccurate.
*******

[TexasGator]

“...one of the few facts that does not appear to be in dispute is that the Rolls-Royce engines on the Boeing 777 had an engine monitoring system.”

The aircraft data system receives data from the engines. It is analyzed and provided to the aircraft crew and groundcrew via the AIRCRAFT ACARS system.