Knock sensor

[ozzy smith]

New tithe forum . Have a 92 sho mtx I've had the car for a year so far I've done the crank seal valve covers alternator clutch spark plugs / and wires but it's been about 2 weeks that my engine light turns on when I go past 55/60 code read knock sensor . What are the symptoms of a knock sensor the only thing I notice is a knocking noice

 

[LOUDSHO92]

The sensor is meant to prevent knocking so if it has gone bad then it would allow knocking.

 

[SHOdded]

Also be aware of a flashing "check oil" light. That could be rod bearings needing replacement. Will have a distinctive knocking sound on startup if it has progressed far enough.

 

[ozzy smith]

Yeah I'm aware of the rod bearings but no engine light does not flicker what so ever . Thank you guys will be ordering sensor. It just sucks since I live in El Paso no mechanic wants to mess with my car or even look at it they just see it and just say take it to dealer ship lol

 

[zoomlater]

Welcome, you are better off working on it yourself and using this forum and links to other members sites for information. Once you get the basic maintenance items figured out, the cars are pretty reliable. I drove a white 92 for 7 years and it is still going strong with the next owner.

 

[ozzy smith]

Yeah we'll I did the valve covers and spark plugs and wires but what do you guys recommend for my car to keep it at it's tip top . I use also mobile one 10/40 since I do live in El Paso this summer it reach 113 also when I bought the car I took off the cats they were clogged .

 

[sperold]

Sounds like you are already on top of things. Change the knock sensor yourself; the knock they are talking about is detonation or pre-ignition and the sensor adjusts the timing to keep it from happening, but I think you already know that.
Never turn your car over to a shop, and that includes dealerships, that are not familiar with these SHOs. It takes too much time to learn the peculiarities of these cars.

 

[ozzy smith]

Yeah I notice that. Not many people have heard of the SHO and it's hard to find parts for the car many parts are special order or they don't have them .Is their any harm in driving my car with the bad sensor?

 

[sperold]

Avoid situations where the knock can occur. Like going uphill with the car in too high a gear, lugging in other words.
Get familiar with RockAuto.com and ShoSource and the major chains of autoparts stores; and your first source of parts is this forum.
Use a higher quality gasoline, premium would be my choice, until you get the sensor installed.
Keep it as cool as you can, maybe power wash your AC condenser to get the most cooling available.
I would pop the hood between start-ups if you are doing a number of short runs. This is to remove the heat soak that you cooling system is burdened with.

 

[ozzy smith]

Premium been on that car since day one it actually has an octane booster on the fuel right now . I only drive it about 10 miles a day and I don't use my ac what so ever . And I'm familiar with sho source bought plugs and wires from their

 

[sperold]

Clean the AC condenser to get the maximum airflow through the radiator, which will keep your engine the coolest.
You have a single speed fan for engine cooling, and it is an adequate one, for peace of mind, listen for it to come on when you slow down.

 

[ozzy smith]

Yeah it always turns on . I also changed the thermo to a 180 instead of the 195

 

[luigisho]

Yeah I'm aware of the rod bearings but no engine light does not flicker what so ever . Thank you guys will be ordering sensor. It just sucks since I live in El Paso no mechanic wants to mess with my car or even look at it they just see it and just say take it to dealer ship lol

How many miles on the car? Bearings are a wear issues especially on manual cars with higher miles. Also if preignition is present that can hammer the bearings and all the internals. Something to keep in the mental file.

 

[ozzy smith]

127,000 kind of hard since it's my only car . By any Chandra does it help that the car had no cats

 

[luigisho]

Not sure. It could mess with the O2 sensors in newer cars that have sensors after the cats. I haven't looked in a long time but I think the O2s on these cars are before the cats so I doubt that would matter. Could be mistaken on that..

 

[ozzy smith]

O2 are about 6" before notice a big diffrence in performance

 

[ozzy smith]

So I installed the knock sensor . 3 days after code came on again only come on when I'm on the freeway tho. I do hear a knock noice coming from the valve cover I got a piece of hose and the noice comes right were the chain tensioner is . Can that make the knock sensor give a code? Also another problem I'm having the housing were the thermostat is at it leaks ONLY when the car has been sitting for about 2-5 min please help lol

 

[sperold]

Cannot say with any authority, but it makes sense that the sensor responds to sonic signals, and your chain tensioner may qualify if it is that pronounced.

Best advice would be to make the repairs / changes to get rid of the noise, and see if the knock sensor code goes away.

 

[ozzy smith]

I also heard they it's rare when they go out tho. But sho source only has used ones .

 

[Off Road SHO]

It's rare for the actual sensor to go out but common for critters to want to build a nest in the V of the engine, where the knock sensor resides. They wake up hungry and are too lazy to go out to dinner so they eat in. If you're getting the noise from the chain tensioner end of the valve covers, more than likely it's chain slap caused by a worn out or clogged tensioner. One tensioner tensions upwards and the other downwards.

Tom