Found out that my Knock Sensor crapped out on me. I ordered one online...good price...$114.74. Do you think I should do it myself and chop up my hands or spend the money to have someone else do it for 70 bucks?

-Stos

 

Yes, look in how-tos for directions.

 

give it a shot for yourself, if its already dead, you might as well take a crack at it, if not pay the 70$, but if you use a 12mm swivel it shouldnt be more than 15-20 minutes, some people successfully used a universal pivot to install it and remove it, i tried it but i foudn it much easier to pay 8$ to buy a craftsman socket

 

Have you seen the sockets with a ball swivel attached? I think that's the easiest way to do it.

I used a 12mm closed end wrench. No cuts or scrapes here, and a pretty quick job if you're just changing the KS. I went by the fsm and inspected the harness back to the ECU, which took a hwile to figure out the ecu harness (my 1st time looking at one). It's pin 64, if you're wondering.

Jae

 

If you need your hands than i would pay someone to do it. I used a 12mm Gear wrench to get the job done. Only problem is i got impatient and cut one of my fingers pretty bad by one of the plfumm metal gasket while moving around.

 

I just replaced my knock sensor yesterday, and I'm not exactly someone you would call an experienced mechanic. It feels good to have done it myself, and it only took me like 45 minutes.

One word of advice, though, like mansurxk said, get the $8 craftsman socket, it's definitely worth it.

And sure, I got a couple cuts in my hand, but it's nothing that won't heal in a couple days... I'd say go for it.

 

And when you do it, make sure the engine is cool just incase you need to stick your hand underneath the intake manifold and directly onto the engine block

 

Haha! Wish you told my dad that. I warmed up my car to run some KS diagnosis, then waited for the car to cool. I changed the oil while waiting, and my dad, trying to be helpful, when in there bare and got a surprise.
Jae

 

ouch

changed mine a few weeks back took me 2 days first i was too impatient second day took me bout 30 mins few scrapes but worth it spent 95$ on my ks

 

Where did you find a Knock Sensor for $95?

 

i got mine off ebay 90$ shipped

 

i got mine off ebay too best market on the web

 

I'm not sure if I'm just retarded, but I've read the tutorials a few times now on how to do the KS yourself, and I cannot for the life of me get my hand in the hole, and recruited my sister to do it too, but when you put the socket on there you cant turn it the normal way, and couldnt get enough leverage behind it. I think I'm ready to give up, as I've tried it a few times and no luck. Where did you find someone that would install it for $70? A shop will take the whole manifold off, charging a few Franklins atleast...

 

some local mechanic down the street of my house in wakefield.....i told them that i had a knock sensor how much would it be to install. They said it would take just under an hour so 68 bucks. It's called Wakefield Auto on Water Street.

 

took me about 20 min. on a fairly warm engine. wasn't too bad, just getting the socket on the bolt was a pain.

 

Is the '95 KS in the same area as the '97 or would one be tougher than the other. I'm going to give that shop a call because I'd rather spend the rest of the day detailing the car as opposed to f-ing around with the damn sensor. Have you had work done at that shop before? Its about 20 minutes from me so that'd work out great.

 

im having the same problem as u narf but ive been trying a universal swivel with 12mm socket on it and i cant get the ratchet in the right angle to turn it it sucks been trying for a while now

 

I just had my local mechanic do it for me. It only cost 76 bucks and I didn't have to worry about getting cut up or dropping the bolt into someplace that I couldn't get to it. Once I paid for it and reset the computer I took it for a drive and noticed a difference immediately....much better throttle response and it seems to wind up quicker through the lower RPMs. Its been a couple of weeks and I still haven't gotten the code back either so it looks to be fixed for good now.

 

Ok, lemme take a pic of how I got mine off. Brb.

Jae

 

Got some pics. Hope they're good enuf
http://thurznite.maximaclubca.com/pi...%20Sensor.html
Jae

 

Narf, Ya my Dad got got a new radiator and got his air conditioner fixed in his 96 impala ss. They had to to replace his head gaskets or something like that in it. They were quick and did a good job. Give them a call if you want.

-Stos

 

stos, my max is over there now, I called and they said less than $70 and less than 1 hour, and I wa sold. I'll let you know if they do a good job; incase you're stil l interested after you try getting it off and possibly fail miserably.

 

Hey narf, I think I saw your car in Wakefield today, was a Sage Mist 97+ SE, it had red clears and clear corners, looked nice. It was parked in front of Harts Hardware, was it you?

 

smith,

Yup, thats mine. If it had a few less scratches I'd like it more but what can ya do. Mom drove it for a while :

 

I got mine out ok, but getting it back in was a B**** . I finally got it set in there with a pair of long needle nose pliers and tapped the bolt until it caught onto the threads and then used the socket to tighten it the rest of the way.

 

Changed the KS on my 98 SE last week. Read a lot of the posts where some owners had no problem fitting their hands under the manifold. There is a difference between the 95 to 97, and the 98. Found this out after reading the posts and I wondered how someone could fit their hand in there! Anyway, I did figure it out with the limited space (the 98 has a bracket in front of the opening which creates a bad obstruction). Felt like a surgeon, but it worked and I had no cuts or bruises. Used 3/8" drive - 12" extension, reducer to 1/4", u-joint, and 12mm socket. Taped everything together with electrical tape to insure nothing fell off inside (did have a magnet to retrieve tho), loosened the bolt enough to use the magnet to pull the bolt out. Then used long handled pliers to grab the sensor. Installing the new one consisted of using a small piece of masking tape to hold the bolt in the sensor while I fitted it with the pliers. Used the socket extension by hand to start the bolt which went surprisingly easy. Attached the ratchet to finish the tightening. Took about 45 minutes. Hope someone else can use this method.

 

Your car a cali spec? I just ordered a ks for my 99 cali. Will be attempting my first ks replacement. I've heard ks is a biotch to do on a 99 cali. I'm wondering if it's exactly the same for a 98 as well...I forget.


Edit: Just found a thread that says it's only for the 99 cali specs. Seems everything is more complicated with the 99 cali's.

 

of course! since you get to live in beautiful cali, you get crappy car problems! it's a tradeoff.

 

I actually live in the crappy boston area, but our ****ty laws say I have to abide by cali emission laws. I wish it was beautiful here. All we get is traffic jams and stressed out people.

 

alright, just did knock sensor install and with a 12mm socket, a u-joint and 8" or greater extension, it was incredibly easy!!! so glad I did it myself! I was able to position it fairly easily with the socket and also with a spring loaded claw tool. just hope I got it torqued pretty accurately and that I didn't damage it at all in the process of the install. how sensitive are they really? I tried to be really gentle with it. oh well, time to reset the ECU and take her for a test run!

 

Unfortunately, it's my turn change out the KS also.

 

I am finally convinced that I must be a very ham handed shade tree mecanic.Trying to replace my knock sensor. I have the 1/4 inch extensions, the 1/4 inch swivel, (because the 1/4 12 mm swivel sockets are not to be found within 150 miles) a 3/8 inch 12 mm socket, and a 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch adapter. Not ideal but all that is available without mailorder.

My sensor must have been put on with air tools because after a few different combination I get the socket on the bolt and end up busting the swivel (thank god for Craftsman). Good thing it was cool today and I like shade tree grease monkeying.

Next attempt I will have all the possible combinations of 1/4 and 3/8 inch swivel sockets. It really looks easy.

 

You know guys, taking the upper and lower IMs off isn't that hard. If you don't want some grease monkey playing with your car's innards but don't want to cut up your hands, remove the upper and lower IMs to do it. It took me 45 minutes to do mine and that includes redoing my 00VI.

 

that's true, THT, but most including myself would considering that a last resort before going to someone else. i just got back from my drive, and the CEL was off, code gone! woohoo! i thought that I could feel a difference, but maybe i was just thinkin it. who cares, i know it's better now. unfortunately, as i was turning around to go back home, the CEL goes back on and i get 0503 and 0303, O2 sensor's times 2! is there a GD on those bishes?

 

You had the 0304 code? If so, it was not the cause of your CEL as it is a ghost code. Usually, it is caused by something else such as a bad o2 sensor or running lean/rich. Pick up your O2 sensors at www.oxygensensors.com and get the OEM ones so you don't have to hack up your harnesses.

 

i was lucky. when i bought my car a few months ago it needed a new ks so i made a deal with the guy to put a new one in or else i wouldnt buy it. he did.

p.s. hey stos my family lives in wakefield. on kingmont st. in greenwood. haha

 

I took mine out myself, it was really quite easy. Putting it back in was a nightmare. I even removed the green connector stuck in the way that kept cutting my hand and still couldn't get my fat fingers in there. It's a good thing the 115 pound wife wasn't afraid to put her hand in there and get it started, or I'd still be trying to put that SOB back in!! This heat wave didn't help me any either...

 

The KS on my 98 was easy to get out with the 12" ext, u-joint, 3/8 - 1/4 adaptor and 12mm socket, but it took 2 hrs and two bloody stumps, to figure out a new tool... Had the girlfriend start it, she had it hand tight in less than 30 secs... I highly recommend doing this your self if you have someone with tiny hands that doesn't mind 5 mins maximum of dirty work... PS tape your sockets and extensions together, saves some serious time...