How much of a difference does a bad knock sensor make? I just got the code 0304(KS) and I have noticed my car to be really slow. Is this the reason?

 

a bad knock sensor will make a huge diff in ur car. ur gas mileage will suck and yes u will go slower. there are a few posts here on the org focusing on the evil doings of a bad knock sensor and a handful of ppl will say that a bad KS will slow them down.

are u throwing any other codes? is ur cel on??

 

haha...about 20-30whp.

 

Yes a bad knock sensor will adjust your timing, trying to find the timing setting that will minimize the knock. So therefore, it will affect your performance. It is best to have it replaced.

 

yes i had a bad knock sensor and yes my car had horrible perfomance it makes a huge diffrence my advice is get it changed asap you will acually enjoy your car

 

I dunno about the gas mileage. As far as I've heard, the ks has nothing to do with mileage, just timing which effects performance.

 

Well I was replacing my valve cover gasket and spark plugs and I started the car without my MAF plugged in by accident so it threw a code at me. I figured id check what it was and I got 0304 and 0102. Obviously the CEL went away after I reset it because my MAF is connected now :-). But yeah my gas mileage has been acting up and my car hasnt been pulling like it was.

On a side note...changing the rear valve cover gasket is a pita. Getting those rear bracket bolts on is hard.....

 

I read in the 5th gen that some guys were doing some ks testing at the track. I think it was Jime, but I'm not positive, that ran approx. 13s and then removed the ks and did 15s on a 5th gen. The car is noticably different after changing it. As long as nothing else breaks, like my car did... P1105, i think 1302 MAP/BARO... My max just wants attention....

 

check the dynos forum...you'll see the effects of a busted ks.

 

here is a post i posted a while back.

your pcm uses the knock sensor as an input. the pcm will advance the timing until it knocks, and then retards a little. when you put in a lower AKI fuel, the pcm will detect knock sooner, and will not advance the timing further than it would for someone who is running a higher AKI. Retarding the timing will effect fuel economy, so Gas Grade does matter.

 

what if i just hard wire a resistor instead of a new knock. does it ALWAYS run full advance with a resistor? and does it effect gas millege? (making it worst?)