jim84

Some dude on motorvate.com says he replaced his knock sensor without having to remove the intake manifold. Perhaps he's WeeMan from *******, or MiniMe, because I have no clue how someone with hands larger than a 2-year-old's was able to get in there.

Am I missing something? A tool? (Or am I a tool?) I've got basic Craftsman auto wrenches & whatnot; I'm willing to buy the right tools for this job, though, if that's what I gotta do.

Any advice from the pros out there would be awesome.

Gracias.

~jimmy

natty99

iTrader: (6)

post number 4 in this thread:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=254238

black_maxed95

iTrader: (41)

i just did this last weekend and got my hands in there. yes its small and lots of sharp edges but its possible. or maybe you just have huge hands
btw its a 12mm bolt holding it on

natty99

iTrader: (6)

na, he's got a 98 max like me....so much **** in the way, it's tough to get to, unlike you lucky guys with the clearance in the 95 max's

jim84

Have any of you guys replaced your rear O2 sensor? What about the evaporation pressure sensor? Gotta replace those SOBs, too.

It doesn't help that some a$$clown Arlington cop gave me an "expired tags" ticket yesterday (October 1st) for tags that expired Sept 30th. One effing day? Anyways. I have lots of work to do before my car passes emissions ...

scrhale

My dad fit his hands in there on my 98 ... took some squeezing and scratching, but he got it in there. too bad he over-torqued it and my roommate had to squeeze in there with an open wrench to loosen it.

jim84

i've read that you can over- and under-tighten the knock sensor (15-20 ft-lbs is just right)? Any suggestions on how to "eyeball" it?

black_maxed95

iTrader: (41)

i just kinda went until it was snug, if you over tighten it you can crack it. obviously if you undertighten it it will shake around a bit and give bad info. idk what the exact tightening should be tho

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Also this one:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=493585

Cdg2125

iTrader: (7)

Ok I have a 98 as well. I havnt replaced mine yet since I'll probably wait till I do my 00vi swap, but you need longer rachet, about 12" and a swivel joint socket. You should be able to get it since you cant get too far in there. You'll be more room if you remove certain things. Just look at it. And yes there are so many damn threds about this. O2 sensors arnt hard. Just get the tool from autozone. Pretty cheap.

black_maxed95

iTrader: (41)

i thought it was easier to use a shorter ratchet, it was too hard to get a long one in there. then to turn it i used a long screw driver and kinda 'crowbarred' on the ratchet handle.

Cdg2125

iTrader: (7)

Well a shorter ratchet means that you need to have your hands inside...which doesnt really work. Plus more torque with a longer ratchet.

KINGMAX

I have a '97 and I was able to get my hand in there, I had alot of cuts and scratches but I got it in there. I would just do it a little at a time. I first put the socket on the bolt, then went in with the wratchet, since there wasn't much room I was only able to turn it one click at a time.

bogeyman007

i did it about a month ago and getting it out was really easy I just used the wrench and my hands with gloves on, getting it back in was much harder but i ended up doing it, it might be a struggle but it can be done for sure without any specialty tools I used only wrenches I didn't use any swivel tools.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

I do not like pain and cuts.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=441023

nosispower

I have a permanent scar on my left hand because I tried to change the KS myself and still couldn't ge the little ***** to budge. Spent a good 20 dollars on the tools too!

typhoon1622

I have a 1999 Cali Spec Maxima and also have a knock sensor issue. Tried to do it myself, but there is a vacuum, part, something block the way. Could not remove the vacuum, part thing, so I am taking it to the dealer, $340 labor and gaskets

sky jumper

NO NO NO!! stop! do not let them rape you like that! if you can't do it yourself, then buy the part on ebay for $65 and find a local guy to put it in. in any case, your car will run fine without it (maybe a little less power >3k rpm, that's all) so don't rush to the dealer for a non-mission critical job.

edit: cali-specific instructions... http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=315851

Digitized

iTrader: (9)

if you guys in toronto, I would do it for you all... I did mine in 10 minutes... hardest part was removing the KS off the harness lol

black_maxed95

iTrader: (41)

bring it to me, ill give ya a deal and change ur knock sensor for only $200. Cant beat that!!!.....new y pipe here i come

2DMax

iTrader: (2)

No need to remove the intake, or put you hand in that small space. Just a universal joint, a long extension and double sided tape.

jalanb

I replaced my knock sensor several years ago, but I still get a the code when I run a check...what gives...any ideas why ???

Cdg2125

iTrader: (7)

Wires for the ks.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Replace it again...

typhoon1622

Yeah, it has been running good, a little underpowered, but I get good mileage and runs smoothly. However I need to do the smog and it won't fly here in CA because due to the knock sensor I got the Three way Catalyst code and lit up the SES light.

I already have the sensor, and although some of the offers sound good, I am in Nor Cal, so if anyone is from this part let me know before I take it to the stealership.

jim84

Holy mama, this has been an SOB to get off. I think I may have slightly loosened it (just that initial little bit), but then it started raining last night and hasn't stopped since. I knew the rain was coming, but didn't think it would take me 2 friggin' hours to just barely get it loose. I don't know what I'm going to do ... but in the meantime, is it okay to drive my car with the knock sensor a tad looser than it should be? I think it's supposed to rain like this all weekend. [Insert the "I'm a retard" emoticon right here.]

jremignanti

If the knock sensor is already considered "bad" by the ECU (which it must determine at start up) then it shouldn't really matter if it's too loose since any signal coming from the sensor would probably be ignored anyway. As long as you're using high grade gas and the engine isn't actually knocking it shouldn't matter.

jim84

UPDATE:

Thank goodness for a wife with small hands.

I was probably starting to look like an OCD nutjob to my neighbors, playing a strange combo of solo-Twister-slash-hump-the-bumber with my car, so after another hour of trying to get the bolt off, beaten down and stripped of my ego, I asked her to shove her little hand in there to see what she could do. Within ten minutes, it was off, and after another 20, the new one was on. Piece of advice: If you're 6'4" and that nut is on tight, you're not getting it off with your hands; recruit a little person.

I'm happy to report that almost all the power I felt I'd lost is back. (Within reason, that is; after all, it's an eight-year-old car.) Obviously, time will tell if we've gained some gas mileage back. Anyway, we've both noticed, especially at higher speeds when we need passing power, that we've got our ol' car back.

Thanks to all who provided input.

By the way, here's how she got it off: a 12mm combo wrench. Once she got it on the bolt, I used the handle of a screwdriver for leverage to sort of "pry" the combo wrench forward. After I got that initial tension off the bolt, she put her hand in there and manually took the bolt off. Easy as pie. Her hand is a little jacked up, but we saved $150-175 labor (local shops quoted me).

adampit

iTrader: (1)

use this socket http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
with a 12" extension

took me under 10 minutes to get it off and back on with that. I had to stick my hand in to get the bolt thru the knock sensor and into the hole and thats all just tightened it up

and i got 2 cuts but its all good

jlander82

I think another necessity for this job is mechanix gloves, or something like them... They saved me a lot of flesh yesterday. Also, I was able to do it with a standard 3/8 ratchet driver and 12mm shallow socket... The trick is to stand by the left fender facing forward and to get your right hand down there palm backwards facing the driver... it gives you some wiggle room.

SHIFT_*grind*

Just thought I'd share my experience briefly. I just changed mine in about 20 minutes (would have been 10, had I not spent an extra 10 trying to arrange the harness so the connector wasn't pressed up against the intake manifold). I used a single 12mm 1/4" drive socket on a 1/4" u-joint, connected to a 1/4->3/8" adapter, two 5" extensions, a 3/8->1/2" adapter and a breaker bar. The breaker bar was probably unnecessary, but it made things a little bit easier by providing more stability, since the socket has a tendency to slip off of the bolt. I sprayed a little WD-40 in there as well.

I'm 5'11", 190 pounds, with fairly large hands, and I was able to squeeze my hand in there and get the bolt out (although I didn't have any extra room to be wearing gloves). I was careful and patient and managed to get out without any cuts, just a few red marks.

Yeah, there's already mad posts saying the same thing, but I thought I'd share my experience. It's an easy job; the only two tricks are 1) using the right combination of extensions/etc. to get the bolt loose, and 2) if you're a giant, FIND somebody who can fit his/her hand in there. It is NOT worth paying somebody a couple hundred bucks (or more...$585, someone said!!! ) to do a job like this that takes a matter of minutes.

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

My son helped me with the installation of the KS a few years back. I unbolted it, took the old one out, covered up the sides with rags to protect this hands, and he put it in. I then finished it with the socket and extension.

Maximus_95

iTrader: (8)

a buddy of mine changed his with his small *** hands.....i need to change mine too now,,,,,

nicotino16

i just did mine a couple days ago, i used the 10 inch extension and universal joints and once my manifold cooled down i was able to force my hand in there to get it out and switch the new one in, now i have no codes showing up!

t6378tp

iTrader: (69)

just changed my k/s and just like everyone said a few cut and scrapes but it'sin there. I used a 6inch 3/8 extension to a 4inch 1/4 extension with a 1/4 u-joint and a coat hanger I bend to put the bolt in place

2DMax

iTrader: (2)

Easiest way to put the bolt back is to put double-sided tape on the inside of the socket, and stick the bolt to it. Line up the knock sensor by holding on to the wire, drop the bolt down, and it will stick to the socket till it starts to thread. DONE !

GCOBBLE

It is possible to change with out removing anything, but it is very time consuming. I change my 96 without removing anything, but itprobably would have been quicker to take the manifold off. I would only do this when the engine is completely cold.

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

takes 20 minutes and all you need to do is unplug the green plug. 12mm 1/2 inch socket with u joint and extension. no hands in there getting cut up. easy as 1,2,3.