Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

i cant really feel a difference, YET....im hoping to feel it soon.....it took us a few hours....we tried getting the bolt off, and we actually loosened it, but it was too damn hot down there, so we had gone to get some food, and started working on it when we got back....little did we know that it was actually already loose....we loosened it some more, and got the bolt off.....boy was that the easy part.....none of us (4 guys) really didnt have small hands so it was a real ***** trying to get it back in.....97maximaSE's cousin lived across the street and we called her over.....she got it in within 5 minutes.....i reset the ECU (or so i thought), and took a spin around the block....came back, checked the ECU.....0304... .....i resetted the ECU again, this time i read the directions on the site again, and successfuly reset it.....i let 97maximase drive it because he felt is car felt sluggish on the low end w/ his i/y/e .....he said mine actually ahd more low end (hybrid intake).....well he was taking curves at like 60, and i was shiiting my pants...i thought we were going to slam into every tree...he was used to his RSB max, while mine completely stock suspension wise (save the FSTB), wasnt handling the curves that great.....well now that this problem is fixed, the y pipe is coming in 2 weeks (or atleast im going to order it) and the RSB is a must now that i have felt how it really feels.....when we came back to his house, we checked the ECU again.....0505 .....very happy

well just one question now.....how long after are you suppose to feel the affects of a working knock sensor? also, does your gas mileage come back right away, or what? how does that work? TIA

bosco500

i felt a huge difference as soon as i changed mine... maybe yours just wasnt as noticable.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

bump...anyone know about the gas mileage? what else could be a cause of this?

Mishmosh

iTrader: (3)

After replacing the KS and resetting, you should feel the difference immediately. Just has a increased effortlessness when accelerating... I think though that you really have to know your car to appreciate the difference but it is not unlike Y-pipe gains in extent.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

what about the deal with gas mileage..thats my main concern right now

iansw

iTrader: (7)

How does one tell that their KS is working, but has retarded the timing?

A Nissan Tech told me it won't throw any codes at all, even when checking it manually, if that's the case.

Is that true?

IanS

keener

Ian is right about the KS not tripping a code. From what I understand the KS code only appears in conjunction with another code. My KS code appeared when the EFI switch failed.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

as mine appeared with the MAF code (started car with intake apart)

iansw

iTrader: (7)

My mechanic explained to me that there is no quick way to know that timing is being retarded by the KS, because it throws no codes unless the KS itself is bad, or something in conjunction with it....although I had my MAF unplugged and it threw a code a few days ago, it did not throw a KS code.

He was thinking that may be why my boost is low, my timing is retarded because of the KS, but there's no apparent quick way to tell. he wanted to charge me $75.00 to "run a diagnostic" on it.

So can anyone tell me a way to know?

IanS

Lime

ha ha...you finally bought the $10 tools huh?

you should feel the difference immediately.

the code can appear by itself, and frequently does.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

i didnt buy em, steve's uncle had em, so we got them, and we borrowed his daughter to thread the nut back into the ks....hehe....i havent felt it yet, i dont think...steve did say my low end was alot peppier than his car (cai, y, b)...and gas mileage...where have u gone ???

iansw

iTrader: (7)

Anyone want to answer this? How can one tell that the timing is being retarded by the KS when the KS is good. It does not throw a code.

keener

use a timing gun to check the mark and then compare that with the timing mark protocol. ian this is a guess, but i thought i would throw it out there. Look in the chilton's for the proper timing..

Dave Holmes

If the knock sensor is bad, it will show a code (03 04) by itsself. It will not trip the Check Engine Light. You have to check the ECU for it. My '96 GXE (RIP) had only a knock sensor code before she bit it. My '97 SE also showed one by itsself before I changed it. It did make a subtle difference to me, but nothing my wife would notice (but she could probably have 4 flat tires and think the car drives fine). To me, it feels like the car is a little peppier, ready to go. I haven't gotten more gas yet so I don't have any numbers for the gas mileage. I was getting about 19.5 mpg, much lower than about 25 in my '96 GXE. Wider tires and aerodynamics (fog lights, spoiler, sun roof wind deflector, splash guards) may account for a small bit. A trick I used to get the bolt back in... I placed a small piece of masking tape in the socket to hold the bolt in it. Then with a universal and l o n g extension, threaded it in by hand snug. Only then use a ratchet to avoid stripping the threads. A magnetic pick up tool can also be used, using the tip to "push" the bolt clockwise to seat it. About the bad sensor; has anyone else that's changed theirs noticed corrosion on the metal that contacts the engine? Can this be causing it to be bad? Could these KS's be going bad because we clean our engines and the water corrodes it? Water would seem to sit in that area. Something for thought.

Dave

iansw

iTrader: (7)

That in no way answers my question. The KS, WHEN WORKING, does not throw a code, even when manually putting the ECU into diagnostics mode. But can retard your timing for whatever reason.

Sorry, it's morning, I'm grumpy, and it's a pet peeve of mine when people don't really read a question asked and then answer.

My question was:

When the KS is WORKING, how do you know if it has retarded your timing?

I think Keener mostly answered it (thanks), anyone know a quick way to check?

Thanks,
IanS

keener

Ian, talked with Nissan and they said the advancement of the timing only occurs when the KS senses the knock...then after the knock disappears the timing goes back to normal. They also mentioned that using a Timing gun under normal conditions (i.e. manually throttling the gas) is not rigorous enough, therefore, the car must be on a dyno. Even on a dyno, they felt the KS may not trip. They suggested checking the ECU for the KS code, if it was there, change the KS and run higher octane gas.

iansw

iTrader: (7)

The reason I ask is that I dropped a screw down in the space on my plenums while changing my plugs a few months ago. While it wasn't anywhere it could do damage, it was impossible to get to.

Whenever I went WOT, it made a rattling noise in there. I was wondering if that was possibly causing the timing to be retarded and therefor causing my lack of boost.

But it looks like that's not it, as the screw fell out of where it was stuck somewhere about 2 months ago.

IanS

Lime

heh...I felt an immediate improvement in accelleration ... I don't think it has to do with water. I always use 93-94 octane gas...but yes, my car threw the 03 04 (no CEL of course).

keener

ian, cylinder detonation will causing a vibration in the engine that throws the KS code. I doubt the screw would create enough vibration to trip the code or advance the timing.