Knock sensing on cars not equipped with knock sensors

[Dzaster]

What are the option for detecting knock if my car doesn't have a knock sensor from factory. Anyone?

I check Knock Link, but from the short read on there site it seems to work off your cars existing knock sensor. My car has no knock sensor.

I see there is also knocklite, but that also seems to work off existing knock sensor.

Any other after market kits out there?


Update: Okay, it appears they knock link has a kit with knock sensor and harness. Now does anyone know where they can be purchased from US?

[CG10DET]

The sensors are generally built into the engine, however there are a few aftermarket kits, however you can generally hear it before the device will detect it.

[Dzaster]

I understand that my motor doesn't have a knock sensor, but just trying to find a decent kit that will get me some knock monitoring. Seems the knock link has fairly decent feedback.

I have already taken steps to try this DIY.
http://autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=0353



I'd still like to see if there is an aftermarket kit readily available for my car and is within my budget.

[bluesnowgt]

i havnt heard of a motor that doesnt have a knock sensor... u would need one if ur car is fuel injected and ran by a computer. if its carb'd then i would say it didnt need one...but since ur car is fuel injected, the computer reads off the sensor and retards timing wen knock is sensed....

[Dzaster]

Hmmmm............I checked my Tercel forum and a very credible source stated that my motor don't have a knock sensor. IDK. You have a point though about retarding timing.

[Accord2nrz]

The best way to find out for sure is to take a look at an ECU pinout diagram for you car. or Download a SHOP manual for your car which lays out the ecu connections.

If your car has a knock sensor the ecu slot for its connection will be listed.

If you dont have one you can install one, the toughest part of the install is drilling into/tapping the block and screwing it in that way. When you do this you need to keep it away from areas that make noise (sounds wierd) but generally dead center to the 4 cylinders to get the best reading.

I'm glambling that your car has some sort of knocking mechanism. Or since it's OBD 1 simply retards timing based on AFR in relation to cam position or something of that nature. Simply put if there isn't a knock sensing mechanism then your car was likely to be seriously detuned from the factory to give a huge margin of safety in the unlikely event that detonation occurs.

Detonation events occur all the time in ALL motors on a daily basis, regardless of whether or not its factory or highly modified, in many cases though its within tolerance of what the factory deems acceptable, this is why I'm assuming you car has one somewhere in there.

[messiahx]

I've heard of/seen pictures of "det cans". Basically a styrofoam cup with a long 1" diameter tube run into some big ass headphones. The styrofoam cup is then placed against the engine block or an engine mount. Apparently you can hear very well when knock occurs. A couple of the more experienced members on miataturbo swear by this contraption.

[Accord2nrz]

I've also heard of home made contraptions where a mic is basically put to the block wired up to an amplifier in the car, very crude but seems to work.

[RPW00Mirage]

Originally Posted by Dzaster

I understand that my motor doesn't have a knock sensor, but just trying to find a decent kit that will get me some knock monitoring. Seems the knock link has fairly decent feedback.

I have already taken steps to try this DIY.
http://autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=0353



I'd still like to see if there is an aftermarket kit readily available for my car and is within my budget.

THIS..... is what I did

[CG10DET]

how do these diy jobs work?