Knock / Ping gauge

[Wicked 3800 V6]

Anyone here made one or use one? I would'nt have the slightest idea about what wire to tap, but I might have issues hearing a ping over a few other loud items on the car. ;)
-Rob

[Arctc Wolf]

there isn't really a need for it. having a boost, air/fuel, and fuel pressure gauge cluster will allow you to tell when the car is experiencing knock. more boost will tell u 2 expect more chance of knock. lean a/f ration will tell u 2 expect knock. a large increase in fuel pressure in a few hundred rpm's will tell u that the motor is dumping in more fuel to prevent knock. the computer has extremely sensitive knock sensors to detect any signs of knock. large cams set off these sensors because of the lope in the cam. if you experience knock, ur engine will probly be toast by then, so use these gauges to monitor ur engine accordingly, and use them to tune the motor to make it spin w/ the boost reliably.

[Takumi Fujiwara]

=) nice response arctic

[Tiago]

I can feel knock, the car falls on its face when it pulls timing.

[Mikael]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Arctc Wolf:
there isn't really a need for it. having a boost, air/fuel, and fuel pressure gauge cluster will allow you to tell when the car is experiencing knock. more boost will tell u 2 expect more chance of knock. lean a/f ration will tell u 2 expect knock. a large increase in fuel pressure in a few hundred rpm's will tell u that the motor is dumping in more fuel to prevent knock. the computer has extremely sensitive knock sensors to detect any signs of knock. large cams set off these sensors because of the lope in the cam. if you experience knock, ur engine will probly be toast by then, so use these gauges to monitor ur engine accordingly, and use them to tune the motor to make it spin w/ the boost reliably.<hr></blockquote>

This is the worst advice i've ever heard. You want him to use a boost guage and fuel (wideband at least i hope) to monitor knock. Lean fuel and high boost and hot intake temps will add to the risk of knock, but too much spark, too hot of plugs, carbon buildup, and other things can cause knock, no matter how much fuel you're blasting in there. You can have some knock and get away with it, but not monitoring the knock sensor is foolish.

[Tyler]

uhh..doesnt autotap monitor knock?

[Morgan]

Actually, AWolf wasn't too far off the mark.

Save the $$$ on the light show you'll get with the knock gauge and focus more on a good scantool (Auto X-ray, Autotap, etc.) instead. Knock can come from a variety of sources--- exhaust rattles, downpipe striking the undercarriage, lifter noise, etc., etc. In short, monitoring knock retard (KR) is the key; all a gauge is going to do is light up and by that time you'll most likely be able to hear it.

A few degrees of knock retard (KR) isn't bad and can occur as the car approaches a shift point (not uncommon). My KR "comfort zone" is 5-6 degrees on a shift.

Hope this helps,
Morgan

[ September 02, 2003: Message edited by: Morgan ]</p>

[Mikael]

Lifter noise?


Are you confusing real knock with burst knock, which is programmed into the computer at a shift point? And to think that you'll be able to hear the knock when its a problem is ridiculous.

Sure, go cheap now, when you blow up the engine you can listen to me.

[Morgan]

Yes, lifter or valvetrain noise; some of us in the TR community use solid lifters.

I've owned and raced my car for over 11 years; never once did the motor come out or the heads come off during that time (162,091 miles) until this past weekend, because I chose to do so. I can hear my car detonate on occasion if I get into the throttle too quickly on a high-90 degree day on our crappy 91 pump gas (this old musician's ears are pretty sensitive.) I use a laptop equipped with Directscan (which is very similar to Autotap, but for a GN) to log and record all engine functions (KR, 02, WG duty cycle, etc.) for later analysis, as I don't plan on blowing this motor up anytime soon either, thanks.

[ September 04, 2003: Message edited by: Morgan ]</p>

[Mikael]

Thank you, that information has no place here.


These guys don't have GN engines, they don't have the low compression ratios you have, and they dont' have blocks that can take 25psi. A little knock can blow these engines apart. The biggest mod people here have is a cat back they took off a V8, how many do you think run a solid lifter cam?

[Wicked 3800 V6]

Easy mike, I happen to have more than a stock v8 exhaust.
:D