Can a 2G knock sensor be used on a 1G? Have you? Will it hurt?

[Sleepr DSM]

This statement was made by an engineer of the AEM engine managements system:

The knock sensor on the 1st Gen DSM's is not very sensitive. The factory ECU seems to "count" any sensor movement at all and sum it over a long time. Anyone who is familiar with the 2nd Gen sensor and the AEM will expect a very large response to any sort of knock while the 1st Gen will only give a very small output. To make it useful, you pretty much have to make the knock noise table zero everywhere and make darn sure that it's not knocking.

If it were for my personal car, I would get a 2nd Gen knock sensor and install that. It is the same physical size and uses the same connector. It works VERY well.

JR

My question is this; Do you agree with the above ems engineer?
Is the 2G knock sensor superior? Will switching to that knock sensor cause any harm? Has anyone done this? I see only the advantage of more accurate tuning.

 

[RocketBoy]

Yes, i agree with the AEM engineer. It is typical during a 1g in a 2g swap to reuse the 2g knock sensor (that's straight off of Magnus' site) so it can't be harmful.

 

[Sleepr DSM]

In that case, a 1g engine into a 2g car, the 2g ecu would still be used. What about putting at 2g knock sensor into a 1g car? Will there be any kind of problem?

 

[Sleepr DSM]

bump

 

[laser92awd]

I think I need another knock sensor (less than 500 miles on my last one). I have a 1G. Should I try a 2G sensor this time? I take it from the above posts that the 2G sensor is fully compatible with the 1G block and ECU?

Thanks!
Jonathan

 

[rdrkt]

Originally posted by Sleepr DSM
Will switching to that knock sensor cause any harm? Has anyone done this? I see only the advantage of more accurate tuning.

I do agree with the AEM enginner but you have to put his comment into context. The AEM user defines what knock is and what to do during a knock event so there would be no reason to not have the knock sensor be as sensitive as possible.

However for the most part knock sensors detect knock that isn’t there. When I would log my car that ran a 12.1@117 on 94 octane I had 12+ counts of knock from the day I started tuning to the day I pulled the motor out of the car. Some times the knock was even in the 30+ range. However the motor when disassembled showed no signs of detonation. More than likely the knock sensor was picking up some internal engine noise. This misdiagnosis will absolutely KILL your pump gas performance ask LarryD about that. However the above comments only apply to a stock ecu car. If you really know how to tune a car you really don’t NEED a knock sensor it ends up doing more harm for performance then good.

 

[TSi92]

The 2G connector is different. If you can wire it to the 1G connector then it should be fine. I would stick to the 1G sensor though.