Got lots of knock on a new motor.

[90 GSX]

Car runs GREAT in the sense that everything works exactly how it should. The only problem I know of is that the turbo is in real bad shape. Shaft play is on the high end of acceptable limits, however, the exhaust housing has a huge crack in it and the seals leak like crazy (that is my only boost leak as far as I know with 12 psi on the gauge). Anyway, I am driving the car under moderate boost, MBC is set at 10 psi, compression on the motor is 185 across the board (2g piston 1g big rods) with about 450 miles on the setup.

On my datalogger I have seen upwards of 50-60 counts of knock from 4500-6000 rpm under heavy throttle (65%+) and my timing as low as 9-10* with base set at 5. Obviously after seeing that I don't drive under heavy throttle but I want to alleviate the situation because even though when I drive it there is no knock it bothers me to know it's not running right... The gas is 91 octane CA crap from a 76 station. Could the turbo be causing that much damage? Wouldn't the car be rich if it was a boost leak and not lean? My fuel trims are all over 100%, does that mean rich or lean???

What I did notice is that the engine vibrates the downpipe and cat heat shields quite a bit more than before now that the balance shafts are removed. It ALMOST sounds as bad as when I first bought the car and the idiot who did the timing belt had the oil pump sprocket out of phase. Is there any way to verify that this is not the source of the knock???

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[90 GSX]

I forgot to mention. The plugs are white as a ghost.

 

[SlowChild3]

I have seen upwards of 50-60 counts of knock from 4500-6000 rpm under heavy throttle (65%+) and my timing as low as 9-10* with base set at 5.

I thought the max output of sensor was 43?

Your plugs are ###### white from knock. The aluminuim.

 

[BOBS90TURBO]

If your values are over 100, you are running lean, add some fuel NOW.....And see if the knock count goes down any, check the knock sensor on the back of the block, see if it has a black tar gew coming out of it.
Make sure your exhaust or DP is not hitting anything.
Do you hear any actual knocking coming from inside the engine, take a thin stick and put it in your ear and place the other end around your engine while a bud revs a little.

 

[90 GSX]

The trims are all out of wack. Knock sensor is brand new, torqued to 4 ft lbs. The DP is not bolteld to that bracket on the block... not sure if that has to do with anything, but I do notice some vibration in the upper rpms after the balance shafts were removed, almost like a heat shield rattling. I guess that could be false knock but i highly doubt it since I know for a fact that the car is running lean.