Detonation (also called "spark knock") is an erratic form of combustion that can cause head gasket failure as well as other engine damage. Detonation occurs when excessive heat and pressure in the combustion chamber cause the air/fuel mixture to autoignite. This produces multiple flame fronts within the combustion chamber instead of a single flame kernel. When these multiple flames collide, they do so with explosive force that produces a sudden rise in cylinder pressure accompanied by a sharp metallic pinging or knocking noise. The hammer-like shock waves created by detonation subject the head gasket, piston, rings, spark plug and rod bearings to severe overloading.


Mild or occasional detonation can occur in almost any engine and usually causes no harm. But prolonged or heavy detonation can be very damaging. So if you hear knocking or pinging when accelerating or lugging your engine, you probably have a detonation problem. Thinggs that can cause knock:



1. Having too low of octane fuel
2. Carbon build up in combustion chamber
3. Timing being advanced too much
4. Too hot of intake temperatures
5. High engine temperatures
6. Lean fuel mixture


Knock is the fastest way to melt down an engine so here is things you do to stop it or prevent it:
1. Get a bigger intercooler
2. Install a colder spark plug
3. Use higher octane fuel
4. Retard your timing
5. Block off your egr(egr overtime causes carbon buildup)
6. Use a coolant additive such as watter wetter
7. Check and fix any boost leaks( this is a big one just ask oldman)
8. Turn your boost down
9. Use an oil catch can on your pcv system
10. Add more fuel