My 92 TSI AWD always sees knock, no matter how much boost I run. I can only run 15 PSI maximum with 91 octane (the highest you can get except race gas here in California)...

Tomorrow I'm planning to retard my base timing from 5º BTC down to 2-3º BTC. Think this'll help me run more boost w/ this horribly crappy gas?

Yes, it should help however, too much retard yield sluggish response off boost.

Try running colder plugs and a cold air intake system.

yes i do and find it to help a alot, one guy actually told me to run as low as only 1 degree but i always run 3 degrees btdc, found it to help alot over running 5. with on 3 i can run 19lbs, on 5 no more than 17, also it helps alot since i have 660s and my safc setting are well in the negitives, which makes the ecu advance timing alot, i would see timing advance so much up into 26 27 range, so it helps that to keep timing down around 22 23 and max power and no knock due to not as much timing advance.

I'm thinking now since my car knocks no matter how must boost I run (even if it's at like 8 PSI it knocks 20 counts), turning the timing down will only help the car retard the timing more. Maybe I should turn it up instead...

I've tried everything and the knock remains...

well then u got some other problem, fuel pump going bad, bad fuel filter, ive had both these happen. many many causes.

also could be from loud lifter tick. do u have that?

You might have excessive carbon buildup in your combustion chamber and/or phantom knock.

Clean your combustion chamber with MCCC, do a motor flush, and run colder plugs.

Check your kncok sensor too; it might need changing if jelly is oozing out the back of it.

posted by Dan2 My 92 TSI AWD always sees knock, no matter how much boost I run. I can only run 15 PSI maximum with 91 octane (the highest you can get except race gas here in California)...
Tomorrow I'm planning to retard my base timing from 5º BTC down to 2-3º BTC. Think this'll help me run more boost w/ this horribly crappy gas?

Click to expand...

Yes - & A more appropriate title to the Thread could be "Does anyone retard base Timing to run MORE Timing" The ECU can pull more than you can retard! BTW it makes me think about HOW we set these things at base Timing - the oblique ANGLE that we are at when look at the Timing marks is very poor - you can't get a "straight on" look/angle at the Timing marks like ANY other vehicle I ever owned & I've owned a lot of them - Lay one finger in front of the other & change the angle from head on - then stretch your arms - the "oblique" really changes things - IMO when you are squatting down & peeking thru the belts & "see" 5 BTDC you are really about 7 BTDC - when you see 2.5 BTDC - it's actually about 5 IMO. - I try to be in the same position/angle whenever I set mine halfway between 5 & 0 BTDC & IMO that is 5 in the real world & "seeing" 0 would be 2.5 BTDC real world IMO... I'm pulling 22 - 25 at WOT (Tuning guide reccommends NO LESS than 15 at WOT) & see as much as 46 degrees advance on Pocketlogger in some throttle positions - 0 knock on 92 or 93 Octane in Winter (which of course means I could bump up Timing OR Boost) - seeing 13 PSI on Stock gauge - but it runs great & I don't want to fry this old Turbo quite yet.

Originally posted by btrux06
well then u got some other problem, fuel pump going bad, bad fuel filter, ive had both these happen. many many causes.

also could be from loud lifter tick. do u have that?

Click to expand...

Fuel pump is relatively new and seems to work great.
Replaced the fuel filter <3k miles ago. Didn't help w/ knock.
Lifters are very quiet at idle, but injectors click a bit (it seems).

You might have excessive carbon buildup in your combustion chamber and/or phantom knock.

Clean your combustion chamber with MCCC, do a motor flush, and run colder plugs.

Check your kncok sensor too; it might need changing if jelly is oozing out the back of it.

Click to expand...

I've done the MCCC cleaning three times in the past 3 years, last time about 6 months ago. And motor flush, colder plugs, etc.

Knock sensor is brand new, <3k miles now.

dont over look the fuel pump, i once installed a brand new 3000 gt fuel pump and soon after my car started running real bad, it toke me 6 months of trying everything but the fuel pump to fix it and then finally i checked the fuel pressure coming from the tank and there was only 35 psis, the whole time the pump was bad but i over looked it causs it was new. so i would suggest checking the fp coming out of the fuel pump assembly. couldnt hurt to try.

I'm going to try a fuel pressure gauge and see what it's at... and if it's low I'll consider that. Otherwise I'll assume it's fine since it sounds normal, the car runs somewhat rich (.92v O2) and the pump is only about a year old. It's been knocking like this for about 6 months now... about the time I installed the MAF-T and 550cc injectors.

ya it wont hurt to try just to eliminate the possibilty, if it started back when u installed the maf then mabby its just somthing to do with the tuning of that.