sonicnofadz
15+ Year Contributor
- 782
- 13
- Sep 12, 2003
-
Baltimore,
Maryland
I have been trying to debug this problem for about two weeks now. I was getting tons of knock even with my EVO16G running 10 psi with my stock 450s (had safc hooked up, but did NO correction). With a stock fuel pump, 450cc injectors, and stock FPR, I figured my fuel curve didn't need any correction. But I still was gettings tons of knock even at partial throttle. So I tried adding fuel, taking away fuel with the SAFC, nothing worked. So I said screw it, and installed some 650cc injectors I had lying around. After finally dialing in the 650s with my safc (with ranged from about -20 to -35 on my low, and a little leaner on the high throttle settings) I was STILL getting tons of knock, sometimes at WOT, sometimes at partial throttle. This really started to piss me off, so I replaced the knock sensor with a new one frm SBR. While I was replacing the knock sensor (from under the car) I noticed that the intake manifold stay (the 'Y' shapped brace with three bolts connecting the intake manifold to the block) was missing a bolt and the two other bolts were LOOSE. This brace connects directly to the block and the bolt that holds it to the block was about to fall off. It was probably rattling around slapping against the block (a few inches away from where the knock sensor screws into the block) and sending some false knock signals to the sensor. Well after tightening the brace up with three new shiny 10x1.5 20mm bolts from autozone I took the car out for a drive. STILL MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF KNOCK. Lol, yeah you probably thought this cured my phantom knock, NOPE! Although after replacing the sensor, and tightening up the brace I did notice that a significant amount of knock went away. While driving to school this morning I realized that most of the knock was taking place with my foot barely on the throttle, so I richened up the low throttle settings on my SAFC, and now I don't get any knock at all. WOT pulls hard (good timing advance too), and there isn't any more partial throttle knock! I am not totally sure how much my old 13 year old gooey knock sensor and a loose intake brace were contributing to the knock sum, but I would definitely say it is worth checking. Time for a new fuel pump and 20 psi of boost! Muhahah 
On a side note, after I arrived on campus (I go to University of Maryland) and parked my car, and noticed steam coming from under the hood. Popped the hood open and one of the coolant lines that goes to my turbo completely exploded. Coolant started leaking everywhere. Luckily I have some spare silicon hose sitting in my car, and I can just use water for coolant until I get home. I swear as soon as you fix something on these cars, something else automatically breaks. Argh!
On a side note, after I arrived on campus (I go to University of Maryland) and parked my car, and noticed steam coming from under the hood. Popped the hood open and one of the coolant lines that goes to my turbo completely exploded. Coolant started leaking everywhere. Luckily I have some spare silicon hose sitting in my car, and I can just use water for coolant until I get home. I swear as soon as you fix something on these cars, something else automatically breaks. Argh!
