UK MY99 with 92k BUT new short block at 85k, Dawes @ 1.05bar, Magnex twin downpipe, other than that pretty much standard.

Car just checked and set up yesterday with boost, AFR and knoclink, dawes and all well...fuelling ok etc so off I go following ECU resest with shiny happy new knocklink

AFR meter showing everything fuelling ok

So under full acceleration interested to see what all my new gauges would tell me etc and to my horror the knocklink does it's christmas tree stuff and shoots up to a quick red just prior to red-line

Is this normal (knocklink sensitive) or detting and get ready for short-block no 2

Using SUL with no booster

Opinions appreciated as guys who set it up are 100 mile trip and don't want to hassle them with my naive questions

I'm thinking it could just be that it's an older car and the KLink is hearing something else or should I be a tad more worried or is it's gods technical way of saying slow down and be more gentle on your car Si

 

1st question, where is your sensor positioned?

 

SiPie

That set-up should be safe with regards to det other than in the most extreme circumstances (e.g thrashing on a track). Is your turbo the standard td04l, if so it'll probably be only holding 11-12psi above 6500rpm, therefore det would be unlikely even with the degree of advance with th ae800 ecu. However, a friend of mine did manage to light up my KL on my MY99 by bouncing off the rev-limiter for half a second or so first.

Where is the knocklink? It should be bolted to the block under the intercooler. If it's on the inlet manifold somewhere it may pick up other vibrations. A loose heatshield on the turbo can sometimes cause the KL to light up even when in the correct position.

If you rev the engine without being under load up to the same point, see if the KL lights again. If it does then it's some other noise mimmicking det, as you won't get any det when off boost.

Hope this is of some help.

Simon

 

Embarassing P20 but I haven't even checked the location...bonnet unopened since yeserday

Presume however that you are going to echo what Simon said below re it being on the inlet manifod etc

I have trust in the guys that have set the car up as I specifically wanted safety to be paramount and they spent a hell of a lot of time getting it 100%.
The bit that worried me was when I phoned them this morning they seemed a bit surprised that red had shown

Heat shield is ok and no other audible rattles but I fully appreciate that a 4 year old car with 92k could have other rattles and knocks going on elsewhere that my old lugs ain't picking up

Having done a search I've heard people mention that even a thumped gearchange can send the Klink doo-lally but this is prior to a gearchange

Simon and P20PSD... thanks for your help and P20PSD ... I'll check the location tonight

Edited to say will try the above tonight also Si...cheers

Thanks again
Si


[Edited by SiPie - 6/25/2003 12:22:08 PM]

 

Is there not a good chance that following an ECU reset - i.e. the ECU will be in an enthusiastic mood regarding advance - that there will be some noise?
I'd have thought that as the advance retards over the next few miles, it'll get quieter?

 

Nom

I have heard of this (well after reading all the search material )and that it can die back but I'm just having a fit of initial gauge induced paranoia and want to cover as many bases as sanely possible...

Cheers for the input...appreciated

 

A spike on the KL usually means the car is realy knocking! To see if it is due to engine noise you can rev the car to the limiter in 2nd gear with light throttle. The lights you see in this situation are caused by engine noise. Every additional spike above this is knocking.

Are you sure about the fueling, how do you check?

A log with a Delta Dash wil tell experienced people what is going on.

Mark.

 

MIne did it breifly when I had changed my ecu but has been fine since. As stated above, could it be because you had reset the ecu and it was still "learning" advance etc?

 

EMS,

This doesn't make sense, am I missing something?

'you can rev the car to the limiter in 2nd gear with light throttle.'

How do you hit the limiter if your using light throttle?

 

maybe wrong but i think he means build up revs slowly.

 

Tuners checked all was ok re fuelling, AFR meter is reading rich under full throttle, new Lambda probe fitted yesterday, new MAF 4 months ago, coupled with fuel pump and pressure checked when new short block replaced, injectors cleaned and that's about all I know re the fuelling side of things on this car

Cheers
Si

 

Damian: The car should run to 7k rpm or whatever without full throttle, say 50% throttle, maybe a little more or less. As it is on light load there should be no det but if the Knock Link goes into Christmas Tree mode then the problem is background engine noise and the sesitivity needs adjustment. If it only lights up on WOT it is fair to assume this is det.
Not scientific but it is hard to assess these things from afar but when the fuel tank is nearly empty put in some octane booster (NF or Millers Octane Plus) and a load of Optimax. If this cuts the Link activity then the car was experiencing knock.Try another ECU re-set and see what happens.
When the ECU is reset the ignition advance goes back to original setting and will retard if det is encountered. It is possible the re-set advanced the ignition beyond the point where knok will take place on SUL.
Det cans are used by professional tuners to asses engine noise and listen for det.
Hope this is helpful. Let us know how you get on.

 

I assume this doesn't undo a remap !!!

 

No SB it doesn't undo a remap

 

phew

 

Sipie,

I used to have knock probs with my jap import and its many mods. Knocklink was set to full sensitivity with a tank of optimax and a really useless OB. The lights just kept lighting up all the time. On ECU reset, i thought i was going to blow my engine again.

I did one thing and that is purchase NF race formula OB. I now have problems lighting up even the second green light under the harshest conditions. No joke, my car was a complete detting machine before getting this stuff

Mark

p.s. i used to think my Knocklink was set up too sensitive

[Edited by sparkster - 6/25/2003 8:57:20 PM]

 

A knocklink on max sensitivity will show engine noise as steady green lights, if the red is flashing then that_will_be_det so don't ignore it, just because fueling is rich does not mean it won't det. Could be fuel quality or ... could be oil vapour contamination of the cylinder charge ie blow by. if you are running hoigher than normal boost and this happens then you do need to use Optimax as a minimum or 97 ron plus booster

edited to add was the car checked with det cans when the dawes was fitted, if not then best get it checked out to be safe.

bob

[Edited by Bob Rawle - 6/25/2003 10:15:20 PM]

 

Thanks Bob and Sparkster

Well here's the odd bit......

Needed to fill up so against my better judgement I stuck a tank of Optimax in (personally have always found car to behave better on SUL) ... anyway I digress

Can now get the 2 greens to light up under WOT circa 6500rpm but other than that not even a hint of yesterdays christmas tree effect

So .... seems that either the ECU was sensitive just following reset as mentioned earlier in the thread or that Optimax really does make a difference

Anyway I will return to using a small amount of NF Octane Booster just to be on the safe side

Good news for you then kenny

Cheers for the input once again guys
Si

 

SiPie, just read your email along the same lines. Glad you've sorted it with the octane. Keep an eye on it and if you see any more reds on Optimax then suggest take the Dawes off initially, although it should not be detting on Optimax with a Dawes on at the top end if things are otherwise well.

 

Many thanks for taking the time to reply John

Appreciated
Si

 

As was said Sipie, it was quite likely to do with the ECU reset as well. My car is set up with the same boost as yours and I did get an amber light but that is now down to one green max. I think the ECU has retarded the ignition a bit. I also think that you are wiser to stick to Optimax anyway. It does have a higher resistance to Det even if SUL can often feel smoother.

Les

 

Cheers Leslie....

Will keep both eyes peeled and undoubtedly live in a semi-paraniod state for a while but will stick to Optimax from now on

 

Udate for anyone that gives a hoot and may be helpful info

I would hazard a guess that Leslie's comments posted above are spot on.

Last night the car was subjected to it's toughest test post link/gauges/dawes/etc fitting and I could not get more than 2 green max to light up....but as previously mentioned the Klink was going daft one day one initially

Cheers... (a very relieved)
Si

 

Are you still on optipish? That stuff really is the business for det prevention it would seem its just that my car runs totally cr@p on it!! John noticed straight away on DD that I'd switched from optimax to SUL so there is quite a difference. I use the millers with SUL to achieve good clean running from my car. That said, I was still a little worried yesterday when it was soooo hot

Must remember to get some cotton buds on the way home to clean out my two knocklinks

 

Lol

but.....

Ain't no way you gonna hear anything mate with a full de-cat

Maybe if you had det-cans hanging from yer lobes at the time but otherwise ... nope

Yup..... still on optipish and car behaving very well on it

 

I know that I just can't bring myself to spend £100+ on a listening device when I'm only going to have the car for another month or so. JB mapped it, its got a fractionally better intercooler, I run OB and the boost won't brake 1.2bar in this weather - if it lets go its likely it was going to happen anyway as that set up should be pretty safe?

 

until the maf slowly starts to pack in, lean you out and starts detting

 

lol @ T-UK

Ain't it great the way they fail so nice and slowly.....

They way they just sneak up un-noticed...... then go BOOM

 

These young lads that buy clear indicator lenses rather than a knocklink

 

PMSL @ JB

How apt (says mr mature SiPie - now all wise and safe with his cacophony of gauges )