JamieMacdonald

Just fitting the KL which I got on the group buy (nice one M0NEY ).

Problem is I can't find which one of the terminals on the sensor is the earth - I think the sensor might be dodgy?

I get no continuity between either terminal and the metal body of the sensor, or between the two terminals themselves. Should I? Or am I just being stoopid?

Jamie

EMS

That is how it supposed to be! (the warning in the manual is probably for different sensors) It doesn't matter what pin you connect to mass.

Mark.

JamieMacdonald

Nice one that's all I needed to know! I can carry on fitting it before it gets dark then.

This is what it said in the instructions which came with the actual monitor unit (not the sensor:

It was that bit which confused me! :d

Jamie

lizzard

Jamie please take my advice and spilce the KL sensor wire (brown) to the original subaru (bosch)sensor. You don't need to fit the new sensor . See this thread below.

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/thread.asp?threadid=223426

tweenierob

Lizzard, in normal circumstances i would not contridict another persons post but you have posted information which may lead to false displays and possible engine damage.

You should not connect the Knocklink display to the OE. sensor, there are a number of reasons for this..

The ECU uses the std Knock sensor to adjust the timing when detting is picked up, if you connect the KL to the OE. sensor you will weaken the signal, thus not giving the ecu a chance to adjust the timing accordingly causing possible engine damage.
Also.. the OE. sensor does not give a strong enough signal for the KL to display accurate det measurements.

Fact time..

A member of scoobynet had his Knocklink connected to the std sensor on his car, he was quite happy that he was getting one/two green lights at WOT.. Then he fitted the bosch Knock sensor, the one/two green lights that he had displayed for 4 months were more like two Amber/ occaisional red
Admittedly he was running quite high boost and should have expected it but he was happy in the knowlege that the display said it was not detting.. Unfortunately his engine was not quite so happy.

And for my next point.. where does your info on sensor positioning come from?? Using my own car as an example, with det cans connected to the OE. sensor bolt and a Bosch sensor on the hole under the normal IC position my KL displayed EVERY bit of detting that i could hear on the det cans.
This also ties up with a friends car that was exactly the same, my knocklink only showed one green and i could just hear the pinging through the det cans.. Pretty accurate to me!!!

Thanks for reading

Rob

Tone Loc

iTrader: (1)

I'd second everthing Rob has said. I initially connected to the OEM sensor while waiting for the bosch sensor to arrive... all quite. Put the bosch on and it was lit up like a christmas tree. Put some ocatne booster in and this reduced the activity significantly. So pretty safe to assume it was detting.

I think lizzard is the first person i've heard recommend this. Personally i'd rather spend the £65 on the bosch sensor than a few thousand when the engine blows in a few months.

Tony.

ozzy

I wholeheartedly agree with Rob, but if you're worried about the cost of the extra sensor you can get these from any Bosch dealer here in the UK.

Knocklink = £74 from Jap Innovations
Bosch Sensor (part# 0-261-231-006) = £38 from Teeside AutoTech
Bosch connector plug (part# 1-287-013-003) = £9 from Teeside Autotech

All prices inc. VAT - it pays to shop around folks.

Stefan

WREXY

The other thing is that if the OEM sensor dies, which does happen and you have the Knocklink connected there, you may not know that the OEM sensor has cried "enough", cos you will get no warning on the Knocklink obviously. With the seperate sensor you have much better insurance.

Cheers,

George.

lizzard

Hi Fellas

I do see the point that you guys are making, and I am always open to correction, however, I discussed this same issue of attenuation of the KL signal with a Subaru technician and he felt that the attenuation of the signal would be very small and not large enough to affect the signal going to the ECU.

He thought that since Subaru have fitted the KL directly over the #4 cylinder that it really is that cylinder that is most liable to det.

If you locate the new KL sensor on the common position under the intercooler, then it may be too far away from the original sensor's position and probably not sensitive enough to pick up the early stages of det.

Rob Says...

.......A member of scoobynet had his Knocklink connected to the std sensor on his car, he was quite happy that he was getting one/two green lights at WOT.. Then he fitted the bosch Knock sensor, the one/two green lights that he had displayed for 4 months were more like two Amber/ occaisional red
Admittedly he was running quite high boost and should have expected it but he was happy in the knowlege that the display said it was not detting.. Unfortunately his engine was not quite so happy.....

I ask...Did he set up the LINK sensor correctly as per the instructions? Its hard to believe that the sensor was not picking up the det from that location but did in the intercooler position



I guess the real test would be to do some logs with the original KL alone and then with the original KL spliced to the LINK KL in the car. See if the knock correction tables cause any adjustment in the ignition timing under the two conditions.

Very interesting points though Rob. I will discuss it further with my Subaru friend and let you know what he thinks.

Chow

Bob Rawle

The Subaru technician is wrong in this case, you should NEVER piggy back the knock sensor like this, it distorts the signal the ecu receives and, as has been mentioned, could contribute to misleading information. Installing the knock sensor in the position behind the oem and under the intercooler provides a very accurate reading of real det. Lizzard you say "may be too far away .... may not pick up " etc ... that implies that you don't know and are making assumptions or repeating third party info, those of us that use these devices and correlate them to real det with det cans are, I believe, in a much better position to comment and advise on what is or is not the right way to install. As has been said your information is somewhat misleading and dangerous ... think before you post, you could be the cause of a damaged engine.

Bob

AndrewC

Jamie,

The bottom green LED is dimly lit all the time there is power to the Knocklink, it is no indication of whether the sensor is correctly connected or even if the knocklink circuitry itself (apart from that 1 LED and a resistor) is working.

During normal (enthusiastic) driving you will see both green LEDs brightly illuminated at times as there is always some engine noise.

Andrew...

johnfelstead

how high on the sensitivity pot do people run, i think the setup instructions are very poor.

john banks

On max on most UK engines the most you see is two greens flickering at red line. On STis you often get one orange flickering just before the red line (simply because of the higher rev limit).

Even in the line of sight I don't find two flickering green LEDs distracting even at night.

I prefer to leave it on max where possible because even a spike to 2nd green in the midrange can be a warning of far worse things to come the next time you go through that zone with more load and heat in the next gear.

ozzy

I've been running mine for just over a week now. At most I've only ever seen the first LED light up brightly near the red line in 3rd and 4th gear. It's always DIM with the ignition on and I just assumed that was to let you know it has some power at least.

I've got mine set to maximum sensitivity.

Stefan

JamieMacdonald

Sorted now, I think I'd got my sensitivity completely wrong somehow during setup ! Got it on max sensitivity now and it responds to a good old whack on the engine but can't get more than the first green light even when giving it some serious welly. It does get *a bit* brighter though - I guess all this is a good thing .

So how easy is it to make a fuel-cut defender?

johnfelstead

Thanks for the info chaps.

JamieMacdonald

Well connected knocklink up and it was all working ok so fitted it in the 'cockpit' and have been happily ragging my car around with just the bottom green light showing. I though this was too good to be true so I got someone else to watch the display while I tapped the block with a brummie spanner. Nothing. Oh dear I thought, it worked when I tested it before I fitted it but I think I might have 'crimped' the wires near the display when I fitted it. Anyhoo, should I get a circuit between the two sensor wires cos I'm not getting one . Also The bottome green light is on all the time even without the engine running, is that ok? Think I might have to take the heatshrink off to check the wires but would like to know if there should be continuity between the sensor wires first!

Jay

[Edited by JamieMacdonald - 7/9/2003 1:26:00 PM]