Help Needed - Knock sensor ECU error
 

Hi all, after some help please.

I've got a MY95 Uk impreza turbo saloon. its done 128,000 and is completely standard besides interior and scoobysport backbox.

The car runs on Optimax and has been for nearly a year (ECU reset before the change over).

BUT I'VE GOT PROBLEMS !!!

Driving home the other day as usual no probs and my engine check light on the dash came on. So crapped it checked gauges no probs, so pulled over straight away, turned the engine off, allowed it to cool, then checked under the bonnet and the fluids for any signs of a problem. Though nothing came up?

So got it home, done an ECU check with a friend of mine (who knows quite a bit mechanically unlike me that knows bugger all), and came up with 4 errors:

Knocklink,
MAF sensor,
Temperature sensor
and one other that i cant remember.

So checked all fluids again and looked about under the bonnet, but nothing? So, on the advice of my friend who knows more, we disconnected the battery to allow everything to reset and give it another go.

After the battery being disconnected for nearly a week, we reconnected everything cleared the ECU and went for a drive to reset everything with the revs above 2000, until clearing complete. But this is where the problem gets more strange, whilst doing this the KNOCKLINK error code continually kept flashing?

So got back, disconnected the 2 black plugs + 2 green plugs, then checked again after a trip around the block and only the KNOCKLINK error code was present?

I havent altered my fuel or anything, so what do i do?

Is the car safe to drive? is it guna be detonating etc?

CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME !!!!

Cheers

bump

Evening

Not overly technical on this but you may find your Knock sensor has failed, which would put the car into limp mode. Try and borrow a knock sensor to see if thats the problem if not check the wires going to the knock sensor to check they havent come loose. Have you checked to see if any fuses have blown ?

it would appear that the knock sensor is giving the fault code unless you are reading it incorrectly. this is not a knock-link, which is and aftermarket item and is not connected to the ecu.

Sorry meant sensor not link !!!! Got Knocklinks on the brain with my car at the mo :)

;)

cheers for the comments and pointing out my mistake.

The car doesnt perform any different now and runs fine, besides the error code?

Besides swap the sensor over,check the wires and fuses, which i will try and do, can anyone else think of anything?

Literally any advice much appreciated.

the other error codes could be old ones.. or you could have an earthing issue..
try earthing between battery neg and block and see if the error(s) occur again.

The sensors use the ground as a base from which to work, the earths corrode quick badly..

otherwise as said try and different knock sensor.

BUMP

so you have added extra earthing and tried a replacement knock sensor then?

what is the point of people replying if you cannot even be arsed to reply to their suggestions or even try them?

Easy mate,

I havent had chance to try that yet, because as i said i'm not very technically minded.

I need to find another sensor, where it is, how to get at it etc before i can look at it.

In all the time on scoobynet, never known anyone to get crappy about something, its a shame.

lol , sorry was having a bad day.

sensor is under the intercooler.. bolted to the block.. small black plastic with a 12mm bolt head holding it on iirc and an electrical plug.

I'd get a secondhand one fby ringing www.hdcsubaru.com

once you have it (shouldn't be expensive) then you can locate the one of the engine to allow you to swap them.

If you pop into Halfords they sell battery earth straps.. buy the longest one they do and bolt it to negative battery and somewhere on the engine (intercooler mounting bracket for example)

Right Lads - an update

I've had the knock sensor removed and replaced with a temporary 2nd hand one, which has solved the problem !!!

No more "engine check" lights or nothing !!

The ECU has also been reset and all codes cleared again, so guna give it some runs, then check them again and hopefully there'll be no probs.

I got the work done locally by a bit of a pro, an ex-prodrive employee, really nice chap and only charged me £160 for the work which included lending me the 2nd hand sensor til next tuesday so i can use the car, all the work required and the price of the new sensor £89.

So by next week should all be sorted, then back to scooby turbo heaven !!

Cheers for everyones input on this subject.

I wounder just how many ex-prodrive employees are out there... are they really that bad to work for. They must have the highest empleyee turn over of an company in the uk ;) :D .

Glad the cars sorted btw.

Tony (ex Prodrive employee........ maybe)

lol @ Tony...

I was actually thinking £160?? to change a sensor?

Simon (exprodrive employee maybe, would have done it for less than £160 :D)

Prodrive guys don't come cheap Simon.... :D

So did he charge you £160 to fit the temp sensor and then another £89 for the new sensor, or was it £160 all in. Even with the new sensor it thats more than £70 to do a very easy and simple job :eek: . £70 is two hours labour at a specialist!

Tony.

I was thinking I would have done it for a pint.. perhaps I would make that 2 pints now with my exprodrive employee maybe status :)

Hoping it included the sensor...

£160 to change a sensor is damn good money, if you can get it.:eek:

I feel guilty asking for £150 to change an engine :)

fiestaboy,

you need to say "Exprodrive employee maybe" then you could charge more!

FPMSL - How true :D

I'd like to know how much an "exprodrive" employee would want for swapping an engine...Probably exceed the value of the car!

it was £160 all in . . . . . (including obviously fitting the new one)

I thought thats still £70 for labour, but then again he is lending me a 2nd sensor til next tuesday so that my father can use the car over the weekend, so not to bad.

Have i really paid to much you think?

IMO you have paid FAR too much :(

It shouldn't have cost more than £10 labour to swap the sensor over ;)

I would either have a word, or if you haven't paid yet, then keep his sensor - and don't go back :D

edit
 

Yeah i thought the same, i just spoke to my father and the new sensor was £89 + VAT, so roughly £110 ish?

So that only leaves £50 odd for labour, which aint to bad.

I kinda needed someone to look at it who knows what they are looking for, and from the amount of ex WRC rally cars he had in the garage and works on, i'd say he knows.

Cos my subaru is my pride and joy, i'd rather take it to people who would perhaps cost a bit more, but then you can guarantee and good job for your cash. And where i live your very limited to where people know much about scoobs, besides from taking it to subaru.

That's fair enough, but what you are forgetting is that it will take him under 5 minutes to do the job ( probably even less if he worked for Prodrive :D)...The knock sensor is held to the engine block by one bolt, and you dont even need to take the intercooler off to change it ;)

IMO, he is raping you ;)

Are you not forgetting that this guy is X prodrive and that he is taking timeout of his day to fix someone elses problem. He is not a garage where you can drive in and drive out. It was prob a one off favour. I dont think you have been ripped mate. He has fixed your problem and been kind hearted enough to spend time speaking with you and lending you a sensor.
Either him or book it into subaru and wait a week and then get it back with a bill for parts you dont even need.
Theres too many people on here that expect everything for nothing!


Rant over:_)

Cheers for everyone's input, much appreciated.

I did think that its a bit much but, then again i did need it fixed and fixed completely + properly, to ensure the problems wouldnt come bac to haunt me. So in that way i'd rather pay a bit extra to make sure that it is completely sorted, but thanks for everyones opinion and help.

Thanks brent

LOL... so what. Does that mean he's good at his job and should get £50 for a 5 minute job. NO, he may be ex prodrive because he got sacked for being ****e at his job.... you just don't know. Just because Prodrive is mentioned doesn't mean you have to drop to your knees in the guys presence :rolleyes: .

Tony.

Not what i ment Tony, I ment that he doesnt work for them anymore and so he may want nothing to do with this lads car. He is going out of his way to help him. The point is ..this guy can charge what ever he sees fit. If he was a proper garage then fair play it would be a rip off. But he is not ..it was a one off meaning he was not going to help if it wasnt worth his while.

Ah... understand what you mean now. We can only guess at the circumstances really as we aren't directly involved. As long as he's happy the car is sorted.

Just be careful out there, there's plenty of people just waiting to pull you pants down. Especially if your new to scoobies and don't know them too well. Live and learn.

Tony.