4g4me

Hello all,

A while back, my car started running a little funny and consuming a little more gas than normal, and under 3k rpm, the car had no power, and almost came to a bucking when the clutch was enguaged at a normal rpm, like 900-1200 rpm.

My car's CEL, or MIL is on and I probed for codes and get two:

KS-knock sensor
and
IACV-idle air control valve

Now, I am used to the IACV problem, I will have to fix that someday, but the KS issue? I have read all the pertaining archived posts on this forum about KS problems, but they generally deal with people who are swapping engines and break the plug or the sensor it self.

My 95 SI 2.3 liter that is bone stock was never tampered with, and from what I can gather the sesnor has no menchanical parts, its basicall a sealed microphone, right?

So do these sensors actually go bad? Or is the problem with the plug for the KS? One friend tells me that I need to find a good used or new knock sensor, another friend tells me that my valve cover gasket could be leaking oil onto the sensor causing a malfunction.

My thoughts?, both of these situations may fix my problem, but I know from past experience that when a honda CEL tells you that there is a specific problem, that problem may be spawned from another problem affecting the sensor in question. So from your experience, what should me first step be for troubleshooting this problem manually? And for the KS, it looks to be in a small hidden spot on the back of the engine, do I have to remove the oil filter to access it?

Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated, thank guys.

prelittlelude

put the car on ramps and see if the plug is lose or coated in ****.. and yes they can go bad, sometimes they go bad and don't even throw a CEL they just rob you of power.

if the plug looks like its in good, and there is no grime or grit, reset the ecu by pulling the radio fuse, and drive the car as you would normally, if it throws the code agian try replang with a good knock senor

BB6Driver

I think I may be a victim of the robbing of power with no CEL

In 2nd and 3rd gear at low-mid rpm my car doesnt pull smoothly. Its kind of a bucking feeling like someone is pulling me back and pushing me forward ever so slightly.

btw: I have a 99 base model.

Could this be due to a bad KS?
Thanks~

redloudlude

wtf thats my same problem!!!!
i have no cel.
my idle is iradic tho 800rpm-1200 sometimes
the way i get around that bucking is short shifting at wot. i hate this problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bigchevy66

The knock sensor is a piezioelectric (sp?) crystal that produces AC voltage. If you had a scan tool, you could tap lightly on the engine around the sensor with a hammer and read you timing. If the ECU retards the timing then you know it's working. That's the only way I can think of testing it right now.

4g4me-- I'd get the IAC taken care of and the knock sensor. More than likely a n erratic idle is due to the IAC. Also, are you running the right octane gas? Hope this helps y'all out. John


Modified by bigchevy66 at 9:10 PM 4/23/2004

codeh22a4

bb6driver i have the same problem as you,when that happend i chekt my knok sensor out and it was broken in half,so chek ur out .

BB6Driver

im going to check my knock sensor and egr valve when I get out of school in a week!

Hopefully that will solve my problem
I hate the bogging/hesitation!
I feel like my car is slow as **** now