Is there a way that a KS can start to go bad, but not cause a CEL light? Coz I have a 97 gsr that knocks a little bit under load. It makes that tinkling marbles in a can sound, so I don't think it is a heatshield or something else. I thought if you have a KS it won't knock/ping?

 

a knock sensor doesn't make it not ping, it just tells the ecu when your engine is pinging so it can adjust the fuel and timing to make it run richer. i don't think there's a way of checking a knock sensor without expensive equipment such as an oscilloscope.