I've got a 2000 Honda Civic EX with VTEC engine, The orginal engine bent a rod so the mechanic ordered a Japanese replcemernt engine. He said there is no kmock sensor on the new engne and don't think it was hooked up on the old engine, My question is, do we need a knock sensor on a VTEC engine? When he put in the new engine, he couldn't get it to run smoothly so he jumpered the ECU and adjusted the timing and still no better. He said it needed a new rotor in the distribtur cap so he replaced that and said it's running fine. We haven't picked up the car yet and want to find out the info on the knock sensor.
Can anyone help us please. This is the 3rd time we've had the car back to the mechanic.
Thanks! Bill

P.S. Replacement engine is: D16Y8

 

Knock sensor is not needed for the engine to run properly. The purpose of this sensor is to monitor the engine for detonation. When it senses detonation it will retard the timing to prevent further damage to the engine. All obd2 engines should have a knock sensor. In 99-00 USDM civics your ecu version is obd2b and has some minor differences in sensor and distributor wiring. This may be where you are having problems with the car running. Is the replacement engine obd2b or out of a difference year other than 99-00? Do you have the matching ecu from that engine (look up the engine code located on the block and see what ecu came with it from oem)

 

The engine removed was a D16Y8 and the new one installed is the same code D16Y8. We never messed with the ECU. It's whayever was factory on that car.
Thanks! Bill

 

You could get a jumper harnes and use a p28, doesnt use a knock sensor, so you would be clear. Im unsure if this is true for b series, but if theres no knock sensor present the vtec will not engage, in the usdm version anyways.

 

Swap the distributer from your old engine and this should fix your problems... Most likely an engine out of a 96-98 ek (d16y8 also but obd2a). Your car and harness are a 99-00 ek obd2b d16y8 and the ecu is pinned differently. This is why your mechanic had to adjust the timing and it still isnt correct. I'm pretty sure you will still have vtec enabled without the knock sensor. I did on my setup... If your block is a d16y8 it should have a knock sensor located above the oil filter area on the back of the block (all 96-00 engines came with them)

 

Also you shouldnt have to "jumper the ecu" to get it to run right. If your looking to keep the stock ecu and want to pass PA inspection, I would ensure the mechanic knows what he is doing and not rigging your car so it runs just to get it out of his shop. Do a search on the differences between obd2a & b here on the forums and it lists all the differences between the two and all of you symptoms are addressed. Rough idle (IACV wiring), Timing (Dizzy wiring), etc.

 

Thanks for all the great help.
Just to clarify, we only jumpered the ECU while adjusting the timing.
We'll see if the original distributor is still available.
Thanks again Bill