Knock Detector Light?

[landtoy80]

With advancing the timing the computer might retard the timing if there is knock.
Is there a way to tap into the knock detector and hook up a light or meter to see if you have knock?

 

[SteveLCetc]

That is an excellent question.

 

[RavenTai]

There are OBDII scanners and software that can watch the knock sensors in real time, not sure if there is something for your 94 though ?

 

[WolfpackTLC]

It's called a J&S knock sensor... and YES, it'll work on your cruiser. We run em' on turbo cars all the time. They even have an output you can run to your ignition control box and/or afc box so that they can respond accordingly to knock.

There ya go!

 

[Safado]

Uhh...did some poking around on those J&S sensors and it seems like they come up a lot on Miata sites. Don't they just do the same thing as the stock computer and retard timing until the knock goes away? Does it actually warn the drive of the condition? You have any pics of an installed unit?

 

[97 FZJ80]

J&S is a knock sensor that "listens" for knocks and retards the timing until the knock goes away. I'm not sure what it adds to the 80 since the 1FZ-FE engine computer already has the knock sensor and timing retard function.

The reason it is often used in the Miata is that on the early models (89-97), the Miata engine computer does not have a knock sensor. The J&S was added by most people with FI engines.


John

 

[landtoy80]

Where is the knock sensor?
One could splice in a wire and hook it up to a meter. Advance the motor till it knocks and see what the meter reads.
Would you need a volt meter, amp meter???
If it only sends a signal when there is knock, a light would work/

I have my timing set to stock setting. I wounder how often (if ever) there is knock?

 

[WolfpackTLC]

You guys are missing the bigger picture here... Since it " listens " for knock, you can wire in a light that will illuminate when it hears the knock. We use it especially on 3rd gen RX-7's and such... The factory knock sensor is a ground signal unit... when it gets knock, it's open and there's no ground. I'm not sure of the sensitivity, but I wouldn't want to tap into that wire...

J

 

[alia176]

I wish my OBD-II software had a knock sensing feature. Perhaps looking at the total timing value would be my clue!