Knock sensor replacement. 2000 454

[evilunclegrimace]

In other words, hit and run?

I like to call it "Shock and ow"

 

[evilunclegrimace]

you have to have a scanner that reads the knock counts, then u have someone tap on the block with a metallic object. my autel cp9690 reads obd1 and 2 and it reads knock counts

No you don't, Having a scanner makes it easier but for those that don't have a scanner My post works just fine.

 

[454cid]

The drain plug holes are lower on the block, and slightly rearward of the knock sensor. Right side is immediately next to the engine oil dipstick tube as it comes up from the oil pan. Typical 9/16 wrenching surface, hex-head iron (or steel) pipe plugs.

Maybe our knock sensors are in different places? My sensor is just above the starter. If the plug is further back yet, it's really going to be on top of the starter. Mine's a 99, and I know there were a few changes in the L29 over it's production

On the right side, I had to install a 45-degree street elbow AFTER carving the elbow on a bench grinder so it'd clear the dipstick tube. Then installed a draincock into the street elbow. The wings on the draincock were never going to go past the dipstick tube without an elbow or a nipple or something.

I think my dip stick tub is in my pan.... too cold to look now.

 

[Schurkey]

Testing a knock sensor is easy...if there's only one on the engine.

Start the engine, have a timing light connected and flashing. Hit something iron--top of the intake manifold, the side of the cylinder head, the front of the block, whatever you can access--with a small hammer. Don't hit it hard enough to cause damage, just "ring the bell" a little. If the timing retards for a moment then returns to where it was, the knock sensor, harness, and ECM are working properly.

I suppose that if there's two or more knock sensors, you could never be sure they're all working, or maybe just one is.

Maybe our knock sensors are in different places? My sensor is just above the starter. If the plug is further back yet, it's really going to be on top of the starter. Mine's a 99, and I know there were a few changes in the L29 over it's production



I think my dip stick tub is in my pan.... too cold to look now.

The dipstick tube enters the oil pan. The tube itself goes right past the lower edge of the block, right next to the drainplug. It's in front of the starter, but very, very low on the block.

Left side, the plug is lower and rearward from the knock sensor, with the oil filter in the way. I got at mine without pulling the filter and filter adapter, but I have small hands.

I took photos of the draincocks I installed in the block last night. Photos are pretty crappy though, and maybe not worth posting. I'll have to crop and resize and see what they look like. I'll post here if they're any good.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

In other words, hit and run?

Another thing to keep in mind is, if you do this in the kitchen and she by chance does get a little shock and she grabs a knife, Have a jar of mayonnaise handy and grab it. IF you are lucky her feminine instincts will kick in and she will make you a sammich instead of disemboweling you>

 

[Schurkey]

Driver's side draincock. The original plug is, of course, a plain ol' hex-head 1/4 NPT steel/iron plug that gets covered in dreck.

First photo, viewed from above the front differential which is out-of-focus at the lower right of the picture. Looking mostly "sideways" at the drain ****. It's under the orange Fram oil filter (not my choice, it's what came on the truck when I bought it) and rearward of the knock sensor. Lower wing of draincock is hidden behind differential and driveshaft yoke. I needed a long-handle 1/2" ratchet, a L-O-N-G extension, and a universal-joint socket to get this plug out. It was really tight.

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Second view of Left draincock. As seen from under the front differential looking "up". The lower "wing" of the draincock is hidden behind the out-of-focus steel rod that goes from engine mount to the bolt on the torque-converter cover. A trick of perspective makes it seem that the draincock is higher on the block than the knock sensor--it isn't.

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Right side draincock. Looking "up". The 45 degree street elbow positions the draincock almost perfectly horizontal. I had to grind the elbow for clearance to the dipstick tube. Shiny item to left of photo is the still-nicely-polished front end of the starter motor. Heat-shield above starter also protects the knock sensor. The knock sensor is above, core-plug heater to the right (forward) of the draincock.

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Once I figured out where the plug was on this side, a 3/8 long-handle ratchet, and a 9/16 six-point socket made short work of it.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

IF you are lucky her feminine instincts will kick in and she will make you a sammich instead of disemboweling you>

Ha Ha - not likely.

 

[454cid]

Right side draincock. Looking "up". The 45 degree street elbow positions the draincock almost perfectly horizontal. I had to grind the elbow for clearance to the dipstick tube. Shiny item to left of photo is the still-nicely-polished front end of the starter motor. Heat-shield above starter also protects the knock sensor. The knock sensor is above, core-plug heater to the right (forward) of the draincock.

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Once I figured out where the plug was on this side, a 3/8 long-handle ratchet, and a 9/16 six-point socket made short work of it.

I can see using drain petcocks as being handy, but given your straight up mounting, wouldn't a plain plug be better? You're raising the remaining level of olf coolant by quite a bit doing this. It's also bound to capture additional sediment. Is it that big a deal to use a ratchet? It's not like you're changing coolant as often as oil.

Thank you for the pictures.... I've never been for sure where my block drains are located. I should use them next time I try to flush the system. Last time I looked around, but given the limited access, I didn't want to pull a plug only to find it was oil.

 

[Schurkey]

I can see using drain petcocks as being handy, but given your straight up mounting, wouldn't a plain plug be better?

One drain **** (left side by oil filter) points "down" at a 45 degree angle due to the "V" of the block sides.

One drain **** (right side by starter) wont screw directly into the block, so I slapped a 45 degree elbow in there. The 45 degree angle of the block, plus the 45 degree elbow, means the plug is almost exactly horizontal. It's a trick of the angle of the photograph that makes it look like it's pointing "up". I wanted to thread the elbow another 1/2 turn into the block, which would point the draincock straight down, but that's where it got tighter than I was comfortable with.


If the engine were out of the vehicle, I'd have better access to take photos that show what I mean. But I'm limited in where the camera fits.