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Old 02-22-2008, 02:30 PM
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Default KnocksenseMS

Who here uses KnocksenseMS? I'm about 24 hours away from purchasing my Megasquirt setup and am still on the fence in regards to KnocksenseMS. Here is a little bit of my background and it might explain why I am sitting on the fence with this.

- My Car already had a knock link installed when I purchased it. (I look at it when tuning, but leave it in the glove box most times)
- My 700whp Honda Civic does not have a knock sensor, and none of the 500+ Honda's I have tuned do either,
- My old Miata (498hp) ran a LINK, TECII, TEC3 and FJO Ecu all without a knocksensor.
- All I run in my Miata is 94 Octane Fuel.

I've never run a knock sensor, and **TOUCH WOOD** have never hurt and engine due to knock.

I know it is only about an extra $100 for the knocksetup, but I'm really not sure if I need it, plus I plan to install some stiff mounts and I am worried about falses (I once tried the knock sensor on my FJO and had this issue)

Your thoughts?

Do you folks run this KnocksenseMS on your Megasquirt setups?

Last edited by M-Tuned; 02-22-2008 at 03:16 PM.
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Old 02-22-2008, 02:37 PM
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i don't. i bought one but couldn't get it to not light up all the time.

i like to live dangerously though.
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Old 02-22-2008, 03:13 PM
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I have the KS MS and i use the stock '99 sensor. It works, but i never tried to "tune" it. I have it disable right now, to the highest setting so it never flashes. Just haven't had the time.
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Old 02-22-2008, 03:30 PM
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i like it. i have it tuned pretty well to be used as a safety procaution. Itll show knock at high rpm/load when the engine is cold and thats about it. It seems to be pretty "acurate" to the point where its not goin off all the time, but still gives me a heads up when the engine is runnin a little rough and possibly knocking
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Old 02-22-2008, 03:34 PM
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hmm, im about to order my MS also and now im unsure if I should get the knocksense. How hard is it to tune and do stiffer mounts really make it harder? I have comp mounts now and en ebay torque strut. Someone tell me why i should get it.
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Old 02-22-2008, 03:59 PM
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I run a knock sensor (the stock one on the NB) using the recommended circuit on the msextra manual (no KnockSense here).

Jim
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Old 02-22-2008, 04:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Reverant
I run a knock sensor (the stock one on the NB) using the recommended circuit on the msextra manual (no KnockSense here).

Jim
I've heard knocksense is alot more accurate than that circuit. Its really just a matter of turning down the sensitivity until its not annoying. you get it to where it goes off every time u get on high rpm/load and then just turn it slightly less sensative than that... so it only detects knocks or abnormal vibration
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Old 02-22-2008, 04:08 PM
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That circuit just doesn't look like much fun, and it doesn't include a nice case. If i absolutely had to build that one myself I would, but when the KS is offered in such a nice package, its hard to pass up. Plus it is a tuned circuit so you just have to adjust the sensitivity.
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Old 02-22-2008, 04:38 PM
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Knock tends to occur within a specific and narrow frequency range for any given engine, and is largely determined by the cylinder diameter. To improve the false-rejection abilities of a knock detection system, you can either use a narrowband sensor (as some OEMs do) or use a bandpass filter on the detector as KSMS does- you tell Boris your engine bore and he sets it up. The only user adjustment is a potentiometer to set the sensitivity (gain) of the circuit.

I found that mine tended to false trigger a lot when initially installed. I've been slowly tweaking the potentiometer (turn a bit, drive a bit) and have found that the propensity for false triggering seems to increase linearly with RPM. I got mine to the point where it doesn't seem to false trigger except occasionally on shifting, at which point it doesn't matter anyway. FWIW, this is on a 1.6 with MazdaComp motormounts and noisy-as-hell lifters.

I consider it a nice piece of insurance. I mounted the LED on the top of the steering column (in a small box, pointed directly at my face) and it's bright enough to notice in full sunlight.
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Old 02-22-2008, 04:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Joe Perez
I consider it a nice piece of insurance. I mounted the LED on the top of the steering column (in a small box, pointed directly at my face) and it's bright enough to notice in full sunlight.
Have a picture of said box? I want to make a shift light assembly with some leds and have been looking for a box like what reverant uses, can't seem to get one around here though.
I too put my LED on my steering column though it is in a hole i drilled in the steering column cover, exactly like what Scott did to his. I can also see it during the day in bright sunlight.
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Old 02-22-2008, 06:28 PM
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Here is mine btw.

Jim
Attached Thumbnails KnocksenseMS-p1010012_1.jpg  
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Old 02-23-2008, 12:10 AM
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Yeah i love your box, wish i had one just like it.
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Old 02-23-2008, 03:39 AM
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I can get you one if you want, the next time I hit the hardware store.

Jim
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Old 02-23-2008, 01:13 PM
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This kind of looks like it would work well or the same purpose. Still gotta hit up the local hobby lobby to see if they have anything though.
http://ElectronicsUSA.com/miniboxes4.html
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Old 02-23-2008, 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by cjernigan
Have a picture of said box?
Mine is pretty similar to Rev's. I went to Fry's and bought a tiny little project box that looks like it was intended for building a remote control or something. I removed one of the end plates, and mounted the LED deep inside the case at the other end. This way it's shielded from sunlight. It's mounted so that the open end faces back towards me.

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Old 04-06-2008, 09:32 PM
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JESUS your car looks ricier every time I see it!!

Anyway, with my original (non-MS) knocksense I guess it works, when I was running a front liscence plate, it lit up all the time on the freeway (blocked intercooler) but not before or after that.

Now I don't trust it again. One thing, once I set it for no false positives (free reving in a parkinglot when fully warmed up) I never get any weird wrong signals, except above 7k indicated, which might be since I tuned it on the stock tach, not the MS powered one.
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