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They're the same. Sometimes replacement ones look a bit different, or have a second connector at the sensor itself. But 95-99 (actually 90-04) will have the white single prong plug for the sensor. Make sure the mating surface on the block is clean as that's how the sensor grounds and listens for knocks.

Edited by 987687
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99 usually has a plug directly on the sensor.

98 and earlier have a 6" pigtail on the sensor with either a 1 or 2 pin plug at the end. Only one wire on all of them but its easier to match the replacement to what you have.

 

If you're in a pinch and need the car to run right to to RadioShack and get some resistors and connect them in series to get somewhere around 580Kohms. Hook that up in place of the knock sensor and the ECU will come out of limp mode.

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99 usually has a plug directly on the sensor.

98 and earlier have a 6" pigtail on the sensor with either a 1 or 2 pin plug at the end. Only one wire on all of them but its easier to match the replacement to what you have.

 

If you're in a pinch and need the car to run right to to RadioShack and get some resistors and connect them in series to get somewhere around 580Kohms. Hook that up in place of the knock sensor and the ECU will come out of limp mode.

 

Interesting, I didn't know that. I'll keep that in my toolbox of hacks to get broken cars moving again :)

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It jus tricks the ECU into thinking the sensor is there. You can run it indefinitely but you lose knock correction so you have to keep an ear out for pinging. If it pings constantly you'll want to put a new sensor in it ASAP.

 

I made one semi-permanent to use for testing purposes. It's been hooked up on my 96 for over a year. It pings on occasion when its hot outside, so ill hook up the knock sensor when I notice it pinging and see if the car feels any different. Very slightly less power with the knock sensor hooked up instead of the resistor when its hot outside. When its cold out I don't notice any difference.

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Interesting. Have you tried putting in a higher octane gas in warmer temps to see if the pinging goes away? If that's the case you may actually gain a touch of power.

Can't remember honestly. I may have tried mid-grade, but If I did it was only once. I guess if it had made a difference I would have kept using mid-grade!

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Ping = knock = spark knock = detonation = valve rattle = pinging.

 

There are a few other names too but those are the common ones. All the same, all caused by the same thing. Knock sensor looks for those.

 

 

Rod knock (heavy Thock type knock from the bottom end) and piston slap (another heavy knock, a bit more dull/muffled than rod knock) are totally different from spark knock. Knock sensor can't detect rod knock or piston slap.

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