Ive been fighting a very irritating knock sensor problem lately. Its been having an intermittant problem, so i jacked the car up to check it out and when I pulled the connector off, it broke. So I got a new connector from the junkyard, only i wasnt paying 100% attention and i grabbed the connector off what i believe is either the oil pressure sender connector or the coolant fan switch connector.

It is this same connector:



I put this one on and theres no change. Its acting like its a bad connection, sometimes itll run good, other times the SES light comes on (code 43) and it runs awful, even backfiring occasionally. Sometimes hitting a bump in the road will set the SES light too, and if it comes on i can go wiggle the wire and usually itll go off. The amount of time it runs RIGHT is less than 5%, usually itll run ok, still not right. Since I thought it was a bad connection i took a long shot and put alot of dielectric grease on the connector, no help. I do know that the connector that broke off was black, but Ive looked up the connectors and they look the same, just different colors. I should also mention that when i checked it last it had burn marks from apparently touching/being too close to the exhaust manifold (stock exhaust still).

Anyone have any advice? Is it the connector that is causing the problem? Some reason I cant use this connector? Could it be shorting out to the exhaust??? Im really frustrated with this problem and not sure what else to check so im hoping my friends at 3rd gen.org can give me some advise for my next move. Thanks

 

The sensor im talking about it directly between cylinders 6-8. I just went and looked at it again and its burnt worse now too. It spins freely around the sensor, its plugged in but its able to spin. The connector I took off the parts car was right next to the sensor, it looks like its in the oil pan.

 

Anyone?

 

you can get a knock sensor plug end at the junk yard tbi v8 truck astro van ect. Im not a fan of splicing unless necessary you can remove the center terminal out of the connector housing by releasing the tab on the back of the knock plug and use a lisle 14900. You can also buy a acdelco pt308. If this is on your 88 tpi with the 1227165 ecm you need to go through the trouble tree.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Delphi-Ra...686be5&vxp=mtr

 

Knock sensor is in the block down by the starter motor ; not in the head between the plugs

 

That's the fan switch.

 

Awsome!! thanks for claryfing that I just change starter on my 87 IROC Z and was wondering why i had 2 knock sensors cuz they look very alike same connectors too

Black88 are you positive you haven't mixed the wire between those 2 sensors

 

They are, in fact, exactly the same connector. Just that the factory color codes the wire the same as the color as the sensor it plugs onto (black vs. wite). Which is of no use if you've changed the wires/connectors to something different, however.

Fan temp switch screws into the cylinder head between 6 and 8. Knock sensor is down along the pan rail of the block, forward of the starter.

Don't get 'em mixed up! They don't work so well that way. Ask me how I know.