Help Please

[bobnick]

I had the engine symbol (light) come on in the instrument panel by the gagues. I took it to the Toyota dealership to have it checked out (for 82.00 pounds) they did a dianostic check on the van they told me it was a fault in the " Engine knocking sensor"?? and in order to fix the sensor it would invovled removing the engine apparently this sensor is at the top of the engine and the engine is in the middle of the van (10 hour job to fix a sensor). They assured me it that though the light was still on in the instrument panel it would not effect the running of the engine. All that will happen is that the light would always be on. I have the paper work to back this up,just wondered if this to be true,so why have a sensor then,if you dont have to worry about it when light comes on,confused

[propnut]

Tis true that the knock sensor is at the top of the engine, tis bull***t that the engine needs to come out.

The engine needs to be jacked up from the sump using a suitable plank of wood and a hydraulic jack. The front engine mountings need to be removed as too does the oil filter and then the engine needs to be lowered about 4 inches or just until the oil filter housing lightly touches the crossmember. This then provides sufficient space to allow one to remove the knock sensor. Which can be obtained MUCH MUCH cheaper from Rockauto in the USA than from rip off Toyota.

I guarantee you that whilst they may charge you to take out the engine what they will really be doing is what I have outlined above.

Yes you can drive with a damaged Knock sensor but so long as you are able to identify when the each is starting to knock (pink) and know how to change your driving style to compensate. Knocking or pinking is a noise that sounds like marbles bouncing around in the engine and is caused by the fuel igniting before it should. The knock sensor detects the 5Khz frequency caused by this and retards your timing automatically. Without it you need to take the corrective action by either

1. Easing off on the throttle

2. Change down a gear so that the engine is not labouring.