i have been doing some searching and still cant find an answer...what is a knock sensor and what does it do? is it something with timing? sorry if that sounds really dumb.

thanks,
adam

 

The knock sensor is basically a microphone type device that is threaded into the bottom passenger side of the block (on our cars that is). All the "data" or sounds the knock sensor picks up are sent to the knock module which is just a computer chip. The knock module is intelligent and determines if any of the sounds the knock sensor is picking up are engine knock. If it is this information is reported to the PCM. When knocking is reported to the PCM depending on how much knock is detected the PCM will begin to retard timing.