was doing some reading on them, and it seems that most people have them..BUT...I dont.

Should I get one?

How can I tell If I'm getting KR?? I honestly cant tell..I have a Bolt-on car..


Maybe Im just thinking too much?

 

Get the car on a scan tool or some type of scanning software and see if you are having any timing pulled from the knock sensor delivering a signal to the pcm. You will be able to see how many degrees of retard the pcm is pulling. If you are getting KR, the next thing I would do is to add some octane booster for example to your fuel tank or just get higher octane fuel or both and see if you still get the knock retard, if not then you know its true knock from detonation and what not, if you still get the same amount of timing pulled, then you can assume its false knock and get an LT4 KM then see where you're at.

 

False knock, caused by rolling rockers or headers will cause the PCM to pull timing, causing hesitation and power loss. LT4 motors came from the factory with rolling rockers and the knock module was "tuned" to filter out rolling rocker noise. Once you scan you car to see if you have knock, you need to prove it's false knock. High octane gas (100 octane) will greatly reduce real knock (usually caused by a need for a tune up in a bolt on car); therefore if you knock does not diminish when using high octane fuel, then you likely have false knock. Octane booster are mostly snake oil and provide very little octane boost; use race gas that provides 100 octane to test your knock.

 

As mentioned above, you need to scan the car to see whether or not you're getting false knock to know whether you need the LT4KM right now.

If you're just looking for a small upgrade to net a little more power, I'd recommend getting a tune if you haven't already. You can have your knock sensor desensitized through the tune plus pick up 10 -15 RWHP through a good tune. Depending on what options you choose (shipping, etc.), a tune shouldn't run you much more $ than the KM itself and will accomplish the same thing, plus add more power

Take a look at www.madz28.com - Ion has a solid reputation on here for doing great work.

 

The LT4KM is $35 from the discount sources used by many people on this site. I doubt MadZ28 works quite that cheap (although his work is a bargain ).

You won't end up with exactly the same results either, at least with regard to the knock retard system. The LT4KM is a "filter"... just keeps known "false" noise signatures from reaching the PCM and causing knock retard. The system still maintains full sensitivity to "true" knock. Desensitizing the knock retard parameters in the PCM will reduce sensitivity to all knock, true or false, and reduces your engine's protection. Just how much "protection" you need is open to debate.

 

I am currently running a PCMFORLESS tune...I run the Car with an open cut-out through LT headers and an ORY pipe a lot..would that create knock?

 

The LT's could definatly cause knock, they caused my buddy to have 12 degrees and believe it or not at one point almost 20 degrees of knock retard?!?! He was running 13.40's@104-105 constantly with full bolt on 12 bolt 6 speed. Got a tune and the knock sensor desentisized and dropped to a 12.6@109