Recent KR events take me by surprise...

[stevessvt]

Put $20 in gas in my bone stock (except sec cat del) 09 MS3 and drove it 40 miles on Sunday. About 15 miles in I honk on it to pass a car in 6th going about 75 and my DH flashed a KR event. But I didnt what kind of number it was.
Was driving today about 60 and rolled in 6th and about 3 seconds in it flashed a KR of 7, and I heard a knock! WTF?!? Now Im scared shitless Im going to be driving it sometime and throw a piston. I know its a little over dramatic of me, but still, its never thrown a KR any where near that high before. In fact, I dont know when the last time it threw a KR of more than 1. Maybe I just got shit gas? Oil level it right up there (infact, at the M in max because I guess it was over filled a bit 2000 miles ago).
Should I worry?

[GoFast]

bad gas? rolling too hard in 6th?

[8.5MS3]

do a dh log and lets see how everything looks

rpm
afr
kr
boost
commanded afr

[stevessvt]

I am bone stock except for second cat delete,...so no tuning down to stock air filter. I have rolled hard in 6th many, many times previously with only a KR of .4. I just filled up from 3/8 tank to full today after this latest KR event with BP. Put Mobil in on Sunday, right before the first KR event.

[stevessvt]

So am I being a drama queen and shouldnt worry about it?

[bykeryder4life]

anything over two degrees KR is cause for concern. be worried.

[stevessvt]

Well, I tightened down as many hose clamps as I could hoping that would help. Set up the DH to data log. I havent done any logging in some time, so I forgot how. I started it and nailed it, not realising it takes a few seconds for it to start. 3 seconds later 'PING!' Only it hadnt started logging yet. Which is just as well as I remembered later that the MSD software doesnt work correctly on Vista, let alone Win 7 I have now.

[hugador]

Why such a high gear for 60mph. Trying to save gas? Save your motor and keep it in 5th. If you rolled to 6th because you were going to go faster then wait untill you hit 70mph then roll. Well thats the way I drive without getting kr in 6th.

[coyfish]

Just keep an eye on it. The KR detector is sensitive on this car and often gives false readings. Could be bad gas but or bad sparks.

[MS3 GT]

whats Knock Retard??sorry for being a noob...

[matsuda]

Put $20 in gas in my bone stock (except sec cat del) 09 MS3 and drove it 40 miles on Sunday. About 15 miles in I honk on it to pass a car in 6th going about 75 and my DH flashed a KR event. But I didnt what kind of number it was.
Was driving today about 60 and rolled in 6th and about 3 seconds in it flashed a KR of 7, and I heard a knock! WTF?!? Now Im scared shitless Im going to be driving it sometime and throw a piston. I know its a little over dramatic of me, but still, its never thrown a KR any where near that high before. In fact, I dont know when the last time it threw a KR of more than 1. Maybe I just got shit gas? Oil level it right up there (infact, at the M in max because I guess it was over filled a bit 2000 miles ago).
Should I worry?

Take it easy until you use up that tank of gas and then perhaps try a different brand.

[stevessvt]

Why such a high gear for 60mph. Trying to save gas? Save your motor and keep it in 5th. If you rolled to 6th because you were going to go faster then wait untill you hit 70mph then roll. Well thats the way I drive without getting kr in 6th.
I've always driven it this way without any problems in the past. I know it's real knock because I can hearthe detonation and feel the car lose power.

[stevessvt]

I guess what I'm looking for is whether or not in these 3 KR events has likely caused permanent damage already and the clock on this time bomb has begun?

[8.5MS3]

I guess what I'm looking for is whether or not in these 3 KR events has likely caused permanent damage already and the clock on this time bomb has begun?

spend the cash n get a compression test. if it checks out your fine. if not, time to trade in or go forged while the block is still in one piece

[Silver Ecstasy]

As long as you arn't getting audible knock, KR on this car is 100% normal, for emissions purposes.

And stop boosting in 6th gear. You shouldn't load the engine like that under 3,000 rpms.

/thread

[8.5MS3]

Was driving today about 60 and rolled in 6th and about 3 seconds in it flashed a KR of 7, and I heard a knock! WTF?!? Now Im scared shitless Im going to be driving it sometime and throw a piston. I know its a little over dramatic of me, but still, its never thrown a KR any where near that high before.


I started it and nailed it, not realising it takes a few seconds for it to start. 3 seconds later 'PING!'


As long as you arn't getting audible knock, KR on this car is 100% normal, for emissions purposes.

And stop boosting in 6th gear. You shouldn't load the engine like that under 3,000 rpms.

/thread

reread the thread.....

[Silver Ecstasy]

Sorry, I interpreted 'PING' as referencing to a Dash Hawk alert. I did miss the first reference to audible knock. But thank you for organizing the quotes accurately lol.

I say keep forcing it to knock and blow your engine up under warranty. Because trying to fix it on your own is going to give you an ulcer.

[8.5MS3]

^^^unfortunately...i have to agree^^^

[Silver Ecstasy]

Seriously, he's better off consistently knocking it to the point a rod shatters so he can take it in and get a free new engine. Because at this point, audible knock means damage is already done and there's nothing you can do about it now.

Especially with the knock being so damn mysterious to begin with, you might as well contribute to their scientific research and chuck the engine, because saving it only means less future answers for us ROFL.

Take one for the team bitch! LOL

[coyfish]

Man you guys are jumping to crazy conclusions. Maybe he got some bad gas or his spark plugs are bad. My god you guys are going over the top. His DH picked up a few high knocks and hes done . . . he should sell his car . . . or blow it up un purpose . . . . really??

What do you mean by audible knock??? If its knocking constantly than you have a bent rod. That means you will hear it popping around at idle. But if you felt / heard hesitation that means you got some knock. In no way is that indicative of a bent rod. If thats news to you than you should go google what Knock is.


I would stick some octane booster in your gas tank. If you still get knock then its time for new spark plugs. If you are still knocking after that than you should start worrying.

[8.5MS3]

lol no one said anything about a bent rod except the OP. I told him if hes that nervous about blowing get a compression test done, if/when it checks out he can put his mind at ease....

[destrux]

Bad gas.... burn it out or drain it and stop worrying about it. Get fuel from somewhere else next time.

[stevessvt]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I really think (hope) it's just bad gas. I filled it up with BP on Tuesday from 3/8, and the 3/8 was the bad gas. I'm only worried about my warrenty being voided due to my cutting the second cat out.
So buy some octane booster and run it for a day and try it again? What about the post of if I heard the knock(which I did 3 times) it's already too late? I still pull the same vacuum at idle, would a bent rod cause that to change?

[coyfish]

Get rid of that gas ( just drive it off easy) and refuel. Check to see if your problem recurrs. Just because you got a knock doesn't mean you have caused permanant damage. If you can hear your rods pinging around while you drive normally then you have an issue.

People have gotten high KR while tuning / picking cobb AP maps all the time. I just got a KR of 5 the other day. When I felt it I let off. I need step colder sparks.

If you "cut" the middle cat out you may have warranty issues. Isn't a test pipe bolt on in the speed 3 ??? Why didn't you just buy one of those instead of cut your exhaust?

[stevessvt]

Yeah it does,.....why did I cut it out? I'm a dumb ass. Pure and simple. I was told by a local exhaust place they could make a test pipe for me. Then I got there and they couldnt match the flanges. So I just paid them to hack it off. I actually posted a WTB thread for a mid pipe 2 days ago with no response.

[stevessvt]

Put octane booster in it last night, but haven't tried to push it again. But I called my local dealer and said I hit something and it crushed the cat,....but I had a line on one that someone had cut out of their car. I asked would my warranty remain if I had that one welded it, that said as long as its OEM, Im golden.

[8.5MS3]

get that in writing......

[stevessvt]

I'm sure your right, but I called the other local dealer and 1 other and they all said as long as it's OEM it's good.

[coyfish]

Yeah if you reweld your cat (hopefully you have it) you should be fine. Really hacked up your exhaust though :).

Also just FYI unless your rod is obviously bent your dealer isn't going to do anything. Maybe they can do a compression test or something but im sure they will charge you an arm and a leg.

I would wait for your next tank of gas to start stepping on it again. If you are still getting knock then you can buy some spark plugs. Your car will perform better and they aren't that expensive. Easy install too. You can buy they pregapped and ready to go.

[stevessvt]

Lol,... I did. Thankfully I did save the cat,.... I'm looking at it right now. This is gonna suck,....I have 3/4+ tank to burn through right now. Thanks for the plugs tip. Maybe it is time anyways, I have 14,200 miles on the originals right now.

[8.5MS3]

if it is bad gas i would syphon it out and put it in a car that doesnt require premium. if your that concerned about doing more damage dont wait it out. just be safe.