Faulty knock sensor

[Fat Charlie]

Don't reinforce failure; failure reinforces itself. He got his $200 actuator because he didn't want to pay someone to look at it. Now he's spending $200 on a hunch to narrow down one possibility from the list of possible problems.

Since my last post I had another guy come in, saying he needed a knock sensor and gave me a piece of scrap paper that had "the code" on it. I explained that his car didn't have a knock sensor and that what he had wasn't a trouble code but was in fact the part number for a knock sensor. For a car with a different engine. So he bought a TPS and a MAP sensor, priced out a PCM and got an appointment next week to have it looked at. Because he doesn't think the $100 he's spending today is going to fix it. I did tell him that I wouldn't order the PCM until one of my techs told me that it was the problem, though.

I try. Really hard. I told each of those guys that I'd happily sell them anything they wanted to buy, but I'd be happier only selling them the parts they actually needed. They bought the ones they wanted, instead.

[Miller88]

There's a lot of money being spent! And it didn't solve the problem :S

have you checked on Subaru specific message boards? I've always had excellent luck with Fords and message boards.


And you still need to do timing belt.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by Miller88

There's a lot of money being spent! And it didn't solve the problem :S

have you checked on Subaru specific message boards? I've always had excellent luck with Fords and message boards.


And you still need to do timing belt.

Here is my thread on the Subaru Forester forums: ('98-'00) P0325 on a 99 Forester "running on two cylinders" - Subaru Forester Owners Forum

I had Pep Boys do the timing belt and they told me that I did not need a knock sensor, just an engine treatment, and I was very happy when they did not charge me for it. However, after two weeks, the error code came back, and my P0325 changed to a P0301 and a P0303 (from faulty knock sensor to cylinders one and three misfire) and they wanted to charge me $280 for a valve clearance adjustment and $125 on labor for replacing the spark plugs and wires.

I replaced those myself, along with the knock sensor, which was cracked. My engine is running just as poorly as before, so I am wondering:

1) Did they install the timing belt wrong?
2) Did they mess up something diagnosing the CEL?

The car was running a little rough when I went back, but I do not think that it idled as poorly--it shakes the entire car!

[Miller88]

Originally Posted by Xist

Here is my thread on the Subaru Forester forums: ('98-'00) P0325 on a 99 Forester "running on two cylinders" - Subaru Forester Owners Forum

I had Pep Boys do the timing belt and they told me that I did not need a knock sensor, just an engine treatment, and I was very happy when they did not charge me for it. However, after two weeks, the error code came back, and my P0325 changed to a P0301 and a P0303 (from faulty knock sensor to cylinders one and three misfire) and they wanted to charge me $280 for a valve clearance adjustment and $125 on labor for replacing the spark plugs and wires.

I replaced those myself, along with the knock sensor, which was cracked. My engine is running just as poorly as before, so I am wondering:

1) Did they install the timing belt wrong?
2) Did they mess up something diagnosing the CEL?

The car was running a little rough when I went back, but I do not think that it idled as poorly--it shakes the entire car!

If the timing belt is installed too far off, the engine will just destroy itself.

If it's a tooth off, it will run poorly ... but they generally won't start at all if the timing belt is off just a bit.

[Xist]

I went to the nearer Pep Boys and the General Manager took a while to talk to me, explain things, look at my car himself, and he said that he really thought that the timing belt was off, but since it ran fine for a week and a half, I guess that it somehow slipped, although it is curious that it coincided with my Faulty Knock Sensor code, although I guess that a slipped belt could cause the code.

The GM asked me to go back and give the first store a chance to make it right. I think that I came in about 9am and I called them before they closed. They said that they started on my car, but were still looking at it.

I have had more confidence...

[Xist]

I called back forty-eight hours after dropping off my car and the manager said that my timing belt tensioner went bad, so they will fix it this afternoon under warranty.

Good thing that I did not agree to their $265 valve clearance adjustment or $125 spark plug and wire replacement labor fees, but this was a huge waste of time and a very unnecessary distraction.

[Xist]

Okay guys, thank you for your input. I just got my car back and Bacon is driving smoothly again. The knock sensor had been bad, but either the mechanics did my timing belt wrong, or they used faulty parts. Hopefully that is the end of all of this.

[nemo]

Originally Posted by Xist

Hopefully that is the end of all of this.

Your going to start riding a bike? If not it's just the end of this chapter in a book titled owing cars.
Glad you got finally got it fixed.

[Xist]

I already started riding a bike.

[lordherald]

I just read the entirety of your saga and couldn't help but think that you were being screwed over repeatedly. I realize in reading your posts that you are swamped with school and the problems with your car. Once you get into your masters and maybe if you are lucky things will settle down you might look into taking a community based basic automotive repair course.
I think with a little more "learnin" you could have realized that an incorrectly installed timing belt was causing so many of your false codes.
I hope that Bacon behaves it/his/her self for a time so that you can get back to your studies.