Fighting P0330 in a 2000 RX300

[Natalya]

tl:dr;
- P0330 on 2000 Lexus RX300 275k miles
- Replaced both knock sensors and wires
- Code went away for 50 miles
- Back now and comes back almost every time you drive it
- Tried Seafoam in the tank and spray into throttle body
- Still get P0330

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My dad's trying to sell his Lexus RX300. Bought new in 1999 it's a 2000 model year car, now sitting at 275K miles.

P0330 is Knock Sensor Circuit bank 2 malfunction. I replaced both knock sensors with new ones from RockAuto and I replaced the wire that goes to them.

Car drove fine for 50 miles, but then I started getting the P0300 again. Also, coolant leak at same time, I think I may have damaged one of the tubes going into the heater core when I did the knock sensor repair. Leak is kinda slow, been topping it with water, there's no danger of freezing weather down here in Georgia at the moment.

After the P0330 came back I put a can of Seafoam in the gas tank (it's been running premium btw) and I tried the Seafoam spray stuff that you spray into the throttle body, used maybe ¾ of a can of it in there while my dad revved the engine. We let it sit a while then I went and drove it pretty hard for a few miles as recommended on the can.

P0330 keeps returning. Not sure what to do, as this will cause it to fail emissions thereby greatly impacting resale value.

Any ideas?

[Stubby79]

Ground connections clean?

[Daschicken]

How cheap were those knock sensors? I broke the OEM sensor in my dad's s2000 so we decided to see if an aftermarket $7 one would do. It didn't, knock sensor code popped up. More than $100 later, it is fixed now.

What i'm thinking this might be is carbon build up on the pistons effectively raising the compression ratio above OE spec to the point where the ignition maps are too advanced. How about running a compression test?

[Xist]

Where did you get a knock sensor for $7? I spent $85 for one for my Forester.

It worked, though.

[Natalya]

Originally Posted by Stubby79

Ground connections clean?

Can't believe I didn't think to check this. I just ran out and had a look with my multimeter, but all the ground straps were reading no resistance from one terminal to the other. Also checked between various points on the engine and body to the negative battery terminal, but found no problems.

There is that electrical corrosion gunk all around the positive battery terminal. I'm thinking of hitting that with baking soda+water, but please tell me if that's not a smart idea.

Originally Posted by Daschicken

How cheap were those knock sensors? I broke the OEM sensor in my dad's s2000 so we decided to see if an aftermarket $7 one would do. It didn't, knock sensor code popped up. More than $100 later, it is fixed now.

I got the Beck/Arnley sensors at $78 each.

Originally Posted by Daschicken

What i'm thinking this might be is carbon build up on the pistons effectively raising the compression ratio above OE spec to the point where the ignition maps are to advanced. How about running a compression test?

I'll ask some people I know if any of them have a compression gauge. Last 4 tanks have been premium (but car can take 87) and we put Techron in the last tank and Seafoam in this tank. Again, also did the Seafoam Spray can at the throttle body but no effect. Some guy on the Lexus forum had the same issue and poured 4 cans of Gumout into 4 consecutive gas tanks and the light went out. I bought that stuff and we will do that going forward, but not driving it much because of all the problems so that could be a while.

Current Plan:
- Get access to a compression gauge
- Diagnose & fix the coolant leak in passenger compartment (probably heater core)
- Baking soda + water the positive battery terminal??

Thanks for help every1, please let me know if I'm missing anything.

[JockoT]

Originally Posted by Natalya

Baking soda + water the positive battery terminal

Then smear post and connector with petroleum jelly before reassembly.

[redpoint5]

Might be a similar problem that I'm avoiding helping someone with on a 1999 Lexus ES300.

From what I've read, aftermarket knock sensors don't work. Solution is to buy OEM and probably eat the cost of those junk aftermarket parts.

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by Xist

Where did you get a knock sensor for $7? I spent $85 for one for my Forester.

It worked, though.

I don't remember, it didn't work though so does it matter?

[me and my metro]

I had trouble with a knock sensor because there was some corrosion on the block where the sensor mounted. After cleaning the block where the sensor mounted it started working correctly.

[Xist]

I want to make sure I never purchase parts from them!