engine codes P0327, P0161

[pbkid]

ok guys, my VX threw some check engine codes today and so i stopped by autozone to find out what codes they were...

ok, so my VX has been throwing this one code for a while but it doesnt seem to affect the motor at all or power so i have procrastinated having it fixed...

P0327- knock sensor

i have no idea what a knock sensor is (besides guessing that it reads engine knock, but i dont have any engine knock so that would make no sense)
is this something that i can fix myself?

ok, secondly, a new code popped up today-
P0161- oxygen sensor, cyl. 1, after the catylitic (sp) converter (thats the info autozone gave me)

i did a search on this and got a thread concerning replacing the O2 sensor, is this all i need to do? or maybe one of the wires just got a little short in it, causing the sensor to fail for a second or two (the light turned off after a few minutes of driving)
i know O2 sensors aren't all that difficult to replace, so if i just need to replace it, thats fine and easy, i can do that myself (if its similar to my integra)

thanks guys

[Ldub]

Are you filling up at the cheapest place in town, or running brand name petrol?

Just the first possibility that popped into my mind.

[pbkid]

Are you filling up at the cheapest place in town, or running brand name petrol?

Just the first possibility that popped into my mind.

no, not cheap gas...

usually fill it at 7-11 or conoco? and i ALWAYS use premium

last tank it was filled at a BP if i remember right, or maybe diamond shamrock

[Ldub]

P0327 - KS Sensor Circuit Input Low


P0161 - HO2S Heater Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 2

Could be a connection, wire, or sensor...can't remember where the knock sensor is, or if I ever knew...
It's that pesky age thing...

[pbkid]

ya the O2 sensor isnt that big of a deal, ill fix that and im sure it will fix that one...its just the knock sensor i dont know about...

[etlsport]

not sure why you are throwing the code but from my understanding engine knock is premature detonation of a cylinder (go ahead and chuckle) its usually caused by bad/poor quality gas, the octane rating is an indicator of the knock resistance of the gas (89 is more likely to knock than 91) so i would start by clearing it and running some fuel system cleaner through your gas and see if that helps

[pbkid]

alright ill try that... i always use premium, but in greeley (its a ghetto town) that doesnt always mean a lot...

ill run some STP injector and fuel cleaner

[VehiGAZ]

Any station can pump some crappy gas through their pumps, especially from the bottom of the tank (did you notice the pump running especially slowly?). You just never know...

The knock sensor is often mounted directly to the engine somewhere on the head (may be difficult to get to). It senses the premature detonation etlsport described and retards timing if it detects consistent knocking. I would see if you can find where it mounts and clean up the connection or replace it if you are highly motivated.

The second fault is the one to focus on for now - run the cleaners through your engine and some good fresh gas and see if the fault comes back.

Good luck!

[pbkid]

sweet, thanks guys... im glad thats its nothing major, just a little crappy gas (which doesnt surprise me in greeley)

once again, the site saves me lots of money

im sure it would have costed me a couple of hundred dollars to have a shop tell me that i used bad gas

[pbkid]

uh oh...

im throwing all type of check engine's again. i didnt get time to drop by autozone and have them read it for me. but just about every time i drive the VX im getting a check engine light again.

i talked to a friend of mine who is going to school for mechanics and he said that the knock sensor is a 1 wire sensor on the block...he quickly looked at my VX and guessed that its underneath the intake manifold on the front side.

im gonna swing by autozone today and have them give me the engine code, but im guessing its the knock sensor again. since last time i posted this i have been running octane booster in my tanks and its still not fixing it...so i dont think its just bad gas. so now i am going to delve in deeper because i dont want it to cause an issue in the long run.

is there a chance that a valve needs to be adjusted? (i only have 8k miles on my motor) wouldnt that be something that the shop that put it in would be responsible for??

just making me worried before i drive to moab and wheel all week, then head to lake havasu and wheel there, then back to colorado....

thanks guys

[crager34]

You can always rent the VX from Alamo in Florida.

[pbkid]

lol...ill take it...

although i would DEFINATELY need to get the insurance