Air/Fuel Controller Installed

[Robbomaz]

I forgot to mention that knock sensors were employed largely to allow for more aggressive timing. By installing them, you give the ECU a means to monitor and back out timing when fuel is insufficient to run w/o knock (pinging). Moreover, you allow for a more aggressive timing curve since the knock sensors provide that safety net. It seems hard to believe an ECM w/o knock sensors is more aggressive than a system with them!

You sound like you'd know that.

That's why I have to wonder why cam, gearing, exhaust or some other physical configuration would account for the difference in dyno numbers.

Most of the late model knock-sensed cars we have had on our dyno run right on the knock threshold stock - we have a gadget that lets the operator listen to the knock sensor in headphones during a run - there is a lot of activity from the sensor and micro adjustments going on all the time. Tapping a bolt on the head lightly with a hammer sees the advance drop and return almost instantly.

The only conclusion we can make is that the knock sensor in our Jacks is not so it can run on the raggedy edge of detonation (the ign adv behavior proves that) it is so it can 'see' crap fuel.
Rodeo is considered a tradesmans ute and would spend its life in metropolitan areas and Jackaroos are intended to go into BFN - the Rodeo lives where good fuel is the norm and the Jack could be somewhere where there is only crappy fuel. Your VX's may be programmed similarly to our Rodeos, using the knock sensor in the more 'normal' way
Recovery of a broken-down 4WD costing upwards of $10K are not unheard of here - it is possible to get a looooooooooooooong way from anything at all