Removing the Knock Box

[nvr-fast-nuf]

 

Ok I was wondering if it is possible to remove and/or bypass the knock box? I have a SAFC II installed and it has a knock sensor correction in it but I am not sure if I can replace or completely remove this from my system. I want to remove anything that can be removed. My car had many electrical problems that I have over come for the most part. The only problem that I am still working on is the knock box is giving me a fit. When it gets hot the car starts to run erratic. It starts to jump timing around and then it will completely die and not start till it cools off. I unplugged the knock sensor to make the knock box go to fail safe mode and it still acts the same.

The car ran rich before and when I got it, I changed the oil but not soon enough. I have a bearing that is starting to rattle until the oil pressure builds. I am not driving the car now because of this but I want to try to get all the information I can while I have the motor out putting new bearings in.

 

Here is a list of the mods. That have been done

Before me:

1. MSd Blaster coil.

2. TD05H Turbo 17-18 #'s of boost

3. NKG plugs

4. EGR system removed

5. 1989 ECU

6. Cats. Removed

7. A/C removed

8. Caravan head

9. Aftermarket cam

 

Things I have done

1. Injector plugs were trash replaced them

2. New oxygen sensor

3. The injectors were the wrong ones and it the wrong place

4. Vacuum line all out of place

5. New injectors ( Delphi 65lbs primary 95lbs secondary)

(They are from here fuelinjectorconnection.com)

6. New Oxygen sensor

7. 3 ½ GM maft kit

8. SAFC II

9. Waste gate controller

[nathan89quest]

Yes u can eliminate the igniter box. Switch out the module in the dist. To a caravan one. hook it direct to the coil un plug the igniter box. That's how mine is.

[mikec]

The "knock box" is the electronic ignition system. If you want to eliminate it you'll have to replace it with some other ignition system. Typical options:

* The Chrysler module nathan89quest described. It basically fits inside the distributor, around and behind the factory pick-up coil. Shelby recently created a thread with pictures of this exact setup.

 

* MSD style electronic ignition. The FAQ has wiring diagrams for this. Or Jacobs, Accel, etc... any of the aftermarket brands. The MSD box is the most commonly retrofitted example on StarQuests.

 

* Switching from the plastic box ignitor to the 88-later metal box ignitors which tend to be far more reliable.

 

* Using an aftermarket ECU module that does both fuel and ignition control.

 

Erratic timing is usually NOT the ignitor itself. It either makes spark or it does not based on signals from the pick-up coil. Timing is set by the distributor. Worn bearings in the distributor, sloppy springs and/or centrifugal advancer weights, and poor vacuum hoses (or mis-routed vac hoses) to the vacuum advancer will cause inconsistent timing. A flakey pick-up coil will cause erratic timing or more often it'll lead to inconsistent spark.

 

The factory ECU sends a signal to the ignitor to advance the timing by 5 degrees for cold engines and/or high altitude. If those signals are missing from your aftermarket ECU, what did you do with those wires to the ignitor? Leaving them disconnected is probably a bad idea - they'll act like antennas and pick up noise, sporadically triggering the 5 degree advance. Identify those wires in the harness and connect them to ground through 1000 ohm resistors.

 

mike c.