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What gauges should I get?
- Thread starter at t 2d
- Start date
TC Turbo
Well-Known Member
If you have a Scanmaster you could skip the knock gauge. I've read posts where people have seen different knock readings between the Scanmaster and a knock gauge and the consensus is the Scanmaster is a more accurate knock detector.
I have an electric fuel pressure gauge, boost gauge and wide band 02 in my pillar pods. I was debating adding EGT but I'm thinking I can survive with just the wideband. I'd definitely get boost and fuel pressure whether they're in your pillar or not.
I have an electric fuel pressure gauge, boost gauge and wide band 02 in my pillar pods. I was debating adding EGT but I'm thinking I can survive with just the wideband. I'd definitely get boost and fuel pressure whether they're in your pillar or not.
WS6
Stay thirsty my friends
The problem with the Casper's knock gauge is that it is being compared to the scanmaster's KR readings. And they display knock readings differently.
Actually,in a purist form, the knock gauge is more accurate because it is looking at knock readings right off the spark control module. which is the bandpass filter for the knock sensor itself. So any knock or noise that falls within the microphone knock sensor's range will be displayed as knock at varying levels i.e. the multi colored LED's.
The Scanmaster is reading data in stream from the ECM as to how the ECM is reacting to perceived knock and displaying knock retard as a response. See?
The two will rarely be in sync mainly because the knock is "real time" knock incidents and the Scanmaster's Knock retard is a reaction to knock in degrees of retard to timing controlled by the ECM.Which happens farther down stream of the initial knock incident.
So, there is nothing wrong with the Casper's knock gauge. They are accurate and reliable. They are however annoying as they are so sensitive that you will find yourself second guessing the severity of false knock,transitional knock and burst knock events and wondering why the ECM is not reading exactly the same. None the less all knock should be addressed either by finding it's source and fixing it or teaching yourself how to mentally ignore false incidents.
Many chip burners can program "knock ignore" up to a certain MPH so that false knock by exhaust and suspension under hard launch will be ignored and not reacted to by the ECM. BUT! your Casper's gauge will still light up under that same launch.
Clear as mud, right??
Actually,in a purist form, the knock gauge is more accurate because it is looking at knock readings right off the spark control module. which is the bandpass filter for the knock sensor itself. So any knock or noise that falls within the microphone knock sensor's range will be displayed as knock at varying levels i.e. the multi colored LED's.
The Scanmaster is reading data in stream from the ECM as to how the ECM is reacting to perceived knock and displaying knock retard as a response. See?
The two will rarely be in sync mainly because the knock is "real time" knock incidents and the Scanmaster's Knock retard is a reaction to knock in degrees of retard to timing controlled by the ECM.Which happens farther down stream of the initial knock incident.
So, there is nothing wrong with the Casper's knock gauge. They are accurate and reliable. They are however annoying as they are so sensitive that you will find yourself second guessing the severity of false knock,transitional knock and burst knock events and wondering why the ECM is not reading exactly the same. None the less all knock should be addressed either by finding it's source and fixing it or teaching yourself how to mentally ignore false incidents.
Many chip burners can program "knock ignore" up to a certain MPH so that false knock by exhaust and suspension under hard launch will be ignored and not reacted to by the ECM. BUT! your Casper's gauge will still light up under that same launch.
Clear as mud, right??
WS6
Stay thirsty my friends
Thanks... Early on I too was confused about the 2 differences in reading knock. I read everything I could find on knock and how each instrument reads them. I asked the same questions.
The Caspers gauge by in large gets a bad rap over at TB, and some of it may be justified(as in resetting itself) but it's a good tool to have on board. Certainly not the tool the scamaster is, because they read info differently.
I've just about come to terms with false knock after pulling the engine and changing the cam and head gaskets. Based on what I saw on the Casper's and the Scanmaster I was convinced that I would find fire ring damage at least and bearing and piston damage at worst. But neither was true. I have always run a fat tune to be conservative and I still got crazy KR readings from both instruments, it made no sense. So after reassembly and break in I still had crazy knock. What was it? False knock with an occasional transitional knock. After finding a couple of false knock culprits my false knocks have all but disappeared ( can I get an Amen?) and I'm down to an occasional, but predictable, false knock of .7 or maybe a sudden 5.6 KR but it goes away to 0.0 on the next update on the scanmaster. Now, I still get an occcasional disco show of lights off the casper's gauge but it's usually not backed up at all by the scanmaster. I attribute that to the ECM ignoreing it or it's duration is so short that it doesn't even "see" it as a knock incident.
Now, turbo doctrine is such that all knock is bad knock, regardless of intensity. And that's probably true on a couple levels, mainly for me is that if the ECM is pulling timing you leaving power on the table.
But I also don't sweat KR of 2.0 or less, I drive right through it. Risky? maybe, but I sleep at night not worrying about it anymore.
But to back up Tony, I agree that a good vac/boost gauge and FP gauge are essential of the 3 pods you have to fill. And if it's a 3rd hole to fill I'd still put the Casper's knock gauge in. Why? It has helped me track down when and where BIG knock numbers happen. I mean you can see it in intensity and associate it with a firm shift or dead stop launch.
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The Caspers gauge by in large gets a bad rap over at TB, and some of it may be justified(as in resetting itself) but it's a good tool to have on board. Certainly not the tool the scamaster is, because they read info differently.
I've just about come to terms with false knock after pulling the engine and changing the cam and head gaskets. Based on what I saw on the Casper's and the Scanmaster I was convinced that I would find fire ring damage at least and bearing and piston damage at worst. But neither was true. I have always run a fat tune to be conservative and I still got crazy KR readings from both instruments, it made no sense. So after reassembly and break in I still had crazy knock. What was it? False knock with an occasional transitional knock. After finding a couple of false knock culprits my false knocks have all but disappeared ( can I get an Amen?) and I'm down to an occasional, but predictable, false knock of .7 or maybe a sudden 5.6 KR but it goes away to 0.0 on the next update on the scanmaster. Now, I still get an occcasional disco show of lights off the casper's gauge but it's usually not backed up at all by the scanmaster. I attribute that to the ECM ignoreing it or it's duration is so short that it doesn't even "see" it as a knock incident.
Now, turbo doctrine is such that all knock is bad knock, regardless of intensity. And that's probably true on a couple levels, mainly for me is that if the ECM is pulling timing you leaving power on the table.
But I also don't sweat KR of 2.0 or less, I drive right through it. Risky? maybe, but I sleep at night not worrying about it anymore.
But to back up Tony, I agree that a good vac/boost gauge and FP gauge are essential of the 3 pods you have to fill. And if it's a 3rd hole to fill I'd still put the Casper's knock gauge in. Why? It has helped me track down when and where BIG knock numbers happen. I mean you can see it in intensity and associate it with a firm shift or dead stop launch.
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RatFink
TORQUE
Get em' all !!!. WS6 has a good post above...that sounds all true. I've never had the heads off, but the stock original plugs looked great and new even after many years of high boost on pump gas with a bit of lead, pump gas with a bit of octane booster. I figured they may have been chewed up. I've ran it up to 25psi with a bit of retard (.7.60s) on pump gas and alky. The more info the better. Casper's KG, A/F ratio, Boost/Vac (obviously), Wet Fuel Pressure (for guaranteed info) and a laptop with power logger software.
I got boost, knock and scanmaster as well (autometer boost and caspers knock in the a-pillar pod)
I have both. Scanmaster reads realtime, and the powerlogger is great to record with.
The powerlogger records at 15 FPS which is lightnening fast.
When it comes to pillars stay away from the 3 gauge full pillars off Ebay. The gauge pods are too far down on the pillar and press hard in to the dash pad. I returned mine and got a 2 gauge pod and mounts on to the existing pillar. I am going to pick up a spare pillar to cut in to and save my original.
