westernbound

Ok I replaced the knock sensor wire and I know the knock sensor itself is good.I double checked every thing related to a code 52 and thought I had the problem fixed today when I got everything back together.Everything was sounding good,even took it for a test run and thought Id solved the problem by replacing the wire and double checking my timing but wouldnt you know,as soon as I took off down the highway I felt the power drop and then came the light,same code.Ive read of others having the same problem but yet have read of a solution.I CAN TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!Please help????

91 toyota 4runner 3.slow junk v6(rebuilt)

MudsharK

I had the same code for my 87 pickup...that and it was throwing the code for my o2 sensor...had to feather the throttle down the highway to maintain a decent speed and no power at all...ended up being a clogged fuel filter...the fuel tank was in bad shape around where the pump sits in and there was a lot of rust/droppings in the tank...changed the filter, pump and tank and its been great since...well minus other issues i'm having with it...but then again its a 23 year old truck with 406000km.

Tubbyfatty

Mine kicks on every now and then, it sucks. Im thinking about just bypassing the sensor but im not sure how to yet.

westernbound

thanks for the input,I will replace my fuel filter,besides Im sure It could use it and the vehichle did sit for awhile while being fixed up.If anyone else has any more input,lemme know thanx

bluAM2

i'm having the same issue on my '93 pickup. i replaced the fuel filter and it did help a tiny bit. i also replaced the maf sensor and that helped a little too. the only problem is i'm still throwing a code 52 and i can tell i still don't have all my horses. my initial thought was the o2 sensor cause i haven't changed that and i just did a swap for a remanned 3.0L so things sat for a while. in the book it says for 1988 and before code 52 is for an o2 sensor, but for 89 and later it's calling for the knock sensor. i have a brand new knock sensor and brand new knock sensor wire. all i can think of is the o2 sensor or heaven forbid my wiring harness is done for. this makes TWO people in need of help. where's the experts when you need em ?

bluAM2

i also have a small egr leak out of the hard line from my headers to the egr valve. i'm not running a cat right now either because mine was plugged and i'm too broke for a new one. and i need some injectors. i'm using the injectors that came with the truck so i have no idea how old they are. engine has 500 miles now but the chassis has over 244k. just a little more info about my situation ...

neockder

could be a fuel or air problem.. fuel filter, pump, injectors, maf, vaccum leak.. etc. Or maybe the engine has a knock.

I get the same code intermittently.. hoping its just the wire or sensor, but going to do valve gaskets and other things at the same time.

bluAM2

i don't really hear any knocking. seems to run fine, it just doesn't get up and go when it's supposed to. that's why i was thinking fuel/air problem. wrong mixture, exhaust smells rich. maf & o2 sensor combo would screw up that mixture. i'm gonna price an o2 sensor and see what the damage will be ... sick of chasing this thing around ... ok no i'm not, i just want it to run right

bluAM2

i have to do my 500 mile head bolt re-torque anyway, so i'll take a good look at everything under the intake plenum. hopefully i don't have to get under the manifold

bluAM2

Ok so i did some more research and found this:

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...-replaced-with

this was actually another one of my suspicions after trying to reset the timing last night. i heard an occasional light grinding in my distributor so i shut it down pretty quick. but that was the first i'd heard it. now it idles around 250 rpm and is barely on, timed to factory. i'm gonna throw and new distributor in and we'll see if THAT does it ... sigh ... gotta love totally random fixes.

westernbound

Well its running a lil bit better,the light(and drop in power) seems to come on within the first few minutes of operation(after warming up)I can stop and shut the motor down after about 15 mins of drivng and restart and the light goes away.It then runs pretty decent but you can tell there is still a few horses missing.Ive go new injectors and a timing belt.Ive inspected the harness and all appears well.Ive also noticed my power antenna will only go half when started and later on down the road it will fully extend,some times it will fully extend when first started.So what Im getting at is mabye the electrical system could be out of wack,how could I tell?I am wondering about my o2 sensor now,the exaust does of a hint of rich to it...

westernbound

BluAM2,
Ive run across that link you have posted before,I see the guys end result was replacing the distributor.The tech says in his last comment that it doesnt make anysense.I would have to beg to differ,The distributor is a big deal with ignition and timing and what not,so what I was thinking if somthing was wrong with the distributor and there was a slight miss or a combustion knock mabye small enough not to hear with the naked ear that "mabye" it might be big enough to set the knock sensor off.Doesnt this make sense????excuse any bad grammer,Im a heavy equipment op,not an english teacher,lol Oh also when you did your timing did you set it at factory spec(listed on the silver tag under hood)?I messed up one time and had it set a zero but was suppose to be set at 10 degrees..

westernbound

Sorry,I now see where you said you set it to factory spec,my bad.

bluAM2

so i lied i didn't get a distributor just yet, i actually had to replace a wheel bearing instead (when it rains it pours). the more i think about the distributor the more it makes sense. pretty much exactly what you said about the vibration in the distributor setting off the knock sensor. plus i messed around with the timing and if i set it to about 18 BTDC it seems to smooth out, where if i set it to the factory 10 BTDC it runs rough. which just furthers my thought about that vibration because the knock sensor retards your timing so if i have it at 18 and it retards it to 10 then of course it runs right. but if its set at 10 and it retards it to 2 then it'll run rough. at this point i'm about ... 80% sure it's the distributor ... now to find $200 ...

that's interesting too about your antenna. i don't have a retractable antenna so i don't have that problem. i'm hoping it's a separate problem from the knock sensor issue. if you figure out why it does that be sure to post it. i might be able to look for different signs on my version. good luck!

bluAM2

ok ... distributor replaced! i thought i finally got it and i did for about 15-20 minutes. then ... boom ... check engine light is back on. code 52 and i don't have the power that i had for 15-20 minutes (it was nice to feel it again ... if for just a little). i can feel a little vibration in the distributor. not your normal engine vibration either. it's like something is hitting it, but if my cam was screwed up i'd have other problems. it feels like a deeper heavier hit than just the cap hitting the rotor (and i checked and they aren't hanging up at all) everything is tight so i'm not sure exactly what it could be.

my next try is the EGR. i've been debating whether to try the EGR removal that everyone tries and i have everything to do it. from there i'll try the O2 sensor cause it's God knows how old and it had been sitting in my exhaust pipe getting kicked around during my rebuild. and if THAT doesn't work ... it's going to the dealer and they're putting in a whole new wiring harness. ick ...

if you couldn't tell i'm grasping at straws. i bought this thing on halloween and it's been cursed ever since. i told myself i'd keep it til the day i die no matter the cost ... it seems i got my wish haha ... help.

bipolarandproud

What I would do is use a multi meter and hook one probe on the knock sensor wire in the engine compartment , then find the same wire going to the EFI computer. To check for continuity . There could be a break/bad connection somewhere else.

ohyeahcrx

When I had my code 52 (knock sensor) the CEL would only come on after about 2,000 rpm, and after it did that the engine ran like complete garbage, utterly terrible. I checked my knock sensor and there wasn't even a wire going into it. So i put the wire back in, and it did nothing. Then had a shop put the wire in, they did it the right way and no more CEL. But then again thats for a 22re. I know they sell new KS pigtails for the V6 from the dealer.

bluAM2

thanks! i have a major gas leak that just started, so the intake plenum is coming off anyway. i have to do a re-torque on my head bolts and have a possible slow coolant leak too, so i'll check that while i'm in there. it's a cheaper check than throwing parts at it that's for sure. it's a new knock sensor/wire combo, so i doubt they're bad (though stranger things have happened) but it's very possible that i just suck at connecting electrical quick disconnects (a not so strange or rare occurrance). if that's what it is i'm buying tickets for you two to go see miley cyrus and the olson twins hold a bicycle jousting competition. thanks!

bugs1961

The TTY head bolts on the 3.0 do not get retorqued. If you followed the FSM procedure of initial torque, turn 90 deg more, turn 90 deg more you are all done. This is unlike the 22R series, which do get retorqued.

bluAM2

yep! thanks bugs. i realized this after i took off my intake plenum (which i needed off to fix my gas leak anyway, so not such a horrible oops). now for a new gas line ...

anyone figure anything else out on the code 52?