My954Runner

OK,

My check engine light came on, code 52....I remember the wire being frayed when the intake was last off....

So, I bought a new wire and knock sensor ($$$) to hang outside the plenum until I can take it all apart again, hooked it up, and I am STILL getting code 52...... :cry: :cry: :cry:


There is only 1 Knock sensor on the 3VZE engine, right?

The book says it can also be the knock sensor circuit or the ECU

Any suggestions on how to check these?

Any help is greatly appreciated.....

Mudcat

You bought a "new" knock sensor :cry: ? I did the junk yard KS and new wire in the lift eye and it has been working great. You may have some sort or bad connection. I would check to make sure you have made a good connection, clear the code and give it another try. If this doesn't work you may have to check the wiring in the harness to make sure you don't have a short.
Good luck.

Toyofast

How tight did you tighten the knock sensor when installing it? You don't want to make it too tight, just past finger tight and it's good. If you made it too tight you'll wind up with the problems from the knock sensor. It's rather sensitive on how it's installed.

AUYota

hmmmm I got the same problem and am holding out for a used KS to show up on ebay. I really don't think I got a bad KS per se, but the wiring harness is SHOT!

I have 2 questions

Did you change the intake gasket? Some people say I have to, other say if its relatively new don't worry about it. This would save me some money.

Take the EFI fuse out for 10 minutes (because its cold) and put it back in. This resets the ECU.

the book says if it still is coming on, check the wring from the KS to the ECU. Against like the last poster said, ONLY finger tight.

The Toyota master mech at the local dealership said 90% of those are from bad wiring harnesses.

good luck and let me know

My954Runner

Well, I don't have the engine apart. I just plugged in the new wire to the harness and and hung it on the lift hook. It had been running OK, then the check engine light came on.
I checked the connections but couldn't find anything bad....

I looked for a junk sensor but couldn't find one......
It really drives like crap, so Iw as trying to fix it until I needed to take the engine apart again.

Dave Mooney

Hey My95:

I know where you can get a used KS from a 3.0 vze for $10 + $8 UPS from an engine recycler in Portland,Oregon. I had the same problem and followed Mudcat's advice; Purchased the used KS and funny thing, it arrived with the original used KS wire. Now the best part is I still have my new wire from Toyota Parts in its original plastic bag saved just for when I pull the intake off all over again. I bolted it with a lugnut thread size nut to my KS and my Code 52 is gone and no more "running like crap"; not sure if my 94 was or not just that all the posts said it wouldn't run the way it should until I cleared the code. In any event $18 used including shipping worked for me. One other tip is to use a little sandpaper and clean the terminals where the KS wire snaps into the wiring harness just under the throttle body. Also Mudcat has taken a nice photo of his install of the false KS. Let us know what happens.

AUYota

DUDE, send me the information to get in touch with the guy in Portland to get that KS!

My954Runner

OK,

I hooked up the new knock sensor, and the new wire, and I still get the 52 code.
I have reset it so I'm not sure what else to do.

I cleaned the terminals in the snap on connector of the harness, but they seemed all right to begin with. I tried to check the wiring to find a short, but that is hard to do unless I take it all apart.....

I'm kinda running out of things to try, so it looks like I may actually have to {gasp}

TAKE IT TO A REAL MECHANIC!!!!!!

oh the shame of it.....hahahaha

Oh well, thanks for all the help, and I wish I had known about the used KS's earlier, but thanks anyway for trying to help Dave!

Chad

AUYota

Chad,

I can say with reletive certainty that the problem is that you have a bad wiring harness. The only way to get to it by taking off the injector manifold.

Also. I have code 52 but my Runner doesn't "run like crap" I don't think it would with just a bad knock sensor. your gas milage will go down a little with it running in fail safe, but its not all that much. What I'm thinking is you might have a different problem. Let me know if just getting it fixed makes it run better.

Mudcat

Glad it worked for you Dave.
Chad, sounds like you may have either bad wiring or ECU. If you have a FSM you could check continuity on the KS circut before tearing it all apart. The FSM would be a great help in determining where the KS wire goes. Then you could use a multimeter to check the wires.
Good luck.

ToyotaGuru

You have to sheild the sensor wire going to the sensor really good.
Some stock ones have the metal wiring (Chinese Finger Trap) around
the wire going to the sensor. Try to attach a wire termianal (solder) to the sheilding and ground the wire termianal to somewhere on block.

My954Runner

Well, I never though of that, but I will give anything a try. right now I'm just driving it until I am off for the Xmas Holidays, which will give me a week or so to really look at it.......

Thanks
Chad