Will a knock sensor work in oil?

[k20]

Hey y'all, guy I know is about to put FI on his big block, in his 55 Chevy. He needs to put a knock sensor in the block, but apparently the water passage he was going to put it in, he rounded off the plug. He doesnt wanna dissasemble the motor to get metal shavings out of the water passages if he were to drill it out. He has the plug under the fuel pump blockoff plate(since hes gotta go to a electric pump). Will the knock sensor work in that oil passage, or is the oil too heavy to transmit pings to the sensor? Thanks guys, Im not sure on this one, Ive always seen em in water passages, never oil. Chris.

 

[Russell]

Can he use the coolant drain plug on the other side of the engine?

 

[k20]

I dont know, I havent seen it, he just asked me if I knew if it would work in an oil passage since he knows I have FI on my truck.

 

[K5MONSTERCHEV]

I would think you couldnt because the oil pan (dependinbg on how sturdy it is) would emit some noise and cause an inaccurate reading. Id go for the plug on the otherside, or work on getting the rounded plug out.

 

[bigred81]

The knock sensor can be screwed into any hole because it will pick a knock any where on the block. I have seen them screwed into the fuel pump plug under the fuel pump and most of the time it is screwded into a water jacket to help it pick up knocks. You can put it on the other side of the block if you have to.

bigred81

 

[dirtwarrior17]

It will pick up knocks but not always the right ones... I would assume different spots would change the frequency of the noises/knocks. stock position knock sensors are known for retarding the motor when it doesn't need to be because of a false knock frequency coming from something besides the motor knocking.

I don't know for sure but it seems like oil would "dampen" the frequency or make it harder for the sensor to pick up. water or fuel is not a problem in this case because they are much thinner and lighter. Might want to ask the mechanics at the local dealer about it.

 

[K5MONSTERCHEV]

It will pick up knocks but not always the right ones... I would assume different spots would change the frequency of the noises/knocks. stock position knock sensors are known for retarding the motor when it doesn't need to be because of a false knock frequency coming from something besides the motor knocking.

I don't know for sure but it seems like oil would "dampen" the frequency or make it harder for the sensor to pick up. water or fuel is not a problem in this case because they are much thinner and lighter. Might want to ask the mechanics at the local dealer about it.

Thats whay I was trying to say. Lol.

 

[dirtwarrior17]

Lol

 

[dyeager535]

From what I've heard, GM has even mounted knock sensors on plates bolted to the engine in applications where other locations won't work.

Don't know that it means they used exactly the same sensor when mounted to the block or a plate (I'd suspect yes, they used different knock sensors for different engines) but I don't think I'd worry too much about mounting it somewhere else. Audible knock isn't all there is, but that would certainly be a clue that mounting it somewhere else wasn't working.

Other side of the block would be my choice, I personally would prefer to keep it in as "stock" of location as possible.

 

[dirtwarrior17]

I was gonna run mine off the carb fuel pump block off plate... was gonna weld a couple nuts on and extend the wire until i found out i was looking at a completly different sensor and my knock sensor worked fine in the stock position.