BigE

iTrader: (2)

In a previous thread here, it was brought up that the later year knock sensors might be better than previous years. I'm about to do an intake swap so this would be the perfect time for me to replace them. Is there any truth to this? Are they better? In what way? Which years had them?

Thanks

rush7

iTrader: (2)

They switched knock sensor designs sometime during the 1998 model year. Since you have a 98, you may or may not have the old design, just depends on when it rolled off the production line. If you have some way of scanning knock and it doesn't show up, you may have the new design, or you may just have a pair of the old kind that's working properly. The 98 sensors just tended to throw false knock at times and that was probably the reason for replacing the original design. The new knock sensor (10456603) has a female socket instead of a male end like the old 10456222 knock sensors, which the GMpartsdirect catalog listed for the 1998 cars (and I ended up buying on accident; not the kind I wanted). Again the correct part number should be 10456603 and that's good for the 1998's and was stock for the 1999 and up's.

If you're doing an intake swap, yes this would be the perfect time to replace them, but if you're not getting false knock, you might not want to. If you can identify the knock sensor while you have the intake off (again, the new sensors have the female end, and the old ones have the male) this might help you make your decision. You may already have both the new knock sensors and no false knock, in which case it would be silly to replace a part that is working properly. If you have extra money and the old sensors, you might replace them with the updated design simply to circumvent any future problems. And also you will need the correct wire to go with them (obviously, as the connection-type has changed). Part number for the wire should be 15372170.

Hope this can serve as some help.