Swapped a blown 2.4l from an 05 camry with one from an 03 camry. The donor engine came from a scrap yard and has the harness hacked. After putting the engine together i realized each block has a different style knock sensor. Can I bolt the stock knock sensor anywhere on the engine or does it have to be at the factory location?
TIA

 

Does one sensor bolt on and the other screw in? California emission engine sensors appear to screw in while federal bolts on.

The manufacturer had reasons for the location.which is typically bolted or screwed into to the head(s). The sensor picks up vibrations. See link below.

The computer will be looking for the sensor to be connected to it. If it doesn't find it a trouble code will be set.

If the sensor is not in the correct location and the engine has knock, the sensor may not respond as it should. The result is the ign timing will not be correctly modified to stop the knock.

While you can bolt the sensor anywhere on the engine, expect issues if the engine starts to knock. Ideally install it to the engine head near the original sensor. Best would be to get the correct sensor and wire it up to the wiring you have.

https://www.azosensors.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=50

 

Ok, thank you. And you are correct, one threads in and the other fits over a stud and tightened with a nut. So if i swap the threaded in knock sensor out, can i just put a stud in and put the one original to the car in it’s place and it will run as normal?

 

Not sure.

The knock sensor generates a voltage based on engine vibrations. If this voltage is too low or too high a trouble code is set.

The question would be does a screw in versus bolt on sensor installation make a difference in the sensor vibrating and thus output voltage?

Can try a stud but check if hole threads are straight or tapered.

If you have both 03 and 05 sensors measure ohm resistance and determine if similar. The bolt on is supposed to be 120 to 280K ohm. Then if bolt on does not work might swap sensor.

 

I took the stud off of the removed block which for some reason was very difficult to get threaded out. It is some sort of special stud with a flange about 2/3 the length of stud, with threads at both ends and none in the middle...I’ve never seen one before or know what it’s called. I removed the threaded in sensor and threaded the stud in its place and used the one original to the car. I haven’t finished buttoning everything else up yet so i’m not sure if it works as it should or not yet but should know tomorrow. Thank you for your insight.

 

Post back with the results.

After say 5 seconds of engine operation, the computer may check for proper sensor voltage output over 1 second. If not within norms computer then sets a code at next engine start up.

 

It seems to have worked. There was a slight knock in the engine at start up. about 10 mins later the car began to idle higher and higher..to the point that i thought if i didn’t shut it down it might blow itself up if the rpm’s climbed much more. Just as i got to the key it began to idle back down and it smoothened right out. I assume it’s because of the knock sensor.

 

Was this a knock or perhaps the timing chain rattling or something else? Perhaps because the oil was needing to flow and pressure build up in the replacement engine.

The idle is set electronically by the computer plus the engine has an electric throttle. If the battery is disconnected the computer needs to relearn the idle RPM.

 

The “knock” sounded like it was coming from the timing chain side of the engine, but after the high idle up then down, it went away. I assumed that it may have been the knock sensor correcting it.