1MZ-FE Knock Hack/Relocation

Well, in this video I spend my time trying the 1MZ hack that I stumbled across on some forums. It's purpose is to relocate 1 knock sensor and split it to both inputs on the ECU.
Apparently it's a common issue for the wiring going to the knock sensors to go bad, and the effort to get to them is not worth it for some people. I am one of those people.
Here are links to 2 of the forums I found information on:
www.toyotanation.com/forum/15...
www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-1...

[@ddmercantile]

I’m glad to not be the only dad frustrated, trying to keep these Toyotas on the road forever for their kids. Toyota sabotaged it’s reliability with all these annoying little things that don’t impair the vehicle but cause the check engine light and are impossible to fix. Great job.

[@TheMechanator]

Thankyou for showing this hack. I really don't want to tear off the intake manifold to get at the knock sensors. Bless you, and keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down. 307,000 miles, 1995 Camry Coupe.

[@ibcrypto6139]

This is a great tutorial! Because. 1.) All the posters go on and on on about faulty Lexus Knock Sensor codes then replace the and hope it works. 2.) Some use one of the knock sensors that works and piggy pack at the ECU plug. What if the other sensor fails? This is the ONLY video where you actually showed in plain detail of how you wired the harness and specifically where and how you added the new mounting location for new knock sensor. Kudo's to you for doing this! You also explained the condition that is causing the code, (coolant getting into combustion chamber.), and the fact that this hack may not properly report any future legitimate codes from engine knock. Job well done!

[@A.I.C.U.8.1.2]

That’s how I felt as well…The “Cutting a Factory harness” is just lame…

[@suminwu1115]

This would have saved me a lot of aggravation if I found your video earlier. The engine is amazingly reliable. This is something anyone can do when on a budget. Thank you for making the video.

[@Deer-gm8hp]

Mine has 400k + and I just did this hack 😂I just did over 120 mph this thing runs great.This video is great

[@magnummotorsports8313]

Thanks for making this video man, you might have just saved me a lot more aggravation!

[@JDMHaze]

Did this in my RX300, i uploaded video , I will put your link in my description because the location is slightly different, and slightly EASIER since The knocks sensor harness is easy to get to. It's been about a 3weeks since And no check engine light, thank youu🙏🏽🙏🏽😭😭😭 I shall cherish this moment forever

[@UtahSleeper]

Glad it helped you :)

[@JDMHaze]

UtahSleeper Me too I work as a technician and i use this as my work vehicle... The motor mount is a little bigger so drilling the hole was easy, and the harness wasn't hard to get to

[@KevinBartsch]

did you get that video uploaded. I would like to do this to my RX 300

[@JDMHaze]

Kevin Bartsch yes i did and i put shortcuts in the description kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaeuc2d3pLuKoac

[@UtahSleeper]

@@KevinBartsch his video is here kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaeuc2d3pLuKoac ........I was a little late lol

[@kevinlewis5164]

September 22, 2020 Thank you very much for making this video. It worked perfect on my 2001 Highlander with 197,000 miles. Almost all parts came from Wally World, including 2 new sensors for $20, leaving me a spare, and the wire harness also for about $20. I used a nut to mount the sensor on a mending plate and a bolt to mount the mending plate to an existing engine bracket hole, so I made no permanent changes to the vehicle whatsoever. This saved me more than a thousand dollars.

[@festerfm]

I just started getting the codes yesterday. P0325 and p0330. My car is bucking and hesitating terribly. It's a 2000 toyota solara with the 3.0. For me, it's a beater car and not worth tearing down and replacing the harness. I will be trying this as soon as parts come in. I'm only commenting now so others will see what the codes are and what my symptoms are. If this works, I may need to friend you in real life! I have a few similar hacks I have done on my solara along with my celica on my youtube channel. I will probably be linking this video in my channel. Thanks again!

[@antrinh5525]

replacing the wiring harness and the knock sensors aint that difficult. it's just time consuming , 3-4 hours work on the weekend would do. while u're in there it would be wise to change the harness and by pass hose+intake manifold gasket and intake plentinum gasket also. buy toyota knock sensors, they 're not expensive don't buy pos watever brand this dude use, same for the harness if u can't get them oem get denso harness( they're actually oem toyota). u want just to trick the comp, then use this trick but it aint fixing nothing, it's just tricking the comp telling the ecu everything is fine, so when there's something really wrong with the car, the motor just be done with. the harness last 300k, that's plenty of time before u even have to replace it. u can always wrap them in heat protective sleeve for extra longevity . i replace my knock sensor and harness on my wife 02 highlander( same motor), it aint that hard just be paitent that's all.

[@shanefanon]

hi i love your common sense solution here. I have a 98 LS400 Lexus and have 'bank 1 knock senson' chech engine. Your hack is perfect for me BUT my existing knock sensor wire loom is deeply buried under the intakke manifold and i am having a difficult time finding that existing knock plug to seperate and plug the new one wire trick you showed and proved that it works. Have given up for the day but will try to find it again tommorrow. Thanks !

[@impulsefox3569]

Did you ever get it fixed I’m having same issue

[@rkgsd]

Dealer cost to replace both 1MZ-FE knock sensors, wiring harnesses as well as the manifold gasket on a V6 Camry: $2500! I said no way.

[@scottinva3110]

By my calculation (when trying to buy a tap at HD), the sensor threads are 1/2" - 24. If the Toyota specs are M12, then 12mm is very close to 1/2". Also, the thread pitch (based on eye-balliing against a ruler) is LESS than 1, and looks more like .8 Measure yourself, but don't drill and tap until you are sure.

[@lucasmills1246]

Just bought a 2003 highlander with a 1mz. Changed the oil and pcv valve and I think I'm gonna have to do this next. I had a buddy with an avalon that got rats under the intake and chewed the wires, I do not want this shit happening to me. It might be a damn near perfect engine if you change the oil often, but these knock sensors can get annoying especially when inspections comes around

[@steelresilience]

I might have to try this on my 2000 Avalon. It just clocked past 350k miles. I got it at 207k and haven't changed my spark plugs :( but this sucker still goes man.

[@UtahSleeper]

They are great engines and can live a long time. I would recommend doing all the maintenance, like plugs, before messing with knock sensors. Just to make sure a minor issue isn't what is causing grief. Hope the car keeps treating you well.

[@rjcruisers912]

Guys I just tried this hack it works cleared CEL . You need that 12mm x 1.25 tap to the motor mount . I short cutted the hack used angle iron bolted to intake and used nut to hold knock sensor didn’t work that way. Thanks for video

[@Skeetr86]

So your saying it didn't work with the angle iron?

[@kompamauro3410]

@@Skeetr86 have you gotten to try this hack?

[@Skeetr86]

@@kompamauro3410 my year didn't have the extra meat on the motor mount so I drilled and tapped it into a plate. And bolted it to the block on the backside. But I also needed to buy two sensors, one wasn't doing it.

[@Skeetr86]

@@kompamauro3410 unless you have both sensors throwing a code. I recommend using the Hack by sowing the ECU wires

[@kompamauro3410]

@@Skeetr86 yeah i tried it on my 1999 Lexus Es300. And I only used 1 sensor. And the check engine light is still on. I’m gonna try with 2 on a different bracket to see if that’s it.

[@peteleoni9665]

Real info here until about 1/3 of the way in. Next actual info a bit further. Short version for busy people Install a knock sensor in the dog bone mount, splice into the existing harness, take your chances.

[@JDMHaze]

Hey i tagged your Link In My Video Description !! thanks

[@80__HD]

...When you realize that Silverchair poster in this guys garage is almost 30 years old......... . . .... . . . . .

[@UtahSleeper]

LOL!!! It hurts to remember my age.

[@Shubscoolin]

What kind of wire did you use to extend it?

[@bt8831]

what the car no shifting into overdrive? thanks

[@bluesky-ud9wg]

Negative...Knock sensors are Very important and they need to be installed correctly. As for the Wire, it is not common for it to go bad, it is common because of the Age of the vehicle. Take the upper & lower intake off, replace the intake gaskets along with the Coolant Crossover hose under the intake and do it the right way.

[@UtahSleeper]

On these engines it is common for the wiring to go bad because of the harness location and the heat. I only did this as a way to buy more time with the car as it wasn't worth much more. I personally wouldn't have done it if it was a car I loved because knock sensors keep your engine from grenading if something goes wrong. People have been reporting the wiring problem for almost 2 decades, while the rest of the cars wiring seems fine. So these engines just get to hot in the valley for the wiring.

[@hammerhead19able]

I am working on this engine right now. The location of these knock sensors, my first thoughts, "HEAT!! So, my thoughts were to cover wiring over same heat shield cover with a small radiator hose like to keep it from getting too hot. I just purchased new knock sensors with wiring. So, what do you suggest?

[@UtahSleeper]

If you like the car and want to keep it going for awhile AND not having to worry about something breaking because of bypassed knock sensors, then fix with the parts you have. There is a chance only the wiring is cooked. Maybe look to test the current sensors. It costs more to fix it right, considering other gaskets and labor. Plus, the heat reflector would be nice. If you are just trying to buy more time till getting another car, I personally would relocate and just try and drive mildly. That's just how my mind works for repairs lol.

[@docfrick1]

Where did you find your shielded extension wire? Thanks for a great video!!

[@UtahSleeper]

The shielded wire i used was just part of the new harness i bought on rock auto. The extra couple of inches on the end was just normal wire soldered in.

[@docfrick1]

Ok... Thanks! I was just worried about making sure the shielding ran through the entire wire. Really hoping this will work!

[@imt579]

1 czujnik spalania stukowego zamiast 2?

[@ryanmiller7574]

I just did this, but I am still getting the code. I have the sensor grounded to the frame, but did not screw into the block. I simply have the sensor wrapped in foam padding and resting on top of the air intake, but I am still getting the CEL code. Could it be that you have to mount and ground like you did?

[@UtahSleeper]

I believe it needs to be in metal to function properly.

[@hotdogmy2786]

Thank you! How do you connect the negatives?

[@UtahSleeper]

On the harness, all the grounds for the shielding is alread managed in the harness that connects to the main harness. All I had done then was to extend and make the harness go from 2 sensors to 1.

[@jayb7813]

I'm trying to find out what size of drill bit to use. Can anyone tell me?

[@UtahSleeper]

I can't remember what size it got up to. I used a small drill bit to drill a pilot hole, but the rest was done with a gradual stepper bit till the new knock sensor matched up closely.

[@jayb7813]

@@UtahSleeper I got it done, ended up re-threading the threads on the knock sensor for a 7/16-20 and it worked wonders. I used a 7/16 drill bit. No more CEL, have already put 150 miles and all monitors cleared.

[@UtahSleeper]

@@jayb7813 sweet!!! Glad you got it working.

[@sunnysgadgetreviews5886]

Hi, I'm getting both knock sensor errors on my 2000 RX300. Where do I drill and how deep? How to make thread in the hole for screwing the sensor? Thanks

[@UtahSleeper]

I am not sure on the RX300, but it needs to be a solid piece of metal. There may be a spot near your passenger motor mount. It just needs to be deep enough for the knock sensor to screw all the way in. Less then a half an inch. To make a threaded hole, you will need a tap and die set for metric nuts and bolts

[@GeorgeNegrete]

​@@UtahSleeper Do you think it is vitally important that the knock sensor is completely seated in order for this to work? And, will crimp 14/16 connectors be a problem with this hack? I am helping my son. His car received knock sensor errors while he was 2 hours out of town and he waited for me to come help. I have limited tools with me. I placed the knock sensor in the same location as you did. I am still getting the two knock sensor errors. I don't have a 1/2" drill with me, so could not use a larger drill bit. It made threading difficult due to the hole being a little too small. I could only drill 1/4 and thread with loaned tap/die set from Orielly. I was able to get the knock sensor on a few turns, but it is not all the way down. It is very tight on that motor mount location. For wire, I carefully stripped the outer cover, peeled back wire shielding, then trimmed it. I then stripped the two connectors and crimped them together. I did the same for the knock sensor end. Then ran the wire through a 1/4" plastic wire cover and ran along the firewall. I zip-tied to vacuum hose on the driver side, and A/C live on the passenger side, then down to sensor on the motor mount.

[@UtahSleeper]

@@GeorgeNegrete Honestly, I can't say for sure on either account. With the older technology I would guess it is needed to have the sensor seated and wire connected securely, but it may not and you could be fine. Best bet is to clear codes and find out as they came back pretty quick for my son. It's all a guess. The car should still run with the knock sensor error, so did your son break down for other reasons? Just wondering if I misread.

[@GeorgeNegrete]

@@UtahSleeper Update: Once I got home I discovered there is also a problem with the catalytic converters that was causing the extreme power loss. However, I still could not get the hack to work. It could be the O'Reilly aftermarket sensor, or there could be a problem with the wiring after the harness. I noticed some small round droppings on the transmission. Maybe a rat chewed the wire harness and it is impacting the knock sensors. That would be strange as it is the only error code I am getting. But, I also think it is strange that after clearing codes, I get the knock sensor error after about a minute of driving, and it is both knock sensors. The engine sounds fine. The plan is to drive the car with the knock sensor errors until it will no longer run. It has 240K on it. It has served us well.

[@UtahSleeper]

@@GeorgeNegrete Catalytic converters can cause some grief. Before I did the hack, my sons CEL came on pretty quick after resetting it. Also, makes it a little worry some if you see signs it could have been attacked by a rodent. Hope you have time to look at it and get it working. These are great engines and can go for a long time.

[@itsonfire69]

Why mount the knock sensor specifically on the motor mount? As opposed to mounting it on the firewall or the strut tower? I'm curious

[@UtahSleeper]

I followed scattered forum posts with confirmation that it worked, so I can't say for sure since I wasn't going to mess with a winning formula lol. But, my guess is the mount doesn't introduce rust potential when drilling a hole. Also, mounting in the mount is closer to matching how it is in the engine, then threaded into some sheet metal. I am guessing it could possibly work both ways, but I can't say for sure.

[@itsonfire69]

@@UtahSleeper thanks for getting back to me! I'll do the same and hopefully it is also the winning formula for me. I've tried the splice method at the ECU end of the wiring harness and that is still tripping the knock sensor code. Hopefully this works. 👀 Thanks for showing us how to do it

[@itsonfire69]

@@UtahSleeper it worked. I had to use an OEM DENSO sensor for $224 🥲, my $20 RockAuto sensor didn't work. Thanks for the video, and the "winning formula."

[@GordoYoshi]

Mi Toyota already have the hole but is to small Any suggestions of what I will need to get it bigger.

[@UtahSleeper]

If it has a hole, and enough metal around it, you should just need to drill it out more and make threads to screw in the sensor. Makes it easier if you have a starting point already.

[@GordoYoshi]

I buy s tap 1/2 I will work ??

[@UtahSleeper]

@@GordoYoshi I believe so, it's been awhile since I have done it though

[@JackMeyHoffer562]

Any links on the harness you used?

[@UtahSleeper]

I can't remember the brand specifically, but I bought it from rock auto. May be this one, or similar. www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4932957&cc=1364622&pt=13326&jsn=959&_nck=ZExt1ysfqhqWnq%2BEvUNdS3Txyey60IDtnjPWF5UU9J0BWQv7pvqZbh%2BYrdIIoJ2QMq9prrkIerbFMqky5nGcn4teOg9r2Sw3%2BPr1CNOXFqQFzxO1xi2naIVVDqptp38yXkE5m0eM5QCA%2By15xTcreiyKbrkDUxw8N3J1fJz5zOufanpc72OtvjcAoGyidBOB3quA3Ur7DwRxdOr7DP22yJzkHzetbGELJMxz3Z0xQ8ImaTBEdL7hn6sAuyR0f45TjYC2JQYHkEhzayyjZ1SoEo6whXgR7ZdnJloqAsGZJO4X4lnNCikTV32H38GBdFo6

[@repnatl]

Couldn't you just put a nut under the ne knick sensor location vs tapping that bracket? Also update is the light still off?

[@UtahSleeper]

You could do that, but no guarantee it would get rid of the light as it would change the signal to the ecu. Plus, if you go through the effort to get to the knock sensors, you are better off replacing the wiring going to the knock sensors as that is commonly the issue, not the sensors themselves. And sadly the car had been having head gasket issues before. The car had no CEL for a couple days then the gasket died. This was a junk car and we were just trying to buy time.

[@diagnosticdave5615]

PEOPLE PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!!!!! It takes less than an hour to get to the sensors if your handy. Replace the sub harness under the intake. The sensor is rarely the problem. I have done lots of these problem child’s and the real fix is to run a new shielded harness from the pcm to the connector at the sub harness. Solder and heat shrink all connections. Also these engines are 20 years old, they make more noise so consider a thicker oil. Your welcome

[@UtahSleeper]

Agreed, the best option is to replace the wiring. The problem is the cost and time to remove the intake. This is where it is up to the user. Plus, alot of people trying this may be inexperienced, so removing the intake and ordering the new parts can be scary. This is a money saving move for many.

[@JohnLee-oo3qy]

Its a 4-6 hr job and around $1500-$2000 if you take it to the shop. No thank you

[@Chuck-tq3kq]

Will this work for Acura tl

[@UtahSleeper]

Unknown as the ECU's, manufacturers, engines and sensors are all different. This would be a shot in the dark if you tried it as I am unaware if those cars have any known issues for wiring degrading.

[@daymoncrabb8091]

its this set up still working or how long did it last

[@UtahSleeper]

Sadly, this car is no longer with us. We had been also trying to cheap fix the headgasket for a year (just trying to get by another year) and the head gasket finally gave up a few days after getting rid of the CEL for the knock sensors. It was a cheap car, so we just scrapped it at that point. Some of the earlier commentors on this video seemed to do the same job and got things working for longer(think they had better condition engines).

[@UtahSleeper]

Keye Haze in the comments did this about 6 months ago, may be worth asking him also.

[@jonathanhuerta2784]

How long have you had this solution work ?

[@UtahSleeper]

I believe others in the comments made it seem like it has worked a bit for them, but sadly the car I was working on had other issues and blew up it's head gasket a couple days after lol. In most cases, this hack will continue to work at making the CEL go away, but if you have engine issues you will want to address them or drive the car very carefully. The car I worked on started driving very quick when the CEL went away.

[@irmachacon4652]

0325smksen ror de 2001 toyota siana como lo canvio

[@RyLokey]

Can i still drive without one of the sensors working

[@UtahSleeper]

Technically I believe the car still lets you drive, it just puts the motor in a limp mode, so it will normally drive slower and burn more gas cause it is trying to be safe. Thats my understanding anyway.

[@dedeaux71]

What part number did you use

[@UtahSleeper]

I sadly don't remember anymore, but I am pretty sure we used this. You could use a different brand if you wish though. www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12387797&cc=1364622&pt=13326&jsn=855

[@DankBear]

7:58 is when i noticed that engine mount says 2A.

[@RednecksGoneWild]

with 300 thousand miles you're not going to keep it too many more years

[@alexanderteambillywynn6900]

So did this last?

[@UtahSleeper]

No, but not because of the hack. He was able to drive it for a couple days, but the car had been having HG issues/symptoms before the hack. The head gasket gave up after 2 years of having symptoms off and on.

[@UtahSleeper]

@Dylan Smith Agreed. With how the engine was abused I was amazed at how long the engine lasted before it finally gave up. Love Toyota's for that reliability.

[@mr.iforgot3062]

Skate board

[@rkgsd]

You only replaced one of the two sensors. Luckily the car only generated a code for one bank.

[@UtahSleeper]

I replaced 1 sensor, but the sensor is sending to the ecu for both sensors. That's what the wire modifying was for.