Simple question for those that have replaced knock sensors

OK guys, I finally pulled the intake down to diagnose a knock sensor issue. Tested the wiring back to the ECM... no issues of any type. I did have a rats nest in the valley, but again, no wiring issues. I have been able to reset the DTC (p0333) and drive for over 1000 miles without having it come back on. The last time it was 640 miles before it tossed the same code. If it was a wiring issue, past experience has proven to me that the DTC would usually come right back, in this case, after 2 driving cycles with the issue remaining. (I think).

So, I'm concluding it's a bad sensor, and I'm replacing both while I have it torn down.

I said all this to ask the question: for those of you that have done this, do you HAVE to use the toyota factory part, or are the replacements from reputable sources (NAPA, O'reilly's) a suitable replacement? When I'm done with this repair, and satisfied it's done right, I'm selling the truck. Not because I dont want to keep it, but I'm just enjoying my 2014 off road so much that have no reason to keep this one. I refuse to sell it to anyone unless I truly feel the knock sensors are squared away and I'm not selling someone else a problem.

TIA for responses!

 

Well I appreciate your integrity, many people would slap the cheapest POS part they could to get into it to get it to stick together long enough to make it someone else's problem.

Now a knock sensor is a Piezoelectric crystal ( a crystal that generates a small electrical charge when it's latice structure is stressed, an engine knock or comoressed like in those light up shoes from the late 90's) it's very old and simple technology again usually what fails in a knock sensor isn't the crystal but the wire connections inside the sensor that are expoxied in place.

You should have no worries with a Napa part, or even an O'Reilly's part, just ask for their "OE" or "Gold" or "premium line" what have you and it should still be less than half dealer pricing. (And quite possibly made in the same chineseium factory) If you're really concerned pay cash and keep the recipt to give it to the next owner so they can replace it under the lifetime warranty IF they do have a failure.

I personally wouldn' buy something like a sensor from Advance or Autozone. Napa and O'Reilly are the better box stores. Especially if you can find a privately owned franchise vs a corporate store.

 

VERY familiar with NAPA gold. I worked at a NAPA store in high school, and always respected the place. O'Reilly's has also proven to me that they aren't an average parts-peddler. Autozone and advanced..I don't even buy shop towels there.

I'm also familiar with the sensor technology, esp on wide-band (1 wire) types. I've always heard that the 2 wire types, such as the ones used on the 4.0's, are "tuned" for a specific application. Kinda feel like its a dealership trying to manipulate the uneducated, so here I am lol.

Thanks for the response and advise!

 

Sweet man! You sound like you got a good head on your shoulders and reasonable experience, I agree it's the stealer trying to gouge-I mean make a fair and reasonable profit.

(Used to work for a dealer, you wouldn't belive the mark up on some things, and at the same time some things they make no money on at all. Like body clips, people think $2 is ridiculous for a little plastic clip but it cost the dealer $1.88 or something, then like water pumps cost them $40 and they list for $300. )

2 wires more than likely just means 2 crystals for a detecting an "acceptable range" vs only recognizing a solid knock.

Good luck!

 

If it was me I would go dealer/oem. You don't want to take the intake manifold on and off a bunch of times just because you were trying to save a few bucks. Crank sensors, vvt solenoid, 02 sensors.. these are all easy to access places.knock sensors are a job you only want to do once

Oem and torque carefully

 

Whenever I do knock sensors I go with oem. I have had bad aftermarket knock sensors right out of the box. Most common failure I see is in chevy trucks and suvs. Nothing more frustrating than pulling the intake and replacing them just to have the check engine light come back.

 

Well, the deed is done. I ran this by a friend that owns a local shop who hooked me up on the knock sensors (an aftermarket that he trusts and uses constantly.) Almost 152,000 miles, and this is the first real non-preventative maintenance repair I've had to do to any of my 2nd gen Tacomas. 300k + miles between them all. It's definitely not an easy job, but with patience and a little ingenuity, pulling one of the heads is not required. I have always thoroughly seafoam'ed the induction system at every oil change, and I simply cannot believe how clean the intake tracks were. The valves had ZERO carbon on them. I mean none what so ever. Sprayed a little carb cleaner in the heads and wiped them out with a rag and they looked as good as a 10,000 mile motor. Same for the intake manifold. Pleasantly surprised. Got everything back together and she fired right up. I take her out for a test ride tomorrow, but I really think this job is well done, and done right. The only problem now is, I'm sure this thing is good for 300k, I really want to keep it lol.

 

My dad has an '03 silverado that has had 2 knock sensor repairs, one by the dealer and another by an independent. What a retarded design...who is the moron that thought it would put the sensor where all the water would collect?