Hi All:

I know this has been written on about 100 times, but I didn't see anything in a while...

In 16 years, I’ve replaced both right and left knock sensors (KS) on my XJ8. I recently got a CEL (code P0332) followed by a Restricted Performance (RP). So, I was pretty sure it was a left side-- looking from the driver's seat-- KS. P0327 is right side...

Happily, I had purchased a KS305 years ago, and when I put the new one in (and cleared the P0332 code) all is good and RP is gone…

I recall the left and right KS part #’s are the same, in that the cheaper one just has a cable a few inches longer… So, the cheaper one fits either side! What has me perplexed is, a search for KS305 today is now like $100+. I’m pretty sure I only paid about $20 for the one I had in the boot for years... IIRC, the longer one was about $20 and shorter one was about $100…. What gives??? The new one I installed is/was Intermotor KS305, and the old, defective one was a Denso.

Anyway, if anyone hits this title in a search, and needs to replace their KS, here’s a tip:

The KS cable runs under the intake manifold. This being the third time I’ve done this, I have a new trick.

Put tape, sticky side out on the 12 mm socket to remove the nut holding the donut (KS, which is screwed to the block about midway on the engine), to get the nut out of the valley… Use a coat-hanger to get the donut onto a long, skinny screwdriver and CAREFULLY get the donut above the manifold. I used a zip-tie to connect the old donut to the new plug connection, and pulled the new cable through the manifold valley, using the old cable to fish it through.

Install the new donut (KS) by, sort of, reversing the screwdriver and coat-hanger procedure. And, your locking nut will still be stuck and ready in the 12 mm socket...

Easy, peasey… The alternative is removing the intake manifold, and nobody wants that!

Regards… Mark

 

I replaced the right bank sensor a few years ago with a Denso from Rock Auto.
If I remember right I paid about $25 plus shipping, however a recent trip to Rock
Auto shows they no londer offer the Denso and the ones they do have are near
or over $100 each. Ridiculous!

 

I can't comment on KS305, as I cannot find reference anywhere, what this is supposed to be.
The knock sensor for X308 is LNE1692AA for the following models

• Jaguar X308 XJ8 3.2 & 4.0 V8 from vin 853936
• Jaguar X308 XJR supercharged from vin F00035

My x308 is from 98/99, 3.2L and starts with 86....

I just had the air intake off, but I had no reason to replace my knock sensors.
If I would have wanted to, I would have bought a 10-pack of them for below AU$100 on Aliexpress, free postage (I just checked).
Actually, when I bought that X308 over 2 years ago I did have exactly that restricted mode due to the knock sensors (I checked the code), I had bought exactly the "10 pack" on Aliexpress and I installed 2 new ones. This solved the restricted mode back then.

 

help i put whitebox sensors on my car instead of japanese craftsmanship why doesn’t it run right anymore 😨

 

So, here's a follow-up question:

These knock sensors seem to be fairly universal, as in the same. Bosch and Denso make them (without the cable) for about $10 or less.

Here's the spec for a Bosch KS4-P:




Hole diameter is for an M8 screw (8mm)--these are the same sizes as the Jag.

More Bosch specs:

Range of frequency 3 to 25 kHz
Sensitivity at 5 kHz 26 ± 8 mV/g
Max. sensitivity changing (lifetime)
-17 %
Linearity between 5 to 15 kHz
(from 5 kHz value)
-10 to 10 %
Linearity between 15 to 20
kHz (linear increasing with
freq)
20 to 50 %
Main resonance frequency 30 kHz
Impedance > 1 MOhm
Temperature dependence of
sensitivity
0.04 mV/g°C
Capacity field 1,150 ± 200 pF

(I couldn't find spec's for Denso.) The Bosch is used on BMW 335i, 5.0L V-8 Ford, Chevy V-8's, Mazda Miata, Toyota 1JX & 2JZ, etc., which cylinder bores run from about 78 to 100mm. (Allegedly, the cylinder bore determines the knock sensor frequency!)

According to https://phormula.com/knock-frequency-calculator/ the 86mm bore on the 4.0L Jag V-8 yields a Knock Sensor frequency of 6.7Khz. And, our 4.0 falls right in the middle of the many models using the 3-25 kHz Bosch KS4-P (and, presumable, the Denso KS for those models, 89615-20090, will work too....)

Does anyone know for sure? (I.e., will the Bosch KS4-P, or Denso 89615-20090, work on the Jag 4.0?)

I don't see why we should pay an extra $90 USD for the 9" Jag cable (unless you order 10 from Aliexpess, like Peter above)... just use the old cable from the dead KS, right? BTW (and IMHO) these KS's are more expendable than sparkplugs... No?

Regards... Mark