Need expert Mech/Elect for Calibra in Melbourne

[visionthing]

Hoping someone can help.

I've got a '92 Cally with only 70K on the clock. Problem is, I've had intermittent fault codes coming up that have been driving me mad.

Most codes were 16 - for the knock sensor, but I've replaced the knock sensor, shielded the wiring and I still get it every now and then. Also, I just got a 31 - crank sensor, which was replaced only a few weeks ago.

I've been dealing with a local mechanic in east melbourne, and he has been great. However, I've gotten to the point where I need someone who specialises in Calibras to look at it. I can't get more than 2 days driving out of this without the engine light going on.

Can anyone recommend a *good* Calibra mechanic/electrician in Melbourne? I'm in the inner city, but if they do the job, I don't care how far I need to go.

Cheers

BC

[RobbieV]

I'd be more then happy to have a look as long as you pay for my flights/hotel and a bit of spending money

[Stupink]

knock sensor is very delicate, if you over tighten it you can break it. theres a specified torque for it. can't say i've ever done it on mine as you have job to get the torque wrench anywhere near it on a turbo. but possible you damaged it when fitting.. or fault with the shielding from the connection plug through to ecu..

crank sensor normaly comes up as engine not running whne you do the test.

I would forget those two for now. when does the ecu light come on? what type of driving/revs/load etc. and does it then stay on? or go off again on its own? do you notice any difference in the car when the light does show? restricted power/revs? or no real difference?

[visionthing]

Stupink,
I forgot about the 31 code when car was off when doing paprclip test tho. Cheers.

The issue has been on & off for a while. I bought the car off my brother in Sydney who is a mechanic. The car was driven to Melb from Sydney after the knock sensor was replaced. Was bought from Vauxhaul parts in the UK on eBay.
Not a problem.
Within a week or so, I started having issues. Co-incidently, I put a new MP3 player in the car, as the original tape deck was cactus. The engine light originally came on intermittently, which could be resolved with a quick turning off of the car & trying again.
It then got to the point of being a trypical knock sensor issue. Anything over 3000rpm & it would come on.
Most recenlty, I had the wiring from the knock sensor shielded. That seemed to have resolved the issue for a while. I mean, I fanged the bejeesus out of the car trying to trip it going to Torquay, and then into the mountains.
Running the car on either A or B program doesn't make a difference, and I run it on Shell V-Power.

Thing is, I'd not worry about it if there wasn't an effect. The timing is being retarded and the car runs like a sick dog the moment it happens.

My thinking is if it was really a knock sensor issue, it would either work or it wouldn't. It wouldn't intermittently decide not to send out signals. I'm happy to even pay for a new, original knock sensor but apparently, you can't get them from Holden anymore.

Cheers

BC

[Stupink]

Does your knock sensor work properly the rest of the time? do you have access to a timing strobe??
put it on the car, then tap the block near cylinder3 to see if it retards it..

I can't remember the solution in the end, but I know a site user MickM spent a lot of time on this very issue I believe on a similar age car, it was solved by shielding in the end, but which section i cannot recall. I am sure he'd be happy to advise you if you send him a PM message drawing his attention here.

[MickM]

Did someone mention my name...?

Yeah... I had a similar problem quite a few years ago and it was down to the knock sensor wiring not being shielded. I replaced the cable and earthed the screen at one/both ends (not sure which and not sure how much difference it would make on such a short run). All was fine after that. From what I remember there's a frequency filter/detector within the ECU. If the frequency falls outside a given window the ECU assumes it can't trust the knock sensor signal and defaults to a retarded timing on a "just in case" basis. Obviously, any noise induced on top of the signal from other electrical equipment (the sensor isn't a million miles from the alternator) may provoke the ECU to adopt this "untrusted signal" mode.

Sorry I can't be of more help.