Seems like it's common to have a rat chew up your bank 1 knock sensor wiring and I am a victim...damn, is that thing way back there.

I removed a ton of stuff just trying to get in and I think I've gotten to the point where I just need to stop, so I used a long extended flat head tip at the end of a 1/4" socket extension and pushed the clip off while watching through a borescope...fun. Will have to manage something with that extension to pull the new clip on--that bastard chewed the entire length of the wire and only left the start of the branch and a tiny tip coming out of the connector. So, new connector coming.

And i knew something wasn't right with it but my check engine light never came on. It was only an issue when getting on it and under high boost so I just assumed it was a boost leak until I flashed my tune back to stock for CA smog and then went in and checked on Durametric so make sure everything was good and ready to smog and saw the pending code.

I have not done a ton to my car and it has done a lot of sitting in the garage the past few years, maybe a thousand miles or so in the past 2 years or so.

Anything that I really should do while in here? I took the throttle body off so new gasket. I'm in here and don't know when last changed, so new diverter valves. Going to do my fuel pressure regulator since I have had an occasional cold idle misfire for years and there isn't anything else it could be. I have all silicone intake hoses so those are good. The vacuum lines I've removed all seem good but could change if there are any problem ones.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice on getting that new connector back on the knock sensor.

EDIT: I did the diverter valves 10 years ago and about 10k miles or so and have the 710N.

 

What a royal pain this thing is...I cannot get that knock sensor connector in. I can get the new connector right there but not in enough to pull it and snap.

Is there any way in? If I lower the engine can I access from the back?

Pull the plenum (which looks sooooo easy)?

Help!

 

Just lowered the engine and pulled the plenum...nope, blocked.
Thought about the left side intake dist but that seems impossible.
Pulled the turbo intake...blocked by the left intake dist.

I can kinda get my hand in there but not enough. Maybe more room for a tool now from the side but damn...this sucks!

 

What a literal pain in my….everything.

Managed to get it close so many times but not in.

13 year old daughter got closer but not in.

Had to get it lined up and then I used a long screwdriver from where the intake plenum was space to push it on.

Score!

Might have been able to do this without the turbo intake removed but I removed it thinking I could get more in there and it was keeping the left side plenum in place.

Back to figuring out what to replace while here:

#16 check valve is good but replacing it anyway since I'm here.
Throttle body gasket, obviously
Turbo Intake Gasket

Then will maybe do a smoke and boost test as I get mostly assembled?

 

All done and worth it to get my power back but if I could rewind, I would have boost tested first

Finished late today and before my Amazon package came that I needed so I skipped the boost test but 1.0 bar no problem with the dumb stock tune I have to have on there for my overdue smog test.

I did zip tie all my hoses as recommended and I cleaned and used o-ring grease on all the connectors. Manual says to use Vaseline but I think silicone o-ring grease would be better. I could be wrong but seems more right to me.

I also tossed a bunch of ground pepper in that little valley where the knock sensor connector it. Rats hate it and worst case, my engine smells great!

 

sometimes I feel that we should plan better when doing maintenance. Meaning, make up a list of everything you want to change/replace/repair, then lower the engine so that you can access everything. I have a quickJack that I can raise it to about 27 inches. I know it is a pain to remove the engine.

I have to be replacing the injectors on my X50 and been told easier just to drop it a few inches. Have to see what else I should tackle at the time.

 

Not difficult to drop the engine a little (two nuts and a jack) and no way would I have been able to do the work I just did without lowering it.

Quickjacks are nice! I know, I had some but had a weird thing happened and returned it to Costco for all my money back. The right jack is easier. I have the Harbor Freight Long Reach Low Profile jack at it reaches the rear middle jack point no problem for both rears at the same time and then I also have a set of Rennstands which are pretty cool and easy.

Anyway, definitely plan it out as long as you can and don't order parts until you're at the most disassembled state so you can see what you might need.

Why do you need new injectors? They are easy to clean and that's usually all you need to do. They do not usually go bad. I have this cleaner/tester I used on another vehicle that had a stuck injector and it worked great. Good as new.

 

Hope this helps for the injectors, https://rennlist.com/forums/996-turb...-cleaning.html, not the easiest job with the engine in the car. Good luck.

 

Thank you Bear.. I am reviewing all this and I think I might just pay to get it done :-(. Although, I have to replace the Y-pipe, Plenum, TB, DV, etc., so I will take a look.