Desperate With The Lex

[EDV11]

First I'll give you quick info as what happened until now..

Three weeks ago, after starting the car, it was vibrating as it was diesel, with EML and TRC lights flashing. After checking here, it showed a clear coil packs problem.

I bought 2 new coil packs from the dealer. After fitting them, the car seems to run fine, but after moving the car the EML came on. I check it and the code was P0325, which corresponds with: "Knock Sensor #1 — Circuit Malfunction (Bank #1 or Single Sensor)"

I checked with multimeter the coils. I found the faulty one. I also checked continuity between the connection pins, and they all showed 24. The new ones were 36.

So I though maybe the problem was the difference between the old and new ones, so I bought the ones from Ellz, 6 coils and 6 inyectors. When they arrived, I checked them again and they show 20.

This morning I switched the two I bought new with two from the ones received from Ellz. And the problem persist. So I decided to switch the other four and the EML comes on again. Clearly, coil packs are not the problem, as right now I have 13 units. I tried with all of them and I always get the same error.

The EML only comes on while driving at low rpm. If I go over 4.000, I'll never have any problem. If I change to 6th gear and step on it, usually after 4-5 secs I feel a bump and the EML turns on. Then the car goes to protection mode and it would move very slowly. If I delete the error on the go, then it accelarate as it should

The only thing I can think of, is to get a new knock sensor. Maybe it is broken and is what makes the car shows errors, so the car enter protection and therefore I feel the bump. If it would be an inyector problem, the ecu should register the error. The spark plugs are new, I don't think they even have more than 500 miles since fitted...

I'm really desperate with the car... what can I check next, besides the knock sensor?

Thanks

[ColinBarber]

P0325 doesn't mean the ECU is detecting a knock it means the signal from the knock sensor isn't being received.

Either the knock sensor, wiring or ECU is at fault. Normally it is the knock sensor that goes bad. A faulty coil pack or plug should never produce a P0325.

As you have been working in the engine bay it is probably worth checking the wiring first, disconnect the sensor and clean the connector.

[EDV11]

I've been trying to unplug it and clean the connector, but it is impossible without removing the intake manifold... but if you tell me it is something related to the sensor itself, the wiring or the ecu, at least I feel more confortable...

But why it only happens at low rpms?

[ColinBarber]

Knock sensors only work at certain engine rpms. On the 4.3 V8 you will only get a error between 1,700 and 5,400 rpm. Not sure of the exact spec for the IS200 engine but that would explain why you don't see the problem at high rpm.