well since i installed DSMLink(9 months) my CEL has come on a handful of times for a split second. It only happens at very low rpm's.
First, it happened like three times while driving in 5th gear at like 2200rpms(different days, like weeks inbetween). This was right after i was sitting at a light for a few minutes. I just shifted through all 5 gears, never going passed 3k. Once i got to 5th, the CEL came on for a split second @ very light throttle.

Then, it happened twice while in first gear. Again, for a split second right after sitting at the light for a few minutes. Thing is, i checked DSMLink and coolant temps were never above like 210. I also noticed that DSMLink recorded a few degress of knock when the CEL would come on(im guessing thats when the CEL came on). It was less than 1 degree, and it was at the same low rpm's, which were 2k-3k @ light throttle. So i decided to make my stock boost guage a knock guage.

Anyway, its been a few weeks since that happened...but today something different happened. I was at the light for a few minutes. I started to pull away at light throttle in first...CEL came on, but stayed on until i let off the gas. Shifted at 3k,(in 2nd now), as soon as i hit the throttle, CEL came on again, and stayed on till i hit 3k and shifted. Now in third, i was giving partial throttle, CEL came on again, but this time my stock boost guage went up, meaning knock. I was at about 2500rpms. I never pushed the pedal more than say, i dunno, 40% pressure...and the more i pressed it, the higher the knock guage went. I immedietly let off and shited to 4th.

That was it, never happened again. Everything seems fine. Unfortunetly i wasnt logging at the time, but does anyone have any idea wtf it is? and should i be worried? Thanks.

It seems you are knocking. The trick is figuring out what is causing the knock. CEL on dsmlink is set to come on above 234 degrees and when you surpass a certain knock threshold. From Link itself, it is set to throw a CEL over 5 degrees. Most guys change this two 3 degrees. The other parameter is when it starts to check for knock. 2219 rpms is the default I believe. I adjust mines to check above 3300rpms to eliminate the possibility of phantom knock.

I am pretty sure you issue is a knock issue. Which can be cause by a few different things. I would adjust the point at which you check for knock and see if it picks up on it again. IF it still does, then that means you do not have phantom knock but rather a real issue that needs to be dealt with.

There is a long list of things that can cause knock. Bad/Loose Motor Mounts, Severe Detonation, Bad Rod Bearings, Bad knock sensor.....to name a few. I would definately narrow it down...but it does sound like it is not phantom knock.

sweet, thanks for the reply. Anyone else? It just doesnt make sense that its only done it like 5 times in 9 months.

it could be phantom knock....check you citeria and go from there. I used to get it when switching gears in the lower RPM range. I knew it wasn't real knock. Do a search on the dsmlink boards for phantom knock to get a bvetter understanding of what it is.

i bet it is phantom knock. My car did it too, so I changed my knock reading from 2219 above 0% throttle to 3500 above 20% throttle. Try it, light won't come on again.

Originally posted by FlyinEsi
i bet it is phantom knock. My car did it too, so I changed my knock reading from 2219 above 0% throttle to 3500 above 20% throttle. Try it, light won't come on again.

bah....I forgot to mention throttle position. I set mines for 50 Percent.