Thread: Multifaceted Question/Situation (Oil Pan Gasket, Shift-Kit, False Knock, et. al)

Hello all. I'll start by telling you what I have, then what I've got going on, then what I plan to do. I'm looking for any advice on the process.
I've got a 2003 GTP Limited Edition. 99,xxx miles.
Mods:
K&N Intake
3.4" SC Pulley
1.9 Modified Rockers
60# Injectors - running E85
AL104s
180* T-stat
Speed Daddy Headers - Cat Delete

Over the last year I've been working on figuring out a crazy knock situation. When I bought the car it had the 3.4 SC Pulley with only the intake as a supporting mod. When we plugged it in to tune it, I had something like 14* of knock. I have been trying lots to get rid of it since, hence all of the other mods. After throwing E85 at it, I am sure there is no knock; however, I am still seeing as much as 5* of KR. I know it is false knock because after doing one pull during tuning, I saw 2* of KR, on the next pull we added 9* of timing and I still got 2* of timing. If it were real I should have seen 11* of KR. I also have a buddy who is running a 3.0 pulley on E85 with stock manifolds and no knock. 105 octane can do wonders with knock.
Did some looking under the hood and few things could have been slapping causing the FKR. Put header wrap on sway bar because there are lines that are close/touching. I put dynamat on trans dipstick by the brake booster and by the crossover pipe because they were close. I also put a piece of dynamat on the front knock sensor because the oil dipstick was suspiciously close/touching.
I am still seeing situations at WOT where I will see as much at 5* of KR on my scanguage yet. AHHHHHHH!!
While I was under the car putting the dynamat on, I saw a couple drop of oil hanging from the oil pan bolts. I suspect oil pan gasket.

So I am really close to 100,000 miles and was planning on doing my transmission maintenance and I have a shift kit to put it, and while I have the car on the lift I am planning on changing the oil pan gasket. I've watched "Changing an oil pan in a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix How-to" Changing an oil pan in a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix How-to - YouTube and read Oil pan removal: my how-to, my hell.

While doing this job, is there anything else I should be looking for?
Any other thoughts on my false KR?
Would swapping to this poly engine mount help, since I have to pull it anyway?
Where do these go? ZZPerformance - Poly Motor Mounts #ZZ-PLYMM-GP

So typically when I ask several questions in a thread, people get stuck on one topic. I challenge all of you to diversify your thoughts.

Thanks a bunch,
B#

Flip the swap bar if you havent, under a heavy load the downpipe on the headers can smack/rub the sway bar and give false KR.

Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch

Flip the swap bar if you havent, under a heavy load the downpipe on the headers can smack/rub the sway bar and give false KR.

Thanks

I wouldn't worry about the oil pan gasket it might seep a little but it's not usually a big deal.

Originally Posted by dsmuts

I wouldn't worry about the oil pan gasket it might seep a little but it's not usually a big deal.

I just figured if I was going to tear into it and put a poly mount I'd do the oil pan gasket, or maybe it's the other way around.

Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch

Flip the swap bar if you havent, under a heavy load the downpipe on the headers can smack/rub the sway bar and give false KR.

I forgot to mention that I've modified the down pipe on my sd's. There should be a fair amount of clearance, but I'll be sure to take a look at it when I get the car up in the air this weekend.

Anybody else have any other ideas of things that could be causing my false kr?

Originally Posted by bsharpminor

I just figured if I was going to tear into it and put a poly mount I'd do the oil pan gasket, or maybe it's the other way around.

It's a lot more work to do a pan gasket then it is to do a motor mount.

Originally Posted by darkhorizon

This is NOT KR in the classic sense... This is "timing limp mode" (without getting too technical, the 2 degrees of KR you see is more of a divisor than a subtraction). You have a major problem somewhere, fix it.When you do an oil pan gasket, dont buy a new one, just RTV the heck out of the one you have after cleaning everything with brake cleaner.

Do you have any suggestion of where to begin to look for said major problem. I am at a loss.

Imo its worth a new gasket if you're going that far..as far as your kr have you verified their the physical condition? Harness?

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Imo its worth a new gasket if you're going that far..as far as your kr have you verified their the physical condition? Harness?

What do you mean by, "verified their the physical condition"?
If you are asking about the knock sensors, I believe if they didn't work properly, especially the harness, I would never get knock right?

So I've decided to wait on doing the pan gasket until I get a long weekend, I'm still planning on doing an oil change and putting my shift kit in and calling 99,457 close enough to 100,000 for trans fluid change this weekend. I still am thoroughly confused by what darkhorizon and 91parkave have said. Any help in giving more info would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by darkhorizon

If you had a knock sensor problem it would cause timing limp mode.

So if this was your problem, what would you do?

Originally Posted by darkhorizon

If you had a knock sensor problem it would cause timing limp mode.

Not always the case sometimes a malfunction with either the harness or sensor itself can cause faulty readings.

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Not always the case sometimes a malfunction with either the harness or sensor itself can cause faulty readings.

So are you suggesting that I look at getting a new knock sensor?

Originally Posted by bsharpminor

So are you suggesting that I look at getting a new knock sensor?

I'm still waiting on some sort of less ambiguous answer from some about how they'd go after the knock problem. The car is on the lift right now and I've looked at the harnesses, they both look alright. I am also not sure how in the world a person could get the back KS out without tearing a whole bunch of stuff apart to get to it.

So, I'm back at it. I think I've figured some more out that could be the cause of the KR. The correct answer for a next step would have been: buy a cheap inspection camera and look at your pistons.
That's what I did. #3 is chipped. I'm blaming the previous owner, if nothing else to make myself feel better. I haven't checked the rear bank yet.
So I had been planning on doing my LIM and pan gasket. Now I'm planning on pulling the heads while doing the PG and LIM and swapping piston #3. Has anyone ever bought just one piston? I can't seem to find just one for sale on the web.
Anyone have any advice for other stuff to look for while I'm in there?

Car-parts.com or local JY and buy a used motor

I'm not planning on swapping engines, just replacing the broken piston/s. I do not have an engine jack.