Need to know which wire connector on the ECM controls the knock sensor data.

Tiny
CUT213
  • MEMBER
  • 1989 OLDSMOBILE CIERA
  • 2.8L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 15,500,198 MILES
Code 43 issue. After several months of failing to resolve this issue, recently came across info that resulted in a discovery as to the actual cause of this issue. In need to probe the wires at the ECM connection in order to check for a possible short to power of the actual Knock Sensor wire. It strongly suggest that the knock sensor wire is getting a power spike from another source only while the engine is running. Key off test indicate normal function of the knock sensor functions, but when the engine is actually running the circuit is actually spiking in excess of 6.875 volts. This is the problem for the code 43 light staying on, the ECM relates this to a "DETONATION KNOCK". This means one of two things, A short to power in the wire circuit or faulty mem-cal. So I need to which connector on the ECM module holds the Knock sensor wire. I need to conduct a continuity on this circuit and see if I can determine which other wire might also be connect to this circuit. If I can not find the source of the fault this way then I will cut the knock sensor loose close to the main wire connector and add a new wire directly to the knock sensor and retest the results to see if this removes the power spike to the knock sensor circuit. I need to know which connector and which pin and the wire color on that connector. Thanks!
Sunday, December 14th, 2025 AT 10:35 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 15,309 POSTS
On an 89 I'd suspect the ECM over a short but Here is the connector info. You are looking for a Dark Blue wire w white trace on terminal 9, row F, in the yellow 32 pin connector. Unplug it, de-pin the connection and plug it back in. Start the car, any voltage on the wire with it disconnected? Yes, run an overlay. No - check the ECM pin, does it show high voltage? Yes - bad ECU.
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Sunday, December 14th, 2025 AT 1:20 PM
Tiny
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How come ALL my previous questions and replies are blocked? And I see another reply was added to this question and I can not see that reply or added image. WHY?
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Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 AT 8:20 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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I don't know the answer to that. Did you log in with the same account as your earlier posts? I know the site had a bunch of issues for a while thanks to a google mess but beyond that I just log in and see the questions that don't have replies or answers and try to assist. I'm sorry you have had problems. I see my reply and three images that I added. Is that what you see?
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Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 AT 12:08 PM
Tiny
CUT213
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Yep. Normal login. Go to my questions. Pick ANY question including this thread we are speaking about. Touch the Blue Highlight to go to what ever post is mine, new screen pops up, at top it said " About Blank: BLOCKED". Screen stays white and blank. The only way I can open the screen is to go to my Email, find the link and click on it. New screen opens but only to this current post. Can not access any other of my post. Can not see any of the past post. If I just login and go to my questions or my replies, I can see the topics of all my post including this post but, can not access ANY of the post from the login screen. None!
OHHhhh. By the way, Thanks for the info. That should get me to where I get this issue resolved after two years and almost 6000 miles driving with code 43 light and retarded timing and awful gas mileage. I got to clear the work shop so I can get this car back inside out of the weather, so I can teardown, test the wires and determine what is at fault. Been a looooong battle on this one. Hard to find solid info on the OBD1 vehicles. Thank you so much!
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Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 AT 5:16 PM
Tiny
CUT213
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If I just simply login, as you normally do, I can see all kinds of post and questions, but I can not access or open ANY of the answers or post. All content is blocked completely. The ONLY way I can see this current is to use the link in my email. But that only allows access to the current on going question for replies. Nothing else is accessible!
By the way "Thank You" for your response to my question Steve. With this info I should now be able to bring this problem to a closed issue after 2 years of battling with this car.
I got to clear a space in my shop to get it out of the weather so I can crawl over and around the vehicle and stay dry and warm!
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Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 AT 5:38 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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OK, I'll forward the issue to my boss thank you for the description of the problem.
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Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 AT 8:14 PM

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