Missing Knock Sensor Problems??

[SquadCarPathfinder]

So a while back I had replaced the injectors of my pathy. And upon removal of the lower plenum, we learned that the knock sensor had been removed and the wire had been folded back and taped to the rest of the harness. my dad told me that it had apparently been there since we had owned it. We have owned it since my parents bought it used from the mazda dealer. would it cause any kind of reduced fuel economy to not have it? would it also explain why if i had any knocking problems that the knocking wouldnt reduce or stop?

[Slartibartfast]

If the ECU isn't throwing a code for the missing sensor, I would assume it came that way. I know I've seen at least one other post on here about a Pathfinder with (for whatever reason) no knock sensor and the harness taped back.

 

The ECU does not rely on the knock sensor to set fuel mix or timing under normal conditions. The service manual suggests that it's only there for emergencies. Something goes wrong, the engine starts knocking, the sensor tells the ECU about it, the ECU retards the timing. I'd expect yours to run the same as any other Pathfinder under normal conditions; it just wouldn't know to retard the timing if something went wrong.

[adamzan]

My 1994 doesn't have one but my 1995 does. Actually come to think of it my replacement engine had one and I plugged it in, but I don't remember if the old one had it. The replacement was a 1991 JDM pathfinder engine.

[SquadCarPathfinder]

I know the knock sensor is used for advancing or retarding the ignition, but would it not being connected cause bad fuel economy and perhaps light power loss?