Casper Knock Gauge ?????

[Black Car]

Installed a Casper Knock Gauge per the instructions but having a strange problem.
With key on the green led comes on to show it is working but so is the first green and an amber and a red led knock led.
They don't go off after 10 minutes or more.
Has anyone had this problem???

TIA,
Gary

 

[RareT]

Mine has done the same thing sometimes too. In addition, it will sometimes stick on a green, amber, or red led once I start the car. The only way I have found to correct it is to turn off the key and start over.

Why does it do it? I have no idea! Mine has done it for over 2 years now.......

Ed

 

[Black Car]

Turning the key on/off doesn't change anything.
I even ran the ground wire out to the battery per the instructions.

Gary

 

[salvageV6]

Did the instructions say to install a switch in the ground lead? Momentary type.

You can reset these problem lights with the switch I believe after you start the car.

I put the switch in but my gauge doesn't lock on lights and resets automatically when start up knock, which is normal, occurs.

 

[Black Car]

There was no reference to using a momentary type switch in the instructions. Should their have been?

Thanks and keep them coming.
I will be contacting Casper on Monday.

Gary

 

[salvageV6]

My instructions were printed on a 5x7" piece of paper. Knock dwg. dated 06/98 on the back side of the instruction sheet.

Shows the switch in the legs of the blk/wht. wire terminal A.

 

[RareT]

Hmm, maybe using Salvage's momentary switch idea......maybe you could try disconnecting the ground from the knock gauge momentarily while the key is on. Wouldn't that work, to see if a momentary switch would solve the problem?

Ed

 

[BoostKillsStres]

I had the same problem and fixed it by just hooking the knock gauges power to radio fuse so it doesn't see power during the cranking phase, no switches needed.
HTH

 

[GNANIMO]

Having the exact same problem with mine..

If I disconnect the ground or power while the car is running and reconnect it, everthing starts to work normally. I am not hooking a switch to this to reset it everytime I start the car.

It's going back this week for a replacement.

 

[DCVING 6]

I have edited my post, sorry for being so negative. I am just really frustrated with the thing and haven't gotten much sleep lately.

 

[Kevin Turch]

Just hook up a switch, and turn the guage on manually. Problem solved . I believe John is telling all customers that buy the knock guage to do it this way.

Kevin

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

interesting

i just put one in my car i took out of the WE4 i just bought and it has lights staying on in it too.

i finally just unhooked it tonight but i will try what you guys are saying later and see what happens

also the wire for knock signal i hooked up to the yello/blk wire going to the ecm is that the correct wire?

 

[MARINES185]

I had my gauge for almost a year and never had a problem.
when i first turn the ignition on i get one green knock light
then after 3 seconds it goes out and the middle green
indicator light is on. during cranking it lights the gauge up
though the yellows but goes out after 3 seconds.

 

[GNVenom]

I have heard this anamoly occur several times over the years. I have found that it has to do with the ESC module, which apparently causes the glitch in the signal ONLY during startup. The gage is designed to reset 3 to 4 seconds after a knock event occurs, and normally that works good. However, during startup, the ESC module will "lock" the reset signal in the gage, causing the upper lights to stay illuminated and the preventing reset of the gage. The fix is to insert a toggle switch in one of the wires going to the gage, so you can manually set the gage after startup. I have found that the prevention is to replace the ESC module, but I don't recommend it since the module works normally with the ECM otherwise, so it'd be an expensive fix. It's easier and effective to insert a toggle switch. Also, since the green LED is illuminated in the center in standby mode, in some states you will get pulled over for what appears to be a radar detector - where they are prohibited - so you would want to turn it off for those reasons anyway. Regardless, if it is perceived to be a defective gage unit, we will replace it regardless of its age, so you can always send it to us, we'll stand behind it.
Regards,
John Spina
http://www.casperselectronics.com
Click on the AUGUST calendar in the upper left hand corner of the website - sale ends last day of August!

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

thanks for helping solve these problems with a product of yours ..i must say you are a stand up guy for offering the return of the pruduct irregardless of age.

i will be trying out the reset switch today and will report back tonight on the results.

 

[Turbojorge]

Mine has been on the car for about a year now and I'd say about 1 in every 10 start ups or so, the last red led light will stay on until the car is turned off again and restarted. It won't read any knock when this occurs. No big deal though. I just shut if off and then turn it back on. I have a scanmaster anyways, but it does kinda bother sometimes at night to see a Red light that won't go away.

 

[BoostKillsStres]

I tried to tell u guys all you have to do is hook the power wire of the gauge to a power source that isn't active during the cranking cycle, then the gauge isn't on when the ESC has this "lock" that John talks about. The radio power just so happen to do this, no switch needed its all automatic. I just ran the pwr wire to the fuse box, pulled the fuse and wrapped the stripped wire around the end of the fuse and pushed it back in, done.

I used to reset mine by unplugging and plugging in the ground wire to reset it every time I started the car but no more. I turn the key on and the gauge powers up then when starting it looses power and is off then as soon as the key comes back to the run position the gauge powers up and runs as it should.

P.S. I also cut a small piece of black tape and covered about 90% of the standby light up so its not annoying at night but I can still tell its on during the day.

 

[opzWE4]

Put a switch on mine, works like a champ.

 

[salvageV6]

Marks idea is a good one. Wiper fuse will also work for it.

They make fuse tapoffs and have them at Radio Shack that you can use 1/4" Faston type connectors to if you want a neater install.

I would use the power fuse method if mine didn't work perfectly.

 

[turbov6joe]

John,
Here is one for ya: How come my audible knock detector and the visual one that is the subject of this thread don't jive with one another? Meaning, when the visual one is lighting up in the green and amber zones, the audible is not making a sound. Now, if the visual goes all the way up to the red zone, then the audible is finally making some noise??? I thought the audible one made small chirps at low KR levels....