Milzy motorsports said this about their pcms

Our standard pcm's don't require 93 or higher octane. Some cars may be able to run ok on 87, some may need mid-grade, just depends how much knock retard you currently have. Even stock cars can have a decent amount of knock. A few years ago, my brother's stock grand prix gt had 14 degrees on his completely stock car before we did a tune-up. It's always good to do some cheap KR reducing mods to start with just in case, things like a 180 t-stat, some colder spark plugs, maybe a downpipe if you can afford it. Anything that reduces combustion chamber temps or increases exhaust flow will help decrease knock.



Now i aint got the 180 stat or downpipe yet but if the pcm is my fist mod will it hurt my baby?

 

jonny...brotha...mr pimpalicious facebook pic man, i have mine tuned and i dont have 180 tstat or downpipe, i just have the ubend delete, it will be tuned for those from what i understand but the main things he will be doing is the rear 02 delete and adjusting shift points. i havent had any trouble with it, i do want to do a 180 tstat tho soon.

 

I'd scan the motor for KR before and after the PCM install. Chances are, you'll need to run premium to get rid of your knock.

 

i didnt have to run premium, what exactly is knock, i guess i dont really know what it is, which leads me to think i dont have any but from what i hear i probably do ha

 

this is an article that Mike (chibi) told me to read when I had the same question about KR...

http://www.stlclubgp.com/tech/kr/

 

Does your car run slower somtimes for no reason?? Does it loose the powerband a little when you floor it from 0MPH?? If so, you have KR.

 

Yeah any good ways to stop that

 

Well, you got the CAI, thats the first thing you get to HELP (you cant stop it)
180* t-stat would help, anything to keep the engine cooler. Higher octane gas always helps. It helped me with the PCM, he says you dont NEED it? He told me it is highly reccomended though and it reduces KR. The biggest thing I have found that helps the MOST, dont floor it from a dig. Ease into full throttle. Now, you dont need to baby the gas pedal, just dont floor it from ZERO MPH. Synthetic oil will keep your engine a little cooler, whitch will help a TINY bit. Buy the oil filter that is made for the V8 (im not sure exactly which one this is, maybe PM a couple people who have the newer SS's)
Braking real hard also creates KR.
Alot of people are against this one, but I find it helps a little also, every about 5 fillups, put in a quarter bottle of STP octane booster (remember though every 5 fillups ONE QUARTER BOTTLE.
Keeping your air filter really clean (im sure you already do that one though right?)

And thats all I can think of. Remember, each one of these things alone (other than the not flooring it from 0 MPH) doesnt do ALOT. But combining all of these together will give results you will notice.
For years and years, with my monte, my contour, and the ranger I drove over these "years and years" I had HUGE KR problems, and never knew what was going on with this "performance problems" It would be rippin' one day, then draggin', just trying to move the next day. Even somtimes, it would lose power right in the middle of the powerband. And finaly got my monte scanned (actually just the other day) and found out what all this was about. I had 7 percent or degrees (whatever they measure it in) of knock (or knock retard)
They told me all the things I just posted, and said what I just said. So, Ive been doing what they said would help (all the above) and Ive been seeing some nice improvments, very happy also.
Just know, its not some miracle fix all, its just gonna make you "happy" not estatic or nothing. Enough to keep your car having "reliable performance". And by that I mean, you will have the same power most of the time. You're ALWAYS gonna have some KR from time to time. Nothing you can do about that one.
Sorry to keep going on and on with this, Im sure your eyes hurt by now huh? Good luck

 

mine feels like it did when i had a warm air intake, like on a humid day it seems sluggish, is that considered knock maybe?

 

That could ONLY be a maybe, like Ive been told quite a few times, the only way to be for sure, is to get it scanned. But if its feeling sluggish for some odd reason (randomly) and there isnt an explaination as to why, that would be my first thought>> KR.