The '97-'05 Montero Sports never came with knock sensors. Kinda lame, IMHO. So, no, there's nothing to pull timing within the ECM/PCM other than via the normal programed in timing/load maps. In addition, there's no way to hook up a knock sensor(s) unless you go with the Megasquirt since the F/IC doesn't have any circuitry for that. I wish they did, but knock sensing is a science in and of itself and most turbo or supercharged engines come with their own knock sensors already so I can understand their rational.

The general operation of the ECM/PCM is to increase timing (up to a point) as load decreases. Timing runs from 0 to 40 degrees. My reasoning behind changing gearing from the 5.38s to the 4.90s was an attempt to increase load thereby getting the ECM to decrease timing. Which, as I said earlier, kinda worked somewhat.

I see this in action going from 5th gear down to 3rd gear on the highway on protracted inclines. In 5th it's MOSTLY ok, but on dropping to 4th (decreasing engine load) the timing goes up and it really starts heating up. 3rd is impossible. I had to stop three times on Eisenhower Tunnel to let it cool down and ambient was in the low 50s. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> It's fine in town because of the stop and go but going over the passes is terrible. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> That's 15 miles of 4-12% grade at 9000+ ft.

Even that isn't the worst part. Off road its REALLY bad. Even in freezing temps at 12K ft. with the fans on high and with the new radiator it's a big problem. It MIGHT be less of a problem with the 1.92s and stock diff gearing (kinda like my change to 4.90s), but with my gearing I can do a 50 degree incline without even touching the gas pedal so the load is SO low that the timing pegs at 40 degrees - which is the maximum on the timing table - and WAY WAY WAY too much for a 3.5L.

In CO I can work around it off road, but in UT its a real problem. Lots of trails don't have safe 'pull-offs' and you just can't stop on some inclines for the hell of it to let the engine cool down. And the hotter ambient is, the worse the problem. Coming out of Potato Bottom or up from Potash really sucks in the summer. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I've had to get creative with the fans and air conditioning fan to keep the temps somewhat in control.

Towing BTW is out of the question with things the way they are. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Edward