I did some searching but as threads get outdated I want some new feedback.

On the first hard acceleration from about 40-80, I saw 2-3 degrees of KR but ONLY when I hit around 80mph. from 40-78ish KR was at 0. Not too bad I thought. The car seemed to run great.

I then did a custom data read and set the tool to read KR and the KS counter (along with IAC position and Spark Advance).

On the first hard acceleration, KR read 0 the whole time I floored it up to 80+. Felt nice. The KS counter however showed 10. :?

Second acceleration, KR read 0, spark advance was 12*, but KS counter jumped to 17.

Third...fourth...I got a mere 1 degree of KR once I hit 91mph. As far as KR goes, that'* all I saw. 12* spark advance. When I was done joyriding, the KS counter read 44!

WTF is going on? The counter is supposed to show how many times knock is sensed, but why did I have no KR? Should I pay more attention to KR than the KS counter? Afterall, if no timing was retarded, knock must not be bad.

KR degrees are calculated and determined by the number of knock counts detected in a period of time.

So that part is normal.

Your symptoms point to a possible fuel pump issue not being able to keep up with high demand. At WOT near 80mph, you would be at high rpm'* at the top of second gear, just before the 3rd shift. This is where you will begin to see a lean condition as your fuel pump begins to end it'* career.

So I didn't have enough knock counts in a given period of time for it to retard timing? The number 44 for knock counts has me worried, yet the KR doesn't.

Last time I checked fuel pressure was maybe 7-8 months ago...last summer. Fuel pressure was actually great at idle and WOT, higher than what is 'normal' (to which you suggested a possible obstruction in a return line, or the FPR being faulty IIRC). Maybe I should check again. :? At 135,000 I suppose a new fuel pump would be a good idea.

FWIW, the AutoXray manual says the range for knock count is 0 to 255...so maybe 40'* isn't so bad?

From my research too, the counter goes up to 255 and then resets to 0. I still don't understand how much it has to count before I should be worried, and it starts to show KR. :? If it got to 44 just last night on a 30-minute drive, I can imagine how many times it would have counted to 255 if I had a scantool on it the past year.

Most people don't monitor counts. It'* actual KR that you want to keep an eye on.

That'* all I want to know.