Hey guys, I'm rebuilding an s5 motor and need to replace the front housing. it has a sensor right above the spark plugs. My friend gave me some housings but i think they are off a s4 because neither have the hole for this sensor. Am i able to just run the s4 housing and not worry about this sensor? i don't know what the sensor is. I'll try and post pics just to illustrate what i mean. oh and all are off TII motors
thanks guys.

1st pic is of old front housing
2 is the rear that has threaded spot above the plugs also
3 the new housings which have no threaded spot
4 is the front rotor, just so everyone can cringe at the sight of it

 

Thats the knock sensor hole your are talking about. I suppose you can leave it out, just that your engine will not know when it is knocking and won't retard the timing if it is....

I have never seen housing in person, but if it has enough material I would assume you can drill a hole and tap threads for the knock sensor if you wanted to....

 

Knock sensor

 

thanks guys, i'd rather find a s5 housing then, rather than drill and tap a housing. anyone who has one wants to pm me and i obviously need a rotor too

 

Another idea,

If those housings are good, just have a machine shop or you weld a small cylinder on the housing that is tapped for your knock sensor. Would have the same effect...

 

The housings designed with the knock sensor hole have extra metal. You'd drill into the water passage on those other housings.

 

in that case i should find the correct replacement anyways. thanks everyone, i really appreciate the help.

 

in addition to the knock sensor hole mazda moved the spark plugs s5 vs s4, so if you use the s4 housings use the pair.

or just buy an s5+ housing

 

By the way, I hope you have planned on doing a port job on the housings before you reassemble the engine.

 

already started practicing on the junk one today