Diagnosing High KR

New to the Mazdaspeed 3 Space and as usual with buying cars you think are gonna be awesome their are always flaws.

MODS:
Cork sport HPFP, HPS CAI, EBAY TURBO INLET,
Dual port BOV EBAY, JBR Poly mounts all around, Cork sport OCC.

CONDITION:
6,000 miles on long block,
6,000 miles on turbo, clutch, and flywheel.
88k on trans + body

Recently purchased a ‘10 Speed 3 with a lot of paper work for maintenance and modifications. Had the description that it would misfire from Cold start needs a tune after having the new motor installed ETC.
Got it home changed spark plugs cylinder 3 was black the rest were a bit lean, Had it compression tested all turns out green 180 as expected with a new block and pistons. Got to diagnosing intake and found the OCC was installed improperly. OCC was essentially pumping what was in the catch can back into the intake piping where the valve cover tubing is supposed to go and not to the intake manifold from the PCV. Found lots of oil, gas, and condensation mixture inside the intake covered in what looked like peanut butter in the intake. Cleaned it all out, checked intercooler, looked clean but oil residue was present. Cleaned the maf reconnected all the hoses cleaned all the gunk out. Rerouted the catch can hoses. Still waiting on the one way check valve to come in. I’m dailying it so was sure it’d be okay to run without it since PCV is the initially doing the same thing just the check valve is a precaution or extra protection. Put everything back together since the plugs were fairly new just got them their shouldn’t be that much residue or burnt crud on them. *will be replacing as a precaution to diagnosing this knock* after this finding of the OCC incident. Sent a couple logs to JUSTIN at freektune before this incident numbers read fine, sent a new log after cleaning etc, numbers still fine feels a lot better and smoother. He mentions he’s seeing high KR numbers up top at WOT. I looked at the graphs KR coming on around 4-5,500 rpm and slowly tappers off. I was at half a tank a gas didn’t know if but I did hear less in the tank less performance correct me if I’m wrong. All the graphs before showed the same knock but went away after the previous tune. It never grabbed his attention until this pull. I haven’t changed or touched anything to make it seem out of place. He mentioned what fuel I’m using thinking it’s fuel quality. I said well the gas station that I’ve always used here in town. I switch between 91 octane and 91 with 10% ethonal. I do recall using 91 octane purely for about 2 weeks because I didn’t think it’d make that much of a difference but I guess it does if he suggest I use 10% ethonal which will help with the knock? Does anyone believe that could be the culprit or could their be more going on? Maybe carbon build up from the OCC? Leaky fuel injector seal very common, leaky fuel injector, vibration from the mounts causing ghost knock?

I’m stumped it’s -5 degrees outside can’t really do any diagnosis or logs etc. Car runs and drives great just power feels down and not as responsive. So any personal experiences and fixes that may be relatable like maybe the Gas theory is true and it does end up being that? Or just simply getting new spark plugs and regapping them help. BTW gapped to .26 - .28. Has anyone else just changed the gas they used locally and it help if so what gas?

Datalog 13-14 previous tune on the car

Datalog 20-21 are currently on the car

Should I go back to the previous tune as a precaution?

*OCC was on the car from the previous owner like 3 months before selling it to me and let the car sit instead of putting more money into it.

 

The amount of fuel you have in the tank has nothing to do with engine output. Add a couple of gallons of E85 to the tank (2 gallons to a full tank, preferably using E10 91 to fill the rest of the way). If the knock goes away, your ethanol free 91 was garbage.

Also, if that eth free 91 is leaded, don't use it again as it can fuck up your O2 sensors.

 

Hopefully you meant you gapped the spark plugs at 0.028. If this has all been on one tank of gas run it down and fill it up from another station to see if that's the issue

 

Would also stick with the 10% ethanol especially if that's what you tuned for and yes ethanol makes a wonderful difference in boosted vehicles

 

More to this point: Ethanol has an absurdly high octane rating in direct injection engines, so even a little bit of it does wonderful things.

 

I’ve tried refilling at my local Casey’s gas station 91 octane didn’t have 10% ethonal so I added 2 gallons of E85. I did a minor pull to pass someone knock on the acessport WOT still showed 6 knock. I’ve tried it’s only comes on at 4-6k rpm. But why doesn’t come in on a lower rpm.

 

A good question for your tuner.

 

Yes I went back and double checked plugs cylinder 3 gap was .032. I regapped all the plugs to 0.028.

Even the quality of gas I’m not sure locally who has the best quality gas. Id say Casey’s or Philips 66.

When I do refill with gas should reflash the tune disconnect the battery to reset the ecu?

 

Might be getting down to the main issue as the PCV. Drove about 800 mile round trip checked oil levels and was about a quart and half low. Even with E85 didn’t fix the knock.

 

Or rings.