I just wanted to ask what some people's experiences have been with getting bad gas and getting a CEL from the Knock Sensor (P0326) from the car. I exclusively put 93 octane in, but I've found that certain gas brands seem to throw this code. I'm not sure if my car is just extra-sensitive to this sort of thing, or what? I'm pretty much down to four major brands that I can use without either feeling a decrease in performance or having the light come on. Is that normal?

FYI, 2006 R53, 71xxx miles.

 

http://www.toptiergas.com/index.html

Had a SES error a year ago or so and had it reset no worries. Happened again just a couple of months ago and had to have the sensor replaced. My shop guy handed me the BMW top tier gas list and recommended adding BG44K every six months.

http://www.bgfindashop.com/locator/index.php

 

You may need to replace your knock sensor. I'm not sure how it works on MINIs but with my old Nissan the knock sensor CEL would come on every once in a while. When I finally got around to checking it, it had cracked and needed replacing.

 

Never had a code....run 93....both before and after tune...
If you get a knock code with 93.....I would be interested to see what is going on..
Folks can/do run 89....(not good, but folks do it) no codes....so if you are getting a full blown knock warning with 93....something beyond bad fuel might be going on...maybe just an agressive tune, some excessive carbon, maybe an injector no spraying 100% flow....but even fuel a bit out of spec...by a full grade should not normaly throw a code...if the the car has a pulley, has the plugs been changed (just like a jcw) with every major service, rather than 100k?

 

It's not a mod causing this - my powertrain is bone stock, no tunes either.
I'm thinking it might be carbon - I bought some seafoam today, will run that through tomorrow if I get the chance and the weather is alright. If it's still causing problems, my only other thought (that you said as well) is that perhaps one of my injectors is

 

could be the fuel filter/pump, what's your pressure at the fuel rail?

seafoam wont solve any real problems.

 

I know seafoam won't really solve anything major, but I've got over 70,000 miles so I just want to give it a shot and see if it helps.
And I'll check my pressure at the rail right now, give me five min.