Yes, but it's not able to read the sensor, because the sensor is basically saying "there is no knock" because it is ALWAYS grounded.
VTEC will work for sure, but make SURE u always run 93 or premium in ur area, or u could risk detonation.
The reason it's there is to detect detonation (aka engine melting and blowing up) because idiot people put in 87 into a high-compression motor like a b16a or b18c, so the engineers designed it to use this so people COULD run 87 WITHOUT risking detonation.
I didn't have one for years, always ran 93 and NEVER had a problem...
sway from this advice, and you are asking for trouble...
Hope that explains it...
Later