1) 168 means 10101000, but probably you want 00010101 which is 21 decimal. But it not lead to fatal behaviour - it just maps which sensor corresponds to which spark event.

2) guilty setting most probably is threshold for mean value. It must be higher than 100% for sure. 300...500% in fact. Now code is in black area - it should do something if noise is lower than actual noise.

3) logging is configured for indivudual power, not for knock so we do not see what knock ctrl really do.

But I am agree - no knock settings, even wrong, must not lead to advancing. GintsK