Faulty ABS

[grinder]

Hiya chaps

( its a 1991 FC3S TII Cab Auto - just incase no one knows what car it is ! )

crickey its been a while since i actually made a new thread on here .. but here goes

The car has been stood since rotorstock and was only started and used last week ( yeah , yeah , yeah i know , its a bloody long time )

anyways , car started first touch with a freshly charged battery and runs like a dream

had an issue with the BOV ( but some WD40 sorted that out )

any ways ... the ABS light in on

it only comes on after reaching 5mph ( after the self test ) - so looks like something isnt working

i KNOW the ABS sensors are practically unchangable - so im hoping its not that

is there anything else that it could be .. im pretty sure its not the ABS ECU as that causes the light to be on all the time ( although it could be )

i suppose the 2nd question is .. whats the odds of getting it thru an MOT with the ABS light on and no ABS - to be honest the brakes are working just fine ( in fact better now without the ABS as they were pretty spongy before )

or could all this be something dead simple like air in the lines ( but then i would assume the brakes not to be solid as they are now )

all ideas welcomed

Stu / Grinder

[TiddlesRX7]

Check the fuse first mate. I drove mine for half of last year without the fuse in. Infact I did the Cadwell track day like that! Failing that get each wheel off and have a look at the spigot ring that the sensor picks up its signal from. Clean them up with a wire brush. Whilst doing this have a look at the distance each sensor is away from the spigot ring. The tolerance for this is in the workshop manual. Other than that Im not too sure.

Ade

[TiddlesRX7]

Oh and as part of the routine maintainance I think driving it should be top of your list!

[Brett]

Put petrol in, drive.

Rinse and repeat

[no_boingers]

ABS light check is part of the MOT - it has to come on with the ignition (so no taking the dash-bulb out ) and go off after the self-check.


Although having said that there *may* be a year-related exemption (like there is with cats)... hmmm, need to check that...


EDIT: just checked the MOT manual and there\'s no age-related exemption: if it\'s fitted (as either \'standard\' or \'optional\') then the warning light must work properly.

.

[m1tch]

Does the car \'hiss\' after 5mph? Mine has failed, but it didn\'t fail the MOT on it today, just failed on other stuff

[grinder]

it does the long self check and then goes silent

you can hear the hiss with the self check just fine

no idea what it is to be honest - i might throw in another ECU and see if that helps - im just hoping its not either the ABS unit or any sensors

hummmm might need to jack it up and have a nosey .. shame its not simple to find out what side has failed

[m1tch]

Might just need to bleed the ABS unit, there are 2 bleed screws on the top of the unit

[grinder]

if its just that - im laughing .. got a week off next week so might have a look at it

it brakes soooo much better without ABS though

[TiddlesRX7]

Yeah mine did too. Time to remove it I think!

[grinder]

i have to admit - that thought did cross my mind to be honest