ABS disable question - again

[Turbo4door1]

First off, YES - I searched.

History - started driving my car again on a daily basis, after it has really only been a sunny weekend toy for the past couple years. To give you an idea of how little I drove it, I just changed the oil the other day at 2,989 miles, and it had been TWO years since the change before it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Not good, I know. It sat outside covered for about two months prior to me driving it again. Typical rust build up on the rotors..etc. The ABS light came on shortly after leaving the driveway. Anytime I get on the brakes, the ABS activates anywhere below 5-10mph. Pretty scary when approaching a busy road, and almost rolling through the intersection because of our shitty ABS.

I found posts where a few people had the same problem, but never saw a fix for it. Our ABS sucks, and I really would rather it just quit working all together. What is the absolute MINIMUM I can do to disable it? I really don't care whether the ABS light is on in the gauge cluster or not. In my search, I saw unhooking the ABS computer in the trunk, pulling the 60amp ABS fusible link on the positive battery terminal, and pulling the front most of the three plugs, above the ABS distribution block, on the drivers side of the car. For the short term, if I just pull the 60amp fusible link, will that disable the ABS? Eventually I would like to eliminate it properly.

Thanks.

 

[atc250r]

Yes. That will kill it. If you also unplug the ABS computer in the trunk and unplug the 3 connectors under the hood that you talked about then the light will stay off too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

John

 

Mine just started doing this, I'm tearing into it on monday & will post back when I have it figgured out.

 

Mine is doing this as well, I had Keith send me some spare computers and I will tear into eventually. The fix may only involce wiping off the sensors (someone mentioned to me), but I'm not sure. Didn't someone say on here a while back that the ABS computer sufers from the same faulty electrolytics that the ECU does? Let me know what you find out Island, I would like to keep my ABS functionality.

-Josh

 

[Turbo4door1]

In my search on this board, I found a post talking about the ABS computer. Someone suggested that it has the same capacitors, but then someone else came on and said that it contains no electrolytic capacitors. Take it for what it's worth.

Thanks John. I'll be pulling all the plugs and the fusible link. I will try cleaning the wheel sensors and see what it does, but for the time being, I just need to make it stop...literally. It really is unnerving when you go to stop at an intersection, or behind another car, and the car decides for you that the brakes don't really need to be on..!!!

Just some more info for when this topic gets searched for again: When I first drove my car after it sat for awhile, the ABS was acting up. However, after a day it quit acting up, but the ABS light stayed on. Drove it that way for about two weeks - ABS light on = brakes NOT acting up. This past Friday, on my way home from work, the ABS light stayed off (for the first time in two weeks), but it was acting up again. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

I just unplugged the connectors under the hood and the ABS stopped aacting up. Of course, I have no ABS at the moment and the light is on but I would like to fix it. It does make the car driveable though.

-Josh

 

I was the one who said there are no electrolytics in there. However I must clarify that my comment applies ONLY to the '90 JDM ABS computer and MAY NOT apply to other models as I have not seen them. Simply removing the cover will soon reveal all to you!
Sorry if I've misled anyone.
Tony

 

I plan to open up the spares that Keith sent me.

-Josh

 

[marvinmadman]

Same problem here two years ago. I regapped the front ABS sensors and it fixed it. Most people will argue that they are not adjustable /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif , but I adjusted mine about 3/32" closer than it was and it fixed it. So in my eyes they are adjustable.

 

What am I looking for when I get under the car? I've never messed with ABS stuff before so I wouldn't know what the sensors look like. Do you mind describing the process of "regapping" a little bit for this newbie?

Thanks,

-Josh

 

[marvinmadman]

Just follow the wire down the shock to the hub. Just clean it first and then look at it. If it is further than an 1/8" it needs to be regapped. I put mine about a 1/16" from the toner.

 

[iceman69510]

They are adjustable. The mounting bracket has a lock bolt that can be loosened, the bracket rotated closer to the hub, and then retightened. Poorly adjusted or contaminated sensors will cause all kinds of erratic operation.

 

[atc250r]

The sensors are mounted on the knuckle, they are the only thing down there with wires going to them.

John

 

[Turbo4door1]

Well, I "fixed" it temporarily by yanking the yellow 60amp fusible link out. The ABS light is on, but it is no longer activating the ABS when it feels like it. I forgot about it on my way home from work today, and damn near ran in to my garage..!!!

A word of caution, that is probably common knowledge, but I didn't pay attention to: the yellow 60A fusible link is bolted in. I sort of just "ripped" mine out, and it left the two "legs" behind. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif Guess I'll have to track down another one if I ever decide to fix the real problem.