ABS grinding and pulsing with no ABS light on

Anybody been down the road yet with this one? My problem started when my six month old driver's side tie rod end pulled apart as I came out of a corner doing about 30 mph. The front left wheel turned in and struck the inner wheel well/frame. After new tires and a new tie rod end, my ABS light was on and I got the grinding noise and pedal pulsing. I reviewed a few ABS topics here and pulled all 4 wheels off.

I checked the clearance of the front sensor to the toner -- both within tolerance.
The voltage signal to all 4 sensors is within tolerance.

As I was checking the front left sensor, (same side the tie rod end failed on), I found a piece of the rusted out dust shield still around the hub. I removed it, the ABS light went off and the ABS functioned normally for about 225 miles, then the grinding noise and pedal pulsing came back, but this time, no ABS light.

I regreased the shims, brake pads, calipers, and caliper pins. They were a touch dry, but not bad enough to bind up or stick. The grinding and pedal pulsing occurs now about 80% of the time that I apply the brakes. I have not replaced the dust shield on the front left.

I'll have to grab some time soon and start through the troubleshooting section of the manual, but I wanted to see if anybody has been down this road themselves.

Thanks!
Bill

 

[steve]

Are you against removing that junk?

 

Perhaps disconnect the LF sensor cable and just drive around with the ABS light on. The ABS won't function but that is better than having it malfunction.
Mike R.

 

Quote:
Are you against removing that junk?



Ha-Ha! Yeah, I should've put that in my original post. I want to do my best to keep the car original and functioning properly.

Guess I'll be hitting the manuals, then. I will post updates later.

Thanks!

Bill

 

Anyone have a picture of what a new ABS sensor looks like? I dismantled my hub today and it looks like the sensor doesn't even touch the teeth. It seems like the sensor should have a wheel on it that locks into the teeth but it is just a square looking thing. Am I right to assume something is missing and that is why I don't have a light and the ABS goes nuts every time I brake. (when it's plugged in that is)

-Josh

 

My car does the same thing. Only at low speed braking like 10mph or less.

 

Quote:
Anyone have a picture of what a new ABS sensor looks like? I dismantled my hub today and it looks like the sensor doesn't even touch the teeth. It seems like the sensor should have a wheel on it that locks into the teeth but it is just a square looking thing. Am I right to assume something is missing and that is why I don't have a light and the ABS goes nuts every time I brake. (when it's plugged in that is)

-Josh



That's exactly what the ABS wheel speed sensor is supposed to look like. It's a Hall effect sensor, and the little square looking thing generates a magnetic field that the teeth disrupt as they spin by. The frequency of these pulsations tells the ABS ecu each wheel's speed. That tip is sensitive and should never touch/rub on anything.

I'm sure I goofed on the exact physics of how it works, but you get the idea.