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Greetings wise ones. Mine is a 91 9kt with 170k.
Mid-summer I started having problems with my ABS brakes, the "ABS" light came on, and I'd OCCAISIONALLY loose boost. Resetting relays and wiggling fuses seemed to help.* Got worse until I lost boost 100% of the time, and took it to an indie.
*To "pay it forward" here, this intermittent problem was due to an old relay who was not making reliable contact any more. Lesson #1: When this happens to you, REPLACE THE RELAYS immediatly. Their cheap. ($20 at Beck-Arnley dealers.)
The shop used a KNOWN GOOD car to test my ABS computer (fine) and my car with their computer. The conclusion--though questionable--was that there is no problem in my car or computer.
Now dig this: At no time did the shop notice or mention that the "Brake FLuid" light was burned out. I pulled the bulb from the "TCS" indicator and put it in there, and now I get normal testing on the light: when I twist the key to start, just before the starter engages, ALL the indicator lights (exc. high-beams, "Cruise" and rear defog.) come on as they should. Lesson #2: that's how they're SUPPOSED to work, and check them.
So here's what's happening:
I now loose boost occaciosnally, and the fuse BURNS OUT in so doing. (the 10a fuse, not the 30a.) When I loose boost, I GET NO "BRAKE FLUID" LIGHT, even though the bulb is now KNOWN to work.
I have a constant "ABS" indicator, and no ABS.
I am told by my shop that the ABS computer line that is supposed to go to +12v to turn off the "ABS" light is going to about +2v.
I have replaced my 10a fuse with a 10a circuit breaker. (Auto reset after cooling)
Here's my theories:
#1: My boost pump has aged to the point it is drawing too much current. (This is easily beleived, and diffucult to prove. Can I just replace the pump?)
#2: One or more diodes have failed, and there's a short when certain relays close, thus occasionally blowing the fuse. (This is easily true IF and ONLY IF a diode can fail to a short. I'm investigating this, though I think it's pretty unlikely.)
#3: Just shut up and replace the whole darned assembly. THere's bad mojo and nobody knows how to scare the evil spirits away.
Your thoughts are appreciated, I hope my two minor lessons are helpful to someone else in similar straits. (If I EVER get a new car, I am coating every electrical contact with Deoxit/Preservit, and replacing every relay with an SCR, even if I have to make a compatible unit myself. See how likely I am to ever get a car that's <10 yrs old?!)
Ben "winter's comin' and I want my ABS" Millard
posted by 207.229.1...
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