The "Infamous" ABS/Brake light problem

[CWeidenkeller]

Ahhh, the joys of BOMBing.....



Must have knocked something loose last night. After thorough research, I have narrowed my ABS/Brake light problem down to 10 or 15 possibilities



Lights come on/go off for no particular reason, (i. e. , I can't duplicate it), but the truck stops fine (well, as good as it ever did), so I'm going to start with checking for vacuum leaks. Anybody know of any easy way to find a leak in the spagetti mess my friends south of the border left me?



I think I'll follow that up with checking the fuses, a beer, checking the plug at the rear end, another beer, the wires under the dash, yet another beer, etc. until I find the problem or become too drunk to continue... .



Maybe follow up with a redline /EGT check in a school zone... . (just kidding, it would be Saturday- no kids=no points )

 

[Deezul1]

After trying for 6 mo to find the problem in my 96 I finally unplugged the ABS puter and the lights FINALLY went out, still stopped the same too.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

My problem was with my rear wheel speed sensor on top of the diff. The wiring to it was busted up pretty bad because I drive fast on lots of gravel roads. The actual sensor on my truck also had to be replaced at a different time because of the cheap piece of tin protecting it. Now I have the wires wrapped in 3/8 fuel line and made my own gaurd for the sensor out of 2 inch angle iron. I would start at the wiring to the rear diff... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

 

[Extreme1]

As for the vacuum, try checking the line up from the vac pump for deterioration. Then check for oil in the lines beyond that one. I recall a TSB for around that year that adds a check valve or something to keep oil out of the system.

 

[Skydiver]

Flush the system

Have you tried flushing the hydraulics starting with new brake fluid in master cylinder.

It worked for my Dodge.

Tim

 

[CWeidenkeller]

It gets even wackier - it's definitely a vacuum problem, or so I think. When the idiot lights come on, the heater controls don't work. When the lights go off, the heater controls work again. I pulled loose a vacuum line the other night (by mistake), but I plugged it back in. It's the small line that tees out of the main vacuum line running from the pump to the brake booster. The small line goes to a gang fitting under the cowl rubber, to the right of the master cyl... ... ...



Unfrotunately i have bigger things to worry about. Seems I've developed a fuel leak near where the metal fuel lines attach to the inside of the frame, and I fear my rear main seal is shot as well... ...



Good thing I enjoy tinkerin' with this thing or I'd go nuts...

 

[KB0OU]

VACUUM PROBLEM

I had problems with my vacuum controls, it was the elbow where the big line attaches to the little line between the pump and the brake booster, throw the elbow away and replace with a short piece of vacuum hose.