ABS Light comes on for fun

[BoominSVX]

I just finished an engine swap in my 93 X. The new engine is doing great besides the power steering pump wine, but the ABS light is being funny. If I'm driving the truck, it won't come on, but if I let it sit and idle for about 10 or 15 mins, the ABS light will turn on. The only way to get rid of it is to shut off and start the truck again. This shuts the light off and by now I am on my way, but I havn't stuck around to see if it would come on again. Any ideas on this? All input is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike

 

[Grant RI]

Has the same trouble in my 94 Ranger.Sitting at idle with my foot on the brake would cause the ABS light to glow after a few minutes.On mine it was the float sensor in the reservoir.Somehow it had "sunk" and become lodged in just the right spot that it would occasionally set the light aglow.Its a magnetic switch I beleive.Of course when that light is on your ABS system is disabled.
I pulled the float out and reinstalled it and havent had a recurrance

 

[Rhett]

Generally, ABS light will come on from one or more of these conditions:
1. brake fluid sloshing around in the master cylinder, tripping the sensor
2. dirty brake fluid
3. air in the brake fluid
4. dirty ABS sensors at one or both of the front wheels
5. bad ABS computer

If you have uneven stopping and similar ABS issues, then I would suspect the ABS sensors at one or both of the front wheels.

If there is no symptom like that, then then next thing I would do would be to make sure I've got new clean brake fluid in the system. When bleeding, be sure to get *all* the air out.

 

[mrboyle]

The reason the light goes out when you shut the engine off is because this resets the ABS module. The light will not come back untill the fault occurs again. This is one way to determine if it is a hard failure or an intermintent one. If the light comes back instantly, there is a hard failue in the ABS system. If it takes a while or is intermintent, this usually indicates a loose connector or bad ground.

 

[BoominSVX]

I think I like grant ri's thought the best. I will have to take a look at that tomorrow. It usually happens when I am sitting in it, so I probably have my foot on the brake. Occasionally when I start it up and drive without letting it warm up, I get a rumble in the brake. This may be a bad sensor, but I don't feel like putting that much money and time into it now. I have spent most of my paychecks this past few weeks on that thing, and now I put new bearings in it, but still have the rumble up front. Brand new bearings and races, but it feels like I'm driving on coarse pavement everytime I hit about 45mph. Fuel guage stopped working, console mount broke, exhaust started leaking, and all this after a new engine. Why ford WHY?
OK, I vented now. You can quit playing that violin, and yes, I'd love some cheese with my wine. :frustrate