Time to start putting lights out on the christmas tree. So far I have made some progress, having replaced the coolant level indicator (thanks to Shoebox's comprehensive write-up). Unfortunatly, I am having zero luck with the ABS INOP light on my 3 channel Z-28. This thing has been on for atleast 7 years, I have tried replacing the relay and have checked the fuses...that is about the limit to my knowledge on ABS. I have very recently replaced both front wheel hubs which takes care of those sensors, inspected the wiring going to them and have found nothing. I have also pulled out the wheel speed sensor and cleaned it to no avail. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

On a possibly relative note: I swapped from a 2:73 series 2 carrier to a 3:42 series 3 carrier out of a 6 speed car when I tore my rear up 7 years ago. I adjusted the computer accordingly...just in case there is something there.

Thanks, charlie

 

Most people don't know that the EBCM can be scanned. The ABS system has it's own complete list of DTCs that can be pulled. A dealership should be able to pull the codes for you. It won't be cheap, but that's an easy way to determine what's going on.

 

What reluctor wheel did you use in the 3 series carrier? The 3 series and 2 series reluctor wheels in the rear end are different. If you use a 2 series reluctor in a 3 series carrier the alignment between reluctor and sensor will be off.

 

Third brake light is out.

 

As ridiculous as this sounds. A burned out bulb in the third brake light will cause an ABS light and disable the cruise control.

 

Well I went to swap the bulbs in the third brake light and realized I had LEDs. I swapped to the LS style SS spoiler a few years back. The good news is that it is working. As far as the reluctor wheel is concerned, it is the stock piece out of a 95 car, so I am not sure which it is. Is there a way to tell? So this is what I have:

94 Chasis/electrical with the stock 95 series 3 carrier from a 95 Z-28.

*would it make sense for me to go buy the wheel speed sensor from a 6 speed car?*

 

The only way to tell is opening up the rear end and taking a close look at the reluctor and sensor positioning.
This is a picture of a 2 series reluctor mounted on a 3 series carrier. You can clearly see the alignment between sensor/reluctor is completely off:

 

Wow, that is a good picture thank-you. I went to GM yesterday and sought a 95 3 series sensor, it is 146.00! I found what appears to be a longer version of my 2 series sensor (which is out of a truck). I am hesitant to pay that much for a sensor...You don't have a pic of a 3 series wheel speed sensor do you?

Thanks again!

Charlie

 

Sorry I have no picture of a series 3 reluctor.
The sensor remains the same for both carriers, the reluctor ring is the one different. The series 3 reluctor is about $25 if I remember correctly.
I was able to get away with it before buying a new reluctor by carefully shifting the reluctor positioning on the carrier till I got a partial overlap of the reluctor with the sensor. It did work 100%.
See attached picture:

 

I told you the light was out. An LED will not (by itself) work.

You have to have a filament in the back third brake light. LED's by them selves will NOT be good enough.

I had the same problem with my SS wing with LED's. You have to add a filament. I used a relay. Problem will be gone. I never understood why the places that sell these don't understand that. Nor is it in the instructions. Even after having told the folks I bought mine from, they still don't tell anyone.

Stop looking else where. Put a relay (coil side) in the circuit with the LED and your cruise and ABS will work again.

One other thing. If it were a wheel sensor, the ABS INOP light would be off until you start to role. Then the light would come on. This is known as a "soft" code. As apposed to a hard code that you have. So if your ABS INOP light is on all the time, even before rolling, it could not be the wheel sensor(s) unless you had more than one problem.

Which I doubt.

Add the relay to the third brake light. This will show you what to do, in case you don't believe me.
http://shbox.com/1/relay_for_ss_spoiler.jpg

 

Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the heads up! I will give this a try and see what happens. My only concern is that the light was on six years before I put the SS spoiler on, and came on right after I tore my stock series 2 up...but that is not to say that the lights on my stock spoiler are not out This might be a silly question, but do you know what the resistance should be from the LED cluster in the spoiler? Or a range?

 

If you take a measurement of the bulb filament, you will probably find it's less than 2 ohms. However, a coil will change resistance with current flowing through it. So a resistor is a bad idea. Use a coil like in a relay.

 

My ABS inop light stays on too, and my 3rd brake light works fine. Any ideas? Sorry for the hijack, but I figured it woul be better than having 8 different threads on the same topic.

 

A bad bulb in the third brake light will also disable the cruise control. So if you don't have a problem with the cruise, it can't be from the bulb.

Only way to start to find the problem is scan it.

 

Helloooooooo is there any update?