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ABS Light

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Old Mar 3, 2004 | 09:27 AM
  #1  
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austynn2001
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Question ABS Light

hey everyone, we are still looking for a new truck and we came across a 1987 F-350 Crew Cab. it originally had the 6.9 in it but the guy swapped it out for a 7.3. well, we are interested in buying it but he said that the ABS light has been coming on recently. what do you think it could be and how much would it cost to fix? (est)
Thanks, Austynn.
 
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Old Mar 3, 2004 | 10:27 AM
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frederic
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Re: ABS Light

hey everyone, we are still looking for a new truck and we came across a 1987 F-350 Crew Cab. it originally had the 6.9 in it but the guy swapped it out for a 7.3. well, we are interested in buying it but he said that the ABS light has been coming on recently. what do you think it could be and how much would it cost to fix? (est)
Hard to say without testing it, but if its just the ABS speed sensor, its an inexpensive, easy repair. Sensor on the differential.

it might be the ABS modulator, might be not enough brake fluid, might be a leak in the system, might be the EEC computer itself, and it gets more expensive further down the list.

Assuming all that stuff is bad, and you buy remanufactured stuff, the repair worse case would be about a grand assuming everything is broken.

Being that its an intermittent problem, more than likely its just the ABS sensor, or maybe the modulator, which would cut that "worse case" number by a third.

Again, hard to say without looking at it, but hope that helps.

BTW, the 7.3L Diesel is a darn good engine.
 
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Old Mar 3, 2004 | 10:30 AM
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Could be several things. There should be a plug near the e-brake pedal with a black/orange stripe wire going to it. Supposedly, you can ground that when the light is on and the light will blink out a code. I haven't been able to get it to work in my truck though. It could be the speed sensor in the rear differential, the modulator valve on the frame, or could be wiring faults. When the light is on it means that the abs system is temporarily disabled, but has no effect on the normal operation of the brakes. My mechanic says most of the time since repair is expensive, he just unplugs the abs computer to make the light go out.
 
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Old Mar 3, 2004 | 01:56 PM
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thanks guys. i'm glad to hear that it's probably not too expensive .
 
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Old Jun 28, 2004 | 08:02 PM
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ok, we got the truck and the brakes dont work that good at all but sometimes when you press the brake down it will work for a second and then the pedal will go down all the way and you will feel it "grinding" (like when you are moving a ratchet in the opposite way of your desired direction). and then it will go back towards you(push your foot back) and continue to work.) any guesse?

Thanks, Austynn
 
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Old Jun 28, 2004 | 10:55 PM
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Go to advanced search, put in my user name in the user name box and abs in the search box. You will find several threads that may help.

You should have a red brake light and a yellow abs light. Make sure the both work when you are starting the truck. I suspect your red light doesn't work.

You have to fix all of the mechanical brake problems first and then fix the abs problems.

If you don't know how to fix brakes, get help.
 
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