Removing ABS

[Tim Leech]

Is it possible? I know it has safety benefits, but we are all aware of the issues they cause on older cars and that they can fail a MOT if the lamp is illuminted, the TZI has it fitted and its playing up, it was a factory option and not standard fit.

I would of course like it to be working perfectly but as theres no way to know where the fault is without spending a small fortune im a bit stuck!

[Dollywobbler]

These days, I'm not sure how easy it is as I think the MOT computer will tell the tester whether it is fitted or not - in which case he'll be expecting the bulb to illuminate when the ignition is turned on. Given the power of BX brakes, I think ABS is probably a good thing, though the light illuminates occasionally on mine too.

[Mothman]

Malcolm is the man to help here Tim.

I suspect a wire has busted but where is the problem?

Good luck with it.

Andy

[Vanny]

BX ABS is fundamentally four sensors and a valve, it's hardly a complicated system to figure out. Better still the Citroen Workshop Manual instructions on diagnosing an ABS related fault is freely available on the interwebz and requires little more than a bog standard multimeter.

Taking it off is going to require a significant amount of repiping, meaning either finding a donor, finding new shaped pipes or making up new pipes for which you can factor in a good £200 for tools and supplies. Unless of course you bodge the ABS pump out.

To make it a true non ABS car you'll need to change drive shafts and all manner of wiring.

There are of course simple ways of getting it through an MOT, if that is all you need.

[Kitch]

BX ABS is fundamentally four sensors and a valve, it's hardly a complicated system to figure out. Better still the Citroen Workshop Manual instructions on diagnosing an ABS related fault is freely available on the interwebz and requires little more than a bog standard multimeter.

Taking it off is going to require a significant amount of repiping, meaning either finding a donor, finding new shaped pipes or making up new pipes for which you can factor in a good £200 for tools and supplies. Unless of course you bodge the ABS pump out.

To make it a true non ABS car you'll need to change drive shafts and all manner of wiring.

There are of course simple ways of getting it through an MOT, if that is all you need.

Like a 1k resistor under the back seat. Lamp stays off until I get to 15mph

[Dollywobbler]

Well, I didn't want to mention that...

[docchevron]

I think you'll find if it's recorded as an ABS car it'll fail the MoT if it's removed.
When you say the ABS is playing up, how so?
There are of course very easy ways to make the light come on with the ignition and go out after a set time regardless of what the ABS is doing, but as said above, it's a very simple system, fault testing it is easy. The only things that tend to fail on the system are the wiring to the sensors.

[Tim Leech]

When I got it the ABS light was working fine, since then it comes and goes off (when it came back on you could hear a relay click) but is now on all the time (bulb removed).

I wouldnt know where to start to be honest (I have a spare pair of ABS hubs), it has luckily passed the last 2 MOT's with the bulb removed but ideally it would be nice to have it working as it should....

I wont be removing anything though as it looks much more difficualt than I envisaged, thanks for the advice.

[Vanny]

Finding the repair documents require nothing more than typing

Citroen bx abs pdf

into google, and viola

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=citro ... 74&bih=927" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mothman]

Just out of interest? Where would it say it had ABS fitted as standard?
Is there something on the MOT details we dont know about? Or is it in the VIN no?

Andy

[citronut]

it has luckily passed the last 2 MOT's with the bulb removed

how much did you pay the tester

as if ABS is fitted the lamp must come on on turning the ignition on and go out so many seconds after that,

not as if the MOT tester cant see the ABS block under the bonnet,

regards malcolm

[mds141]

Tim is the ABS actually working? ie does it prevent the wheels from locking up? I'd be inclined to leave it all alone. I imagine a ABS sensor has a wiring fault, probably due to vibration and/or water ingress. Bring the TZI along to the technical weekend, I'm sure someone can sort it.

[Way2go]

how much did you pay the tester

as if ABS is fitted the lamp must come on on turning the ignition on and go out so many seconds after that,

not as if the MOT tester cant see the ABS block under the bonnet,

regards malcolm

It's probably the same MOT Tester that stuck the emissions probe up the exhaust of the car next to Tim's when his own emissions were too high.

[Tim Leech]

It also has a ABS badge on the tailgate, the MOT tester at work is quite strict, the chap who did my spannering work for me left a while ago (nowt to do with me) so I rarely get any work done there now.

Looks as if he hasnt "noticed" there is no ABS light, and no Mark since the ABS lamp started coming on it doesnt work, it did when I got it!

Thanks Vanny, it may aswell be in urdu though!

[Vanny]

Urdu? It's got pictures and everything!