[DeTomaso] NPC: Need ABS help! Bad solenoid relay control valve block.....?

steven.liebenow at att.net steven.liebenow at att.net
Mon Oct 25 19:13:52 EDT 2010


Since you are the most diverse, worldly, and all knowing bunch I have ever 
known, I want to throw this one out.........

Working on my daughter's 91 Mark VII LSC Lincoln, with 220K miles on the 
chassis.   Recent brake job was fine.  Have always flushed the system, used 
proper brake lube on the seals when reassembling etc, and this last job was 
pretty normal, worked fine for a couple of months....

I am getting NO codes, and self test says system is OK.  I can believe it.  
"Electrically" speaking that is, going on what I know of Ford self diags 
etc.....

What is happening is that after you depressed the brake pedal under normal 
braking, the rear brakes would stay engaged for a couple of seconds and then 
ease off....

I went around and around with every piece of documentation I could find on the 
TEVES Mark II ABS system that Ford had.....    Similar system is used in the 
Thunderbird SC and standard models, Cougar, and Continental, to see what I could 
find.  I found every thing but what I wanted.....how the system actually works 
in normal mode, with a block diagram.....no such thing.  Close...but not it.   
They use the same system in BMW's too, at least for a few years!

There is a "valve block" which contains 6 valves that control braking pressure.  
4 for the front, and two for the rear.   Three valves are "outlet" and NC until 
the computer tells the "inlet" valve to stop letting pressure in, and then tells 
the "outlet" valves to open and ease off on the pressure!  I was thinking that 
the outlet valve must be stuck.

This system is an electric braking system.  It differs from the old hydro-boost 
which used your P/S pump for pressure.....  It uses an electric pump to build up 
pressure (2300PSI!!!) in an "accumulator" that supplies pressure upon braking.  
When pressure goes down, electric motor pumps it back up again.....

The replacement unit for this system, is the booster, adapter, master cylinder, 
valve block, and reservoir....and sells for a cool $1300.   Probably about twice 
the value of the car as it sits!!!

The local self serve yard was having a 33% off sale two weeks back and I 
stumbled upon it...so figured it was a good weekend to try and find a nice used 
unit.....found one in a car with 140K miles, fairly clean, and it came out with 
out too much cursing etc, and $40.

After more reading and thinking, I decided to swap only the relay body.  As it 
turns out, putting the new relay body into the car was about 85% of the work of 
replacing the whole danged unit.....but I couldn't see introducing TOO many new 
variables to the mix.

As it was, changing the solenoids did change the symptoms.  Now the rear brakes 
work fine, and the fronts are staying locked......only for a few seconds....and 
then pressure eases off and away ya go!

What I am looking for, is a place that can rebuild or refurb my control block or 
the individual valves!!!   I figure if there are services doing injector 
cleaning etc, that there must be places doing brake valves too.......  Just that 
I cannot seem to find them!   IF all else fails, I'll get some brake clean and 
see what happens.......or maybe drop them in the sonic toothbrush cleaner when 
the wife isn't looking.......!

I've emailed places that claim to have parts...ie Ford original pieces, to no 
avail.

SO, I put it out to this gang.    In order to keep the bandwidth usage down low, 
for those that do not care, please drop me an email offline, I'd appreciate 
it!!!

Ciao!

Steve



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