E30 Zone

Just a quick one guys,

Can i bypass the ABS pump by just using a T Piece for the fronts and a Straight inline connector for the back,

So where the line for the front goes from the master cylinder to the pump it then splits in the pump comes out and to each caliper can i replace the pump with a T peice. same idea with the rear??? Hope that makes some sence

Yes, but why any sane person would want to is beyond me.

because i have no ABS wiring, its all been snipped. and the pump appears not to work, and my car failled the mot, as becasue the unit is there it 'has' to work.
I found that it would be easyer to take the pump out and whats remaining of the sensors out, connect the brake lines up as above, then i have no abs/related bits so in theory it should pass. once i have a pass i can look into making the ABS work again. Or am i mad?

gmf_uk wrote:Or am i mad?

Your words!

First of all, whether or not ABS works is not, and has never been, part of the MOT test. There's no road test, so how would a tester know if the ABS worked or not? What has been tested in regards of the ABS system, is the illumination and sequence of the ABS warning light, but the MOT test regarding ABS systems has changed recently, in that the ABS light sequence is no longer part of the test, so a light connected to any one of the other warning lights that come on with the ignition and go out when the engine is started will suffice.
The relevant section of the testers' manual: http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s03000401.htm
Note the stuff about wiring being intact and all parts being present.
What exactly has been snipped? The E30 system is fairly easy to diagnose, so it will almost certainly be easier to try to sort it from the start, than start messing with the plumbing.

the wires have been " extensivly damaged " at each wheel sensor.
there is no wiring at the pump at all. and the dash light does not illuminate at all.
He told be that as the car has ABS fitted, it MUST work. He also told me that this only came into force this month. So as i only have a few free days to try and sort this before the retest, i thought id be quicker taking the pump out the sensors off the wheels and as i have been running with no ABS since i got the car its not going to make that much differenct to me.
So with the items removed i wont have ABS therefor it does not need to work.

What has been tested in regards of the ABS system, is the illumination and sequence of the ABS warning light, but the MOT test regarding ABS systems has changed recently, in that the ABS light sequence is no longer part of the test, so a light connected to any one of the other warning lights that come on with the ignition and go out when the engine is started will suffice.

Based on this and what the rules state, I would just swap over one of the lights on the back of the cluster to get you through the MOT.

But i have no wiring from the Sensors to where ever it goes. so id need to find where all that goes. and no wiring to the pump. The mot states that the 'Wiring is extensivly damaged' so that would need fixed or removed. and id guess it would be quicker to remove it all and jsut conneect my brake lines up as above rather than fixing it all. I dont have that many free evenings to get this done. then when i have more time its only a 2 min job to pop the pump back. Just needing a quick fix i guess. Wiring the bulb up to come on and off still means i have 'Extensivly Damaged wiring ' and a pump thats inoperable.

If it's as vandalised as you say, then you probably are the exception to the rule, and your original idea is probably the best one for now.
If the pump and its plumbing is still there, it will be a fail if the wiring is damaged, so it'll have to come out.
Your tester is still giving you false information though. The ABS does NOT have to work if it's fitted. The tester won't know if it's working or not, since it's not checked during the test. The ONLY part of the system that must work is the warning light.
Something similar applies to the speedo. It has to be there, but it doesn't have to work. The only part of the speedo. that needs to work is the bulb that lights it up.

cheers for your advice... yeh the wiring is damaged and i think its going to be alot easyer just to connect the brake pipes as i think above...

can i just undo the sensors and pull them out the holes and leave the holes open?

Holes can be left open. That's how they are on the hubs of some E30s without ABS.

ah thats what i thought.

Excellent and Cheers for all your great advice once again!

Its easier and better to make three new brake pipes, one to each front wheel from the master and one to the pressure valve just below the master cylinder which feeds the rear brakes.

better yes, but not easyer as all i need to do it pop in the connectors. job done, i think if i dont re install the ABS after the MOT i will just renew the brake pipes like you suggest, but theyre are new pipes already in it.