ABS and ignition problems

[1998_K1500_Sub]

I'm going to go with my theory that it's the ignition control module, to start with. Maybe even the ignition coil. Why? Because I don't like your theory about the ECU, because it sounds like more of a PITA to fix.

I laughed out loud

Don’t you hate it when you cause a new problem while trying to fix another.

It’s sorta like when lightning strikes; currents can flow in the most bizarre places and ruin things in its path.

It’s sounds like you’re on a path to a solution.

 

[Pinger]

Put bar clamps over the banjo fittings while I was working on everything else to keep the fluid in, but they leaked and MC ran dry, and apparently sucked air into my ABS pump (the 4WAL EBC4). More fun times.

For future - use something like in the photo below to push the MC to a position where its outlet ports are closed. That prevents the MC draining down and does it without risk of damage to hoses.

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[cdone]

Yeah, that would've been a good idea... never really had the bar clamps leak like that before though (to be clear, I just clamp over the sides of the banjo, no pinching of the hose.

Didn't help I spread the work out over several days... recent knee surgery means I probably shouldn't have been doing it at all just yet.

I like the stick idea though.. maybe an extendable closet rod if I can find the right length, so it fits all the different cars.

 

[Pinger]

I like the stick idea though.. maybe an extendable closet rod if I can find the right length, so it fits all the different cars.

The one in the photo is my bleeding one. I've another shorter one for closing off the MC.
Steering wheel moves, as does a seat if that's used instead so there's some adjustability! Or maybe I'm overselling the simple stick...

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

Or maybe I'm overselling the simple stick...

Maybe you should be selling the simple stick.

It looks like a Shark Tank winner to me

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[df2x4]

I had a similar multi-purpose tool in my first car. It doubled as a hood prop and a button presser. The trunk wouldn't open unless you were pulling up on the lid while you hit the release button, and the button was on the driver's side door panel. With one hand pulling up on the trunk lid and the other jamming the button with the stick I could just barely get it.

 

[cdone]

Alright, so... I was wrong about the distributor pick-up coil, and I'm glad because I didn't want to pull/rebuild my distributor. I hate, loathe, and despise adjusting timing (mostly thanks to a PITA '89 Ranger that was my first truck).

I thought it was, because I misinterpreted the drawings in the FSM, and ended up testing the C and + terminals of the ICM thinking they were the pick-up coil. So anyway... I did some more testing today, following the flow chart in the electrical diagnostic manual, and got to the part where you crank the motor with a test light on the tach lead, and lo and behold it was solid, no flashing.

So, I kept following - checked my ignition coil, and it appeared to have some readings that weren't quite right. Pulled it and tested again and it seemed to test fine once it was out, but I already had a new Delphi coil and it was a PITA to pull (damned steel fuel lines in the way) so I just put in the new one while I was there.

The other main culprit for what I was seeing, according to the flow chart, was the ICM (which was also my first strong hunch), and I had already picked up one of those (Napa Echlin - I was going to buy the Delphi but didn't want to wait 2 days... that was 3 weeks ago now I think). So I installed that too. Threw a new cap/rotor on while I was at it (Wells E01704 kit off Amazon), and turned the key... and it fired right up. While I was doing everything else I went ahead and put new wires on it (after being sure it would start), so now most of my ignition system is new apart from plugs (which I'll get to one of these days, but I knew it didn't go from running to not because of plugs so I didn't order those yet).

The brakes are... on their way to better? New EBC4 ABS pump is installed and seems to be functional. Completely bled the unit (opened internal bleed screws, top bleeders, flushed out all the old fluid before installing), installed the 1.25" MC I bought (after bench bleeding, and also pressure bleeding from ports back up into reservoir), back-flushed all the lines (from calipers/wheel cylinders back to the engine compartment, which I'm normally very against, but did it before I put in the ABS pump so it was *just* the lines), and finally assembled everything. Pedal was high and rock hard before getting it running, now it's a bit low/soft BUT, I haven't re-bled the system after running the diagnostic cycle on the ABS pump, and I haven't checked adjustment on rear drums yet. So that's my plan for tomorrow, and then hopefully I'll actually have a useful vehicle again (and with any luck, with better brakes than it started with).