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Abs 1
Abs 1
SLIP RATIO
ABS is designed to prevent wheel/tyre lock-up under heavy braking as a
locked wheel decelerates less effectively. The origins of anti-lock brakes
go back to the 1930s but it was not until the 1960s/70s that they became
more widely used, and then only on top of the range cars. From the mid
to late 80s, anti-lock braking systems became cheaper to produce and
were then made available on entry-level cars.
WHAT IS ABS?
ELECTRONIC CONTROL
ABS is an electronic control system. It therefore consists of an ECU
(computer) that is responsible for making decisions and controlling
the brakes based on these decisions. If control is to be effective,
these decisions must be well informed. Keeping the ECU informed
of conditions applicable to brake control are the sensors. The
sensors are the information gatherers.
Brake control is affected by the ABS ECU through the
application of the slip ratio formula. The ECU has been programmed
with this formula and will apply it when the ABS is operating. In
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order for the ABS ECU to use the slip ratio formula it must be told
wheel speed and vehicle speed. We therefore need wheel speed
sensors and a vehicle speed sensor. In reality the wheel speed sensors
provide sufficient information for the ECU to calculate vehicle speed
through the use of an average, so an independent vehicle speed sensor
is not required.
The ABS ECU must have a means of actually altering braking
pressure applied to the brakes and for this it uses an ABS actuator
(sometimes referred to as a modulator).
LIMITATIONS OF ABS
It should be noted that when a vehicle is driven on slippery or snowy
roads, it might actually have a longer stopping distance than one that
DEAR DAVE
A Fiat Punto 1.2 is misfiring both at idle and at speed. There are no fault
codes found, and spark plugs have been replaced with manufacturers
recommendations, together with crank sensor and HT coil. I think the
problem is with the ignition system because the primary scope trace
shows some missing on numbers 2 and 3 cylinders.
The ECU is the most likely cause. Send it for testing first, and if your unit
is reconditioned then you will not have the problem of re-coding.
Alternatively you could buy a free-running ECU that does not make use
of the immobiliser system to work.
The radiator fans on a Peugeot 406 run all the time, but I cant find
what controls them. I disconnected the two temperature sensors, to no
effect. The car is fitted with air conditioning is the air con model meant
to do this?
is not equipped with ABS. This is due to the fact that a vehicle without
ABS locks its wheels and therefore creates a snow plough effect i.e.
snow builds up in front of the locked tyre slowing it down, which
cannot happen on an ABS equipped vehicle.
It should also be noted that no matter how advanced such systems
become, the laws of physics still apply! If there is no grip available, the
ABS cannot create it.
SUMMARY
Through this article we have seen that anti-lock braking systems use
a simple formula to improve braking efficiency in emergencies.
In part 2 we will study the systems found on modern motor
vehicles to see the different ways that manufacturers apply the theory
discussed here.
If you would like to study anti-lock braking systems in more detail
we would be delighted to provide you with a place on one of our
technical courses. Please see details below on how to contact us.
ProAuto is an automotive technical training company
based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, that runs courses from
numerous select venues nationally. For further details, visit
www.proautotraining.com, email info@proautotraining.com,
or telephone 01743 709679.
I really wouldnt advise doing just the one cylinder head while it may
be perfectly OK afterwards, there is a chance that whatever made the
first head go has weakened the second head. To find which head is
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No. The cooling fans are switched from a bitron ECU that is under a
plastic cover on the inner near side front wheel arch. This is a common
failure point on the 406, causing the fans to be switched full on.