ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

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m538is
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by m538is »

Hey guys,

I just ran into this mess on the '87 M6 I am "refreshing".
Everything I am going to share pertains only to the fronts as I haven't touched the rears.
The E24, E28 and E23 all use the connect to the main harness and the same sensor at the wheel.
The E28 front sensor wires are too short. I guess you could try to extend them, but since they are encapsulated in rubber, I personally didn't want to do this.
I ended up purchasing E23 front sensors, which are actually slightly longer than the E24 sensors.
There are a couple of adjustments that have to be made in order for the sensor to fit like the E24 sensor. The E24 sensor has 2 rubber mounts and a grommet where it goes through the inner fender. The E23 sensor has 3 rubber mounts and no grommet. This is what I ended up doing. The rubber mount of the E23 closest to the sensor is oriented 180 degrees to the one closest to the sensor on the E24, so I cut it off. The next one up is oriented correctly. Carefully using a straight pin I was able to "free" the rubber from the wire. Using a bit of soap allowed me to slide it down the wire to the correct position. After letting it sit for a while, the soap will dry up and the rubber will "adhere" itself once again to the wire. I did this again with the 3rd mount, as it is also oriented correctly. Lastly, I removed the grommet from the old sensor. Now this is where the trick comes in. The hole in the grommet is much smaller than the diameter of the plug. In order to get it over the plug, first you need to get the rubber warm, so it does not tear on you. Second you need to get it covered in soap. I then took a 9mm 3/8" drive socket and stretched the grommet over it. The reason for this socket, is the 3/8" drive is the same diameter as the plug, and the 9mm is smaller so it has a natural cone effect. Once on the socket, then lube up the socket and slide the grommet on. Dry everything up and you have a sensor which is longer, but mounts and looks factory.

It appears at least from a quick search online, that the rear sensors are still available new.

I hope this helps
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DRPM635CSi
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by DRPM635CSi »

It woulda been awesome to have some photos to go along with that description of what you had to do to make the E23 sensors work. I never even considered the E23 sensors might work because the online catalogues simply don't list them as being interchangeable like the E24/E28 ones are. It makes sense though since in many ways the E23 is more like a four door E24 than the E28 is, in spite of it technically having more in common with the E28. I also never considered it because the E23 predates I think the E28, so I figured if E24 and E28 sensors are NLA, then for sure the E23 ones must be too.

I went ahead and bought a couple of the Intermotor aftermarket ones from RockAuto in desperation when I couldn't find either genuine E24 or E28 ones anymore.
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by ron »

The E23 sensors are available in Germany. They have 200 in stock!! £162.00 each. #2 below.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpar ... 1121365275
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DRPM635CSi
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by DRPM635CSi »

ron wrote: Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:32 am The E23 sensors are available in Germany. They have 200 in stock!! £162.00 each.
Yikes at that price I expect they'll have 200 in stock for a little while yet. The intermotor ones from RockAuto were the equivalent of £118ea. delivered including DHL half way around the world to Australia. I might have gone for £162ea. if they were the proper E24 length ones, but paying that much for the wrong part you still have to massively rework to fit, is something you'd need to carefully think about.
tyggern
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by tyggern »

The E23 ones are a direct fit, no mods needed.
I use them on my car, the only difference is that the cord is 5-10cm longer than the E24 one
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86C
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by 86C »

DRPM635CSi wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2016 1:34 am
86C wrote:The ABS sensor wires on the front of my car had perished and broken, but the sensors themselves were fine(reading the correct ohms etc). I got some twin core cable from my local DIY store of the correct grade and cut out the damaged section(about 50cm) then soldered and heatshrinked the joins I made and everything now works as it should again, a cheap and easy fix that could also be applied to the E28 sensors that have shorter wires :wink:
Would you be kind enough to post what the correct cable is please, so I may attempt the same fix?
Sorry for the late reply...
Without wishing to sound like a pikey, I just used regular household black twin core cable of a similar diameter, carefully soldered and heatshrinked the joins and have had no problems with the ABS since, no special rubber/shielded cable was used :shock:
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DRPM635CSi
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by DRPM635CSi »

86C wrote: Wed Nov 01, 2017 7:44 pm Sorry for the late reply...
Without wishing to sound like a pikey, I just used regular household black twin core cable of a similar diameter, carefully soldered and heatshrinked the joins and have had no problems with the ABS since, no special rubber/shielded cable was used :shock:
Good news. Thanks for the confirmation. I wanted to hear this worked before cutting into the cables of the brand new ones I've just bought. Afterall it's not something you can test first to see if it works and then reverse it later on if it doesn't. Once you've started cutting there's no turning back!
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by baders »

It is only cable after all. That solution will work OK but I would advise against using un-shielded cable. BMW used shielded cable for a reason, to negate spurious signals in an important system, ie, the ABS.
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ak2799
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by ak2799 »

Sorry to resurrect this post.

I am after a rear left ABS Sensor (Part #: 34-52-1-154-045) for an 85 635 Csi.

If I'm reading this post correctly, the part 34-52-1-154-045 is no longer available, and the solution is to obtain a an E23 sensor and modify the plug? Is this still the best solution? Thanks in advance.
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e24mpwr
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Re: ABS SENSOR / BOSCH PART NUMBER?

Post by e24mpwr »

Did anyone ever come up with a part that works properly and doesn't require lengthening?

I found this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/333607875740?h ... SwX9Ney6~P

This guy is apparently known to the folks at MyE28 (and possibly here - I'm in mid-search), and notes that re-routing will be necessary. so it's the E28 cable that's ~14"/36cm shorter than the E24 cable. I'd probably rather modify the cable than re-route, but not sure why - probably because I don't know what's involved in re-routing and whether there are compromises involved.

[Update: Ivo makes a lengthened cable that works for E24 - will update when they arrive/etc.]
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