New member needs ABS system assistance

Please see thread titled "please help stop my brakes from braking" and look at the last entry (mine)
Could we start a new thread here to assist this new member, rather than merging his comments on the OP thread?
Thanks

Getting some replies....Igofar and I have checked everything we think has to do with the abs and all seems fine there. Stinking light just won't stop flashing...and it's not the code, just steady
flashes. The plastics off and were checking things out. I'm prayin' .

Thanks...Igofar and I have checked the fuses and connectors and all is well. I did notice rear reservoir looked filled to the max. I'll check that too.

Would all I need to do is bleed a little from the front and rear caliper, which I can do, or bleed the whole system, which scares me?

John, when your abs was flashing, was it flashing a code, or just continually quickly flashing?

....and Igofar let me know not just to bleed calipers.

Stanthestman said:

Would all I need to do is bleed a little from the front and rear caliper, which I can do, or bleed the whole system, which scares me?

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If you can bleed one caliper, you have the skills necessary to bleed the entire system. Just read the correct order in the shop manual and follow it. It really helps to have a Miteyvac or similar device to suction the fluid through the system, but this simply speeds up the process. Since all your tupperware is off, getting to the various bleed points is not a big deal.

Fluids seem to be at right level, so I'd suspect pressure is ok...I was told the mechanic unplugged something. Hopefully, I've been told the battery needs to be disconnected before messing with some clips. Hopefully he didn't mess something expensive up.

Stanthestman said:

I was told the mechanic unplugged something.

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You were also told the mechanic was going to do a proper job. Taking what they told you as gospel will probably be a wild goose chase; it's better to approach this as if you don't know what the trouble is.

If they haven't changed the way the diagnostics behave since 2008, a flashing ABS indicator means the system has detected a significant difference in wheel speed or a fault. Assuming you're not riding wheelies and since I've seen no mention of retrieving the fault codes, start there. (The ABS system doesn't blink them out unprompted like the FI system.) The procedure for doing that is here. Let us know what code number(s) come out of the process and we'll go from there.

--Mark

Your not going to believe this. While crazy Larry...Igofar...had me looking at the back sensor, I look down and see my axle sticking out about a quarter of an inch. I look at the other side and notice they didn't put the washer or rear axle bolt on. I'm telling you I was shocked. Then, Larry, going nuts, says he would check all bolts...so I reach up and check the rear caliper stop bolt, and I probably turn it 5 half turns with my fingers. Wow! Something ain't right. Thankfully the good Lord kept me from riding over to Georgia to see Vinny.

Stanthestman said:

Your not going to believe this. While crazy Larry...Igofar...had me looking at the back sensor, I look down and see my axle sticking out about a quarter of an inch. I look at the other side and notice they didn't put the washer or rear axle bolt on. I'm telling you I was shocked. Then, Larry, going nuts, says he would check all bolts...so I reach up and check the rear caliper stop bolt, and I probably turn it 5 half turns with my fingers. Wow! Something ain't right. Thankfully the good Lord kept me from riding over to Georgia to see Vinny.

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Ride over and see Vinny anyhow. Just do that AFTER you address the egregious safety issues and notify the shop that they left the bike in a life threateningly dangerous condition when they returned it to you.

Its been a slow process helping Stan over the phone...talking on phone....texting pictures....talking on phone...trouble shooting codes...checking wires... more photo's of what he's looking at....more photo's of what it should look like.... However, he has been very patient with this process, and very understanding and easy to work with. I wish I was there in person to help him, but we are doing our best. Besides the rear Axle NUT and washer missing, the stopper bolt loose and only being retained by the muffler, we also discovered that some fool used the wrong bolts and shimmed them with a couple washers on the rear ABS sensor unit, perhaps because the mechanic didn't know where the bolts were suppose to go. I have asked Stan to not ride the bike until we make sure that all the hardware is where it should be and torqued down properly. Hopefully, once Vinny is back from Florida, maybe Stan can visit Vinny's place and have him go through the bike with him, and check the bike out completely for him.
I want to thank all the other forum members who have offered both advice and help.
That is what makes this forum great!
Igofar

The code was one long blink and eleven short blinks....I'm waiting to get the axle bolt from the shop before I do any thing else, wondering if that was my warning.

Stanthestman said:

The code was one long blink and eleven short blinks.

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Now we're getting somewhere. First get your axle and stopper bolt squared away since you'll need to ride the bike enough to do the pre-start diagnosis.

Code 11 is the rear relay circuit, which indicates something amiss in the modulator fuse (marked H on the fuse block), control motor, crank angle sensor, wire harness or the ABS computer.

Page 18-25 in the ST Songbook says:

• Clear the stored code using the procedure I linked to in my last comment and ride the bike to see if fault goes away. If it does, the shop probably reconnected whatever they disconnected and neglected to tell the ABS computer. I'm going to assume you and Larry have been over making sure all of the connectors are plugged in and clean.
• Ride the bike enough to make the ABS light go out (i.e., get it up to 6 MPH). The manual says if the indicator doesn't blink, there is fine foreign matter in the modulator or a fault in the wheel speed sensor connection.
• Retrieve and clear the problem code. If it's anything other that 11, something else is wrong.
• If it is 11, swap the modulators, fill and bleed the system and repeat this procedure. If the problem code changes to 10, the rear modulator (which would now be on the front) is faulty. If it doesn't, it's either the wiring, connectors or the computer.

--Mark

Before you put the axle nut and washer back on, and tighten the stopper bolt, you may want to consider pulling off the rear wheel and checking the condition of the splines since it was ridden home from the shop without the rear end being together and torqued down properly.

Stan, I just placed a rear axle nut and washer in the mail and its heading your way as you read this.
Igofar

Excellent...I'm waiting...what if this has been the problem they've been concerned with all this time...not getting the abs flasher to go off...because of leaving the rear axle nut off. Crazy.

That could well be it. If your rear wheel wasn't bolted solidly into position, the tone wheel could well be out of alignment with the sensor. That would make a lot of sense, because it didn't take that much offset to make it undetectable.

Good luck with the nut and bolt!

--Mark

Your parts should be arriving tomorrow.
Keep us posted.

Ok Mark, your on deck
My parts arrive to him today, but he is still getting ONE long blink, followed by ELEVEN short blinks.
He said he has checked ALL fuses and connectors and has found no corrosion or damage.
What would you suggest next?
Thanks for your help.