So, still no solutions for working ABS on e36 5-lug??

[Aptyp]

that giant master cylinder makes a difference, brake pedal gets softer.

[HellzMindPlaya]

I am just using a stock master cylinder... I used the Porsche booster for my 24v swap. Can I even still use the 25 mm master cylinder anymore?

[Aptyp]

you should be able to. if stock one bolts up to porsche booster, then 25mm should also bolt up.

[bimmer630]

I had a very soft pedal when i first put the E36 M3 spindles and brakes up front. they were about half worn down brakes, and when i wanted to stop i had to pump them a bit to get a good feel. i bled the crap outta them to no avail.
i put brand new rotors and pads on a few days later and the pedal was fine. i dont really understand whats going on there, since no matter how worn the pads are the master cylinder still has to move the same amount of fluid, doesnt it?
and as far as the abs wiring, i used the stuff out back that was on the car since i have z3 hubs. in front i have 3 wire e36 sensors spliced in with the third wire not connected.

somebody said earlier that the m3 and non m3 have a diferent tooth count? maybe i read it wrong but that isnt true because i used a 325 wheel bearing on my m3 spindle and the bearing has the sensor teeth on it. i have no issues with that setup

[Aptyp]

i thought tooth count was different, but I still don't know. I never had my m3 front hubs off to count. ABS works amazing though.

[HellzMindPlaya]

Glad to hear you got it hooked up and working Aptyp... I kept checking back but hadn't seen anything for a while. Good to know my car isn't some kind of freak!

[xer0trigger]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I have an ABS issue of my own and I'm looking for solutions.

In the rear I have 318ti arms with the sensors. They are two wire sensors, just like the E30 ones. I spliced them in; Black to Black, Brown to Brown.

I have 99 M3 spindles up front with the sensors spliced into the E30 harness. Black to Black, E36 Yellow to E30 Brown, E36 brown left disconnected (as I read in Clavin's swap thread).

Two things - are the fronts wired correctly? Or should it be Brown to Brown and Yellow left disconnected? If so, then my problems stem from something else. Maybe a pair of E36 non-M speed sensors would remedy the problem?

[E30FTW]

You need to get the front sensors from a early e36 without ASC. They will be 2 wires, and the colors should match your e30 sensors pigtail. Splice it together.

The ABS computer doesn't need to see the same amount of teeth front to rear, it is able to calculate wheel speed just fine. Don't ask me how it does, or why, but it works it out without a problem.

[clavinZERO]

You need to get the front sensors from a early e36 without ASC. They will be 2 wires, and the colors should match your e30 sensors pigtail. Splice it together.

The ABS computer doesn't need to see the same amount of teeth front to rear, it is able to calculate wheel speed just fine. Don't ask me how it does, or why, but it works it out without a problem.

Going to test this someday. Can someone else verify? XEROTRIGGER... this is right up our alley!

[hoveringuy]

I'm thinking I need to rig up my bench grinder signal generator for a smackdown on ABS sensors.

Oscilloscope doesn't lie.

[clavinZERO]

I'm thinking I need to rig up my bench grinder signal generator for a smackdown on ABS sensors.

Oscilloscope doesn't lie.

tru fact

[xer0trigger]

Looking at the diagrams, only two of the three wires in a newer M3 sensor really need to be hooked up, as the third is just a chassis ground. This is, in fact, the way the 318's and 325's are, as there isn't a 3rd wire on it. Only the 328's and M3's have the third wire, according to this wiring diagram I have from the ETK on 1996 models (my fronts came from a '99).

The question is which two wires get hooked up? Right now I have the black and yellow ones hooked up, and I get intermittent issues with the ABS (light on from the get go, light doesn't come on at all, or light comes on after a few minutes of driving). It seems strange to me as I would think it'd either fault out or not, not be all fluky like it is.

Regardless, it should be as simple as testing for continuity across two of the leads to see which ones need to be spliced in. I plan on doing this soon, I just haven't had the time yet.

[hoveringuy]

Looking at the diagrams, only two of the three wires in a newer M3 sensor really need to be hooked up, as the third is just a chassis ground. This is, in fact, the way the 318's and 325's are, as there isn't a 3rd wire on it. Only the 328's and M3's have the third wire, according to this wiring diagram I have from the ETK on 1996 models (my fronts came from a '99).

The question is which two wires get hooked up? Right now I have the black and yellow ones hooked up, and I get intermittent issues with the ABS (light on from the get go, light doesn't come on at all, or light comes on after a few minutes of driving). It seems strange to me as I would think it'd either fault out or not, not be all fluky like it is.

Regardless, it should be as simple as testing for continuity across two of the leads to see which ones need to be spliced in. I plan on doing this soon, I just haven't had the time yet.

I'll pull one of my M3 sensors out and play with it when I get time. In BMW parlance, yellow is the signal out.

I don't even know if they are Hall or VR sensors... 2 wire sensors are usually VR and 3 Hall. Does the ETK show one of the wires going to power?

[xer0trigger]

I initially thought they were hall effect sensors. However the picture makes it look like it's a VR sensor. Only one wire on the diagram is marked, which is the yellow one ("GE"), which looks like the power lead to the sensor. If I had to wager a guess, I'd say the other wire is brown, and the black is the optional chassis ground. But until I pull it out and test, that's just a guess.

[hoveringuy]

It's clear that the rear are VR sensors. The front could be, too, but it's curious to see that they've changed the polarity of the shield with regard to the resistors above it, and why add a ground to a VR sensor? Doesn't make any sense...

Now, the reason they would want to add a Hall sender in place of the VR sender is that the Hall sender is much better at low speeds. The VR has a minimum wheel speed where it's effective, lets say 8 mph. At that speed the teeth are going too slow to generate enough voltage in the VR sender and the signal drops. The VR signal strength is directly proportional to wheel speed.

The Hall sender will work reliably all the way down to Zero mph.

Why that would be important for ABS, I guess an earlier signal when it's released from being locked?

I'm curious to play with mine now!