Go Back   986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners > Porsche Boxster & Cayman Forums > Boxster General Discussions

Post Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-27-2015, 03:50 PM   #81
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 183
Reference Pdwight's severed brake wear sensor:

1. I don't know if Pdwight ever determined what exactly cut his sensor wire, but it could have been road debris.

2. I just changed all four pads yesterday after my brake wear sensor light came on during my drive home from work. The next morning it was still on, but it went out on my drive home that day. Since I had last changed pads and rotors in 2011 at 133,000 miles, I thought my pads were worn.

3. I found all 8 pads in good condition with plenty of wear to go. Please see photos. Since I had all four wheels off I went ahead and switched out the good pads for brand new pads.

4. I did find that my passenger side front brake wear sensor was inop due to a broken wire at the electrical connector. Please see photos. The location of the clean break in the wire could not have been made by the rotor. I believe it was caused by old age (1999 Boxster w/242,000 miles) or road debris.

5. I don't know why the brake wear sensor light came one and then went out, maybe the light burned out. After reading my owner's manual, I cannot determine if the brake wear sensor light is supposed to come on at start-up as a diagnostic. My light does not come one at start-up.

6. I did discover that the rear wear sensor's have a rubber sleeve over the wire insulation that enables the wire to be attached to a clamp on the back side of the strut keeping the wire neatly tucked out of danger.

MNC-I



mnc-i is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2015, 04:25 PM   #82
Registered User
 
steved0x's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: FL
Posts: 4,143
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pdwight View Post
But the pads are new 4 months ago, any way to tell which wheel it is short of taking each off and swapping out the sensor ?
I'm not sure of the current status but I cleaned my closet this weekend and found a new front brake wear sensor (I think fronts are different but unsure of the difference), I believe it is URO Parts brand, yours for the cost of shipping if needed.

Last edited by steved0x; 04-28-2015 at 06:49 AM. Reason: Fixed typos
steved0x is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2015, 07:05 PM   #83
Registered User
 
Pdwight's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 2,079
Hi folks

Down with a horrible cold all weekend and had to work on Sunday so no time to even get a wheel off...one day this week I will find the gremlin and post results.

Thanks everyone

Dwight

Although at this time I am suspecting the IMS Bearing :chicken:

In the words of Monty Python

Run Away
Pdwight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2015, 09:27 PM   #84
Registered Boxster abuser
 
healthservices's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: socal
Posts: 1,014
That's okay we can't do anything until we get the approval from ECS anyhow.

Rest up!

healthservices is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2015, 09:38 AM   #85
Need For Speed
 
KRAM36's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Funville
Posts: 2,112
Garage
So what caused your brake wear light to come on?
__________________
2003 Boxster S
| 987 Air Box | K&N Air Filter | 76mm Intake Pipe| 996 76mm TB | 997 Distribution T | Secondary Cat Delete Pipes | Borla Muffler | NHP 200 Cell Exhaust Headers |
KRAM36 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2015, 10:26 AM   #86
Registered User
 
Pdwight's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 2,079
Still have not had enough time to get the car up and find out....but 3 day weekend coming up soon
Pdwight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2015, 11:59 AM   #87
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In the garage...
Posts: 1,702
When you find which sensor has broken loop, you can, instead of replacing (b/c they are not cheap if you buy OEM) just short it out. Doing so closes open loop thus removing warning light on dash. Most who do DEs, especially us w/ aftermkt pads (as most do not have slot for sensor), either zip-tie sensors to struts or short out. Why? We're constantly checking pads and bleeding brakes - no need for extra expense associated w/ actively tripping idiot light or accidentally if it melts due to heat.

For clarification, light comes on when wire is broken creating an open loop. It has nothing to do w/ false presumption "grounding sensor wire to rotor". If that were case, tripped sensor light would go away when replacing pads. Instead you have to replace sensor (or short).

With the design of 9x6 and 9x7 calipers, pad depth is easy to visually inspect... even w/o pulling wheels (sans some retro BBS or orig Sport Design etc). As a general guide...
  • Assume inside pad has much greater wear than outside.
  • When outside pad material is 2x as thick as backing pad, you're about ~ 50% pad life. Material as thick as backing plate - you're due and sensors will be tripped. Don't push too much from here as pad wear isn't necessarily linear...

In any event, this thread has been entertaining
__________________
"Cool Prius!"
- Nobody

Last edited by Burg Boxster; 05-13-2015 at 12:02 PM.
Burg Boxster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2015, 12:17 PM   #88
Registered User
 
Pdwight's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 2,079
Good info Burg

I have a set of aftermarket sensors that came with the car (I think they are aftermarket). When I replace mine I may use the old ones to make up a set of "shunts" that will be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner and water resistant shrink wrap (nothing is water proff)

These could be easily used to find a bad sensor or to just shut up a warning light...my pads (Red Stuff) are less than a year old and less than 2K miles on them.

I will get some time off sonn and get under the car

PS these tips could in fact save my IMS from going bad......LOL
Pdwight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 05:38 PM   #89
Registered User
 
Pdwight's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 2,079
The truth comes out

Well after being convinced that the IMS was the problem I pulled the engine, took a 18 pound sledge and knocked the IMS bearing into the case....I thought the extra weight would help anyway and I found the shaft had chains around it...and they went to other shafts that were obviously never finished because the ends had big notches kinda like teeth. We all know shafts should be sooth sao I took them out and took an angle grinder and got rid of the teeth so they could turn easily. I wrapped some duct tape around the IMS bearing after retrieving it from the crank case...some kind of big freeze plug was in the way....dang thing had 3 on each side....took 2 hours with a moto tool to cut a hole in top of the freeze plug big enough to get the IMS bearing out. Use first rate duck tape from dollar general to hold the bearing back in.....but the engine will not run now....back to the drawing board.

Seriously....this was the problem

Pdwight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 05:52 PM   #90
Registered Boxster abuser
 
healthservices's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: socal
Posts: 1,014
So the worn rotor edge ripped the sensor wire out of the holder....

Hmmm.



healthservices is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 06:00 PM   #91
Registered User
 
Pdwight's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 2,079
Could be, I forgot to cover up the hole in the freeze plug I cut....tomorrow I will cut out a beer carton and put over the hole..........Im sure it will run then
Pdwight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 07:53 PM   #92
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 2,492
Worst thread ever. Lets let it go.

I sold an 03 Box S to a buddy last spring. He text me last night that his brake wear light came on.

I will not point him toward this thread, even for a laugh.
dghii is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 08:04 PM   #93
Registered User
 
Pdwight's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 2,079
Well actually

If you sift through the BS there is knowledge here;

1The brake wear sensor is a closed circuit from an electronics standpoint

2 If not tied down properly using the factory method it can get caught and ripped out by the CV joint

3 simply taking an existing sensor, cutting the wires and connecting them together will make a shunt and bypass the circuit at the caliper level.

It could get a lot worse....believe me
Pdwight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 08:05 PM   #94
Registered Boxster abuser
 
healthservices's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: socal
Posts: 1,014
Have we got word from ECS yet?


Lol
healthservices is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 04:20 AM   #95
I am my own mechanic....
 
Timco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 3,433
Quote:
Originally Posted by dghii View Post
Worst thread ever. Lets let it go.

I sold an 03 Box S to a buddy last spring. He text me last night that his brake wear light came on.

I will not point him toward this thread, even for a laugh.
And nobody will lose any sleep.

Tell your friend if he can't sift through members having fun on a site they frequent, he can buy the manuals and books (which he should do anyway instead of owning his car question by question), take the time to learn something, (as super simple as brakes), and do it / learn it himself?
__________________
'04 Boxster S 50 Jahre 550 Spyder Anniversary Special Edition, 851 of 1953, 6-sp, IMS/RMS, GT Metallic silver, cocoa brown leather SOLD to member Broken Linkage.
'08 VW Touareg T-3 wife's car
'13 F150 Super Crew long bed 4x4 w/ Ego Boost
Timco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2015, 12:53 PM   #96
Registered Boxster abuser
 
healthservices's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: socal
Posts: 1,014
Besides never ever read what you read on the internet and accept it as fact.

I'm reminded by the story of the kid who extrude honed his engine by pouring sand thru his intake at high rpm.

Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk


Last edited by healthservices; 05-29-2015 at 08:25 AM.
healthservices is offline   Reply With Quote
Post Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:51 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page