Cheap ABS Sensors- just don't bother!

[richair 0]

My 'rado failed the MOT earlier this week; I'd failed to spot the previous owner had unplugged the light to mask a fault D'oh! :scratch:

 

So I tracked the problem down to one of the front sensors and after looking round at prices, I thought it would be worth trying a £13 item from a certain large (3 european country) supplier vs. the £48.13+ VW wanted..

 

Wrong! Plugged the sensor in, started her up and my light went out. Great I thought (was hoping to get a retest today so I can actualy drive the car), but then when I tried to located the sensor in the hub it was very, very tight. So tight that it would have had to be driven in, probably breaking it in the process. Being as time was of the essense, instead of sending it back I decided to get a fine file out and relieve the high areas around the senore to make it fit.

 

This turned out to be not one of my best ideas as just below the surface I exposed some copper shield of some sort. Not good I thought. Managed to get it to fit, but the first time I switched the ignition on the sensor failed again; infinate resistance reading from the voltmeter across the terminals.

 

Now I know this was partly my fault, but there was no way it would have fitted without some adjustment (it was defo the right part btw). And the sheild was sooo close to the surface of the plastic case!!!! Anyways, guess I'm off to VW to buy a propper one! Lesson learnt :tongue:

[Jim 1]

And here endeth the lesson ;)

[fla 9]

Dont bin it, you can seal up the exposed part with silicone and then cover with tape. Then make sure you open the hole in the HUB with a file to get rid of any rust and crap, apply some copper slip and then refit your 'repaired' sensor.

[Supercharged 2]

I just don't fit anything non geniune now, it's a false economy.

[Walesy 0]

Yep, I gave up using GSF parts a long time ago!

[Timbo 0]

I don't think it's anything like as black and white as "genuine good, pattern bad". Of course there are certain things you should only get from the dealer but there are other things where it really makes no sense. Personally I find my pattern ABS sensors work just fine ;).

[Walesy 0]

Then you were lucky, and whether they last as long as the originals remains to be seen :) hopefully they will! Unfortunately in my experience it isn't black and white though, it would be much easier if it was, but in the end for me it's just not worth risking using GSF parts as sometimes they're fine and sometimes they're not, especially sensors :mad2:

 

The amount of times i've ended up fitting loads of parts to try and find the cause of a problem, only to find that the first part I changed should have fixed the problem but it didn't because it was a GSF duff! You end up wasting loads of time/effort/money just by trying to save a few quid in the first place :mad2:

[richair 0]

Dont bin it, you can seal up the exposed part with silicone and then cover with tape. Then make sure you open the hole in the HUB with a file to get rid of any rust and crap, apply some copper slip and then refit your 'repaired' sensor.

 

Unfortunately it's defo bin fodder as it's blown internally now; no continuity whatsover between the terminals... Stange! But then there's continuity between the + terminal and the exposed insulator. Anyways, its fubar'd. :confused:

 

Incidentally I went down my local VW indi yesterday in the hope he would have a used on just to get me through the retest on monday (he didn't :( ), but he said they never fit properly and they brush them around a bench grinder but he said he'd not experienced what I had before...

 

But yes, stuff like this is always best to buy wisely. I have actually found a local supplier that sells Hella sensors at around £22, so I may just order one to see what it's like. If not, £60 at VW for one that will defo last at least!

[casual 0]

had same issue but i cleaned up the hub untill it slide nicely in... i recommend

[richair 0]

yeppers, already done that :) & ther was stil no way it would fit without some tweakage.. I reckon it was approx 1-2mm too big! Cheap chinese crap lol

[adevr6 0]

gsf abs sensors are pants :nono: .

[StuartFZR400 0]

the gsf ones are stupidly tight. You'd have noticed the high spots, lines, which I chose to take off.

 

Rather than file the plastic anymore, I then looked at the hole on the car that takes the sensor. Was terribly rusty, so I used heavy emery paper on it. Then I squoze the little booger in; certainly not hitting it.

 

Fairly rubbish yes, but made mine pass the MOT.