Trying to decipher ABS trouble code

[tmechanic]

I'm having trouble with my ABS brakes, the Bake light and ABS light are on and the brake pedal feels like manual brakes from an old farm truck.  I looked at the How to guides and pulled the ABS code, it came back as 22, no other codes.  Would this  cause the Brake fail light to come on?  Does this sound like a bad sensor?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ronnie]

14 minutes ago, tmechanic said:

I'm having trouble with my ABS brakes, the Bake light and ABS light are on and the brake pedal feels like manual brakes from an old farm truck.

The symptoms you are describing are usually caused by the brake pump not running. It could be as simple as a bad fuse, a bad relay, or possibly something more serious. Anytime the red brake light comes on the yellow ABS light will come on so once the red light goes out the yellow light probably will to.

[Padgett]

Trouble shoot the lights first, the codes can be "creative".

[tmechanic]

OK, every time I start digging into this car I hate the guy that my friend bought this from just a little more, no wonder my friend wanted to "give it to a good home" .  OK, I have 12V going to the pump but I can't hear the pump, but someone change the RF brake line and ran the line over the cowl instead of under the car, it's right in the way of the ABS fuse on the cowl.   I'll see if I can jumper the pump directly to power, tomorrow after it stops raining.  I know that not bleeding the pump will cause this issue, but shouldn't I be able to hear the pump running, even if it's air bound?

[2seater]

The short answer is yes, you should be able to hear the pump if it is running. The symptom listed is a little confusing where it mentions having 12v going to the pump but later you mention wanting to jump power directly?

 

Just two weeks ago I had a failure of the pump to run and it turned out to be the 5amp fuse located under the dash to the right of the steering column. The fuse is in a harness along with an 5amp ABS fuse which protect the activation side of both relays.

[Ronnie]

45 minutes ago, tmechanic said:

I'll see if I can jumper the pump directly to power, tomorrow after it stops raining.

If you can make it run, don't let it run too long. That little pump can build a tremendous amount of pressure without the pressure switch to shut the motor off. Continuous running without shutting off might damage the pump, accumulator ball or something else.

[tmechanic]

Thanks, I just want to make sure that the pump runs.

[Padgett]

Being deef I just feel if the pump is running. if not a sharp rap with a socket wrench can sometimes work miracles.

[tmechanic]

Well, I checked the main ABS fuse, it is fine, then I tried jumpering the pump motor directly from the battery, I thought I heard the gurgle of the accumulator filling, but I couldn't hear the pump itself, and I didn't feel any vibration when I put my hand on the pump.  Took it for a quick test drive and it is acting the same.  Looks like the pump is shot.  So how do I go about swapping to a Buick Le Sabre  brake booster and master cylinder setup?

[Ronnie]

The pump unit is separate from the master cylinder. If you could find a pump that would be the easiest way to fix it. The pump is only held on with one bolt and a few connections. I can't help you with changing to vacuum brakes.

 

 

[Padgett]

There were a large number of manufacturers (even f*rd and furry.) that used the Teves Mk 2, I'd be surprised if a pump is hard to find, just needs to be rated for 2500 psi.

[tmechanic]

You'd think, but the few I could find were $600 to $1000, and very few used, those going for $1000 because it's "rare"

[DAVES89]

try www.car-part.com and key in 1990 Buick Reatta. there are a bunch of them. Too cheap for me to sell you one of mine.

[2seater]

Where are you in WI? The pumps and associated items have been relatively plentiful in the boneyards. 
 

I reread your previous posts and there was a comment about seemingly hearing the accumulator filling up but nothing else. You should be able to hear or feel the pump running, as well as see the fluid level dropping in the reservoir, but a sort of gurgling noise can be a sign of an air lock. 
From dissecting the pumps and motor, the pumps are very reliable and the best way I have found to clear an air lock is to apply vacuum to the discharge port while the pump runs. The discharge is the 3/16” steel line

[Padgett]

1988-1990 Buic Riviera, Reatta: Pontiac 6000 STE, Cadillac with ABS (except Allante), Ford Thinderbird ABS, Mercury Cougar ABS SAAb ABS, Jaguar ABS, and Ferrari ABS of the same period.

"The TEVES Mark II ABS System has been equipped on many different cars of the 80’s Included in the list is the Pontiac 6000 STE and 88-90 Riviera and Reatta. The system also appeared on some SAAB, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Alfa-Romero, and Lincoln Continentals and Mark VIIs" http://www.sccoa.com/sccoo/Faq/ABS Diagnosis.htm

 

Seems amazing parts are hard to find.

 

[Ronnie]

This is basically what you need. The one shown below isn't from a Reatta so it has a different pressure switch. This is is real easy to remove at a salvage yard. Even if you get one from another brand of car all you would have to do is swap in your pressure switch and you would be ready to go.

 

[tmechanic]

OK, it stopped raining so I could actually do some more work. I jumped the pump again, heard the noise, and tapped on the pump motor, and the pumped spun a couple times and stopped again kind of a chug chug noise.  Tapped a few more times and it seemed to spin a bit longer each time.  Decided to loosen the brake line on the top of it, kept tapping and it seemed to spin a bit freer, but the brake fluid was bubbling like I put soap around the fitting, kept tapping and it finally loosened up, and it only took seconds for the brake fluid to stop bubbling and start squirting.  I tightened down the fitting and unhooked the pump, put the connector back on and turned the key on. tapped it again, it chugged again then I couldn't get it to chug again, I'm assuming that the accumulator filled and the pressure shut it off this time.  I'll go try it later today, but I'm still looking for a replacement pump.

[Ronnie]

Sounds like the pump was full of air. If working correctly the pump will only run about 15 seconds till it builds pressure and shut off.  Pump the brake pedal 25 times to relieve the pressure and try again. You might get the pump to run correctly if you keep working with it.

 

Here are some instructions for getting air out and you might want to try what 2seater said about using a handheld vacuum pump to pull the air out through the pressure line.  How To Purge Air From The Brake Pump

 

 

[Ronnie]

1 hour ago, tmechanic said:

but I'm still looking for a replacement pump

Good idea, Most serious, long term, Reatta owners try to keep parts like the pump and electronics on hand. Thanks to Daves89 I have a complete Teves master cylinder w/pump and most of the electronics that go bad.

[Padgett]

Pumping the brake 25 times should depressurize the system and return the fluid to the resovoir.