will newer style 1994 and up ABS unit work on my 1990 q45?

Post by **subtle_driver** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:35 pm

Hi, i have a 1990 q45, the abs unit under the hood on the passenger side with the motors and all the brake lines is leaking. I was in the junkyard today and noticed the 1994 and up q45's have a different style abs unit, but they have the same connectors and simular layout with brake lines. it seems like none of the newer types were leaking. it looks like it will work the same way, but i wanted to know if anyone has retrofitted the newer abs unit to replace their old leaky unit. I ask because these units cost more than engines and trannys. and I don't want to waste my money on a pump that will leak again like mine.

and if i can do this conversion, how do i hook up the lines?

another question, do all the "older style", i believe 1989 through 1993, abs units eventually leak? or is there a updated seal kit?

what are my other options? i am a do-it-yourself guy. i just want to fix my leaking anti-lock brake unit in the most effective way, with cost in mind as well!

thank you!

Modified by subtle_driver at 12:06 AM 12/27/2008Read the bottom post! I made it work!
Modified by subtle_driver at 12:08 AM 12/27/2008

Post by **Q45tech** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:34 am

My 1990 ABS leaked in 1994 and was replaced under warranty................no leaks in 14 years BUT I have flushed brake fluid annually as recommended.

That's the rub with any junkyard unit you don't know what the previous owners mainteance was like......................the color of fluid in master cylinder tells you recent history as it takes 4+ years to turn black from perfectly clear or slight amber depending on brand and quality of fill.

The make brake fluid PH+ test strips which can measure the seal eating acidity of fluid- available at better parts stores/NAPA.

Post by **Q451990** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:39 pm

As far as I know it would be difficult to adapt the older style brake system to work with the newer style ABS actuator. I think you would have to run different brake lines as well.

There was some speculation that the seals were updated later on. I would try to find one on the newest junkyard car that you can find. Hopefully for about $50 - $100. You can also have it rebuilt, so if you buy a junkyard unit, save your old one for a core in case it fails.

I had the one on my old Q rebuild by A1 Cardone through Pep Boys about 8 years ago. I had to send a core, but the cost wasn't too bad... about $300 I think?

Check out http://www.car-part.com for your core or replacement.

Heath

Post by **subtle_driver** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:02 pm

are there any seal kits out there that i can get to redo my module?

Post by **Q451990** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:40 pm

As far as I know there is nothing available. I think the assembly is pressed together, so it's not something you could disassemble and rebuild with typical hand tools.

I think you're better off taking your chance on a cheap junk yard take-out... then if it leaks too you have the core (your old one) to send off to A1 Cardone for a rebuild. Might as well try the cheap thing first if you're comfortable with the labor.

Heath

Post by **subtle_driver** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:12 pm

well thanks for the help and thoughts, I still am gonna hold out for a bit to see if anyone has done a conversion to the newer abs module. untill i know its not possible, i will just save some money to buy it from the junkyard. thanks.

Post by **maxnix** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:02 am

subtle_driver wrote: i will just save some money to buy it from the junkyard. thanks.

You will actually probably spend more money going through a few junk units the next couple of years than buying the Cardone remanufactured one. Have you called Joe for a price?

Post by **Q451990** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:57 am

It appears that Joe's price is about $1350, while a Cardone unit from Advance Auto is about $550. I would check a few other places if you decided to go remanufactured... I know Pep Boys was greatly cheaper than the others in 2000 - who knows what the case is now.

Subtle - I think the only way to answer your question about replacing with a 94+ style is to download FAST (Nissan's parts software) from http://www.phatg20.net and then compare all of the brake parts from your car and a newer car to see which part numbers are different.

In over 10 years of very active membership in this forum, and the yahoo forum before that, I have never heard of anyone doing this conversion - not saying it can't be done, or hasn't been done - but if it was common and easy I think I would have heard about it. Looks like you get to be the guinea pig!

Good luck and keep us posted!

Heath

Post by **Infinitiguy19** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:58 am

Why convert to the newer ones though? were they built better or was this one that failed because of the brake fluid not being flushed yearly?

Post by **Q451990** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:27 pm

From older posts, I think the seals were updated to withstand abuse from longer fluid flush intervals sometime in the '91 or '92? That's why I suggested trying the newest junkyard take out available at a reasonable price.

Heath

Post by **subtle_driver** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 2:40 pm

Q451990 wrote:It appears that Joe's price is about $1350, while a Cardone unit from Advance Auto is about $550. I would check a few other places if you decided to go remanufactured... I know Pep Boys was greatly cheaper than the others in 2000 - who knows what the case is now.

Subtle - I think the only way to answer your question about replacing with a 94+ style is to download FAST (Nissan's parts software) from http://www.phatg20.net and then compare all of the brake parts from your car and a newer car to see which part numbers are different.

In over 10 years of very active membership in this forum, and the yahoo forum before that, I have never heard of anyone doing this conversion - not saying it can't be done, or hasn't been done - but if it was common and easy I think I would have heard about it. Looks like you get to be the guinea pig!

Good luck and keep us posted!

Heath

im gonna try that fast sofware, looks kinda annoying how it is installed, not easy for lazy people like me. I used to work at nissan, and it was not easy to use. anyway....the abs module thing looks so simular and the brake lines are in simular locations and they have the same number of brake lines going into it and the electronics are the same and the connectors are the same. so i thought surely someone has done this before! but no its kinda a gamble, cause the unit will cost me $150 and i don't know how it will turn out. but if it does, this unit looks like it is a better design than the older unit. but at the same time someone says that the seals are better on 1991/92 units? if that is true, i might as well just go with one of those.

Post by **mattd1979** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:40 pm

This is a surprise,,, I thought this conversion had been posted before. I did it about a year ago. We had purchased a '95 for parts that had been totaled. My ABS unit was leaking also. I swapped units with only a couple of modifications. I had to use the brake lines off of the '95 that run from the master cylinder to the ABS and bend two of the lines that go to both front wheels so that they would fit in the pump manifold. Also, you will have to swap out the bracket that the ABS mounts to because one of the rubber mount attachment points was relocated and you won't be able to fully fasten the pump to the bracket. This is the toughest part because the bolt that mounts the lowest part of the bracket to the inner framerail is right next to the header which makes it nearly impossible to fit a ratchet on the bolt and there is a raised area around the bracket to where you can't get a wrench to fit. I tried putting the socket on the bolt and then getting a pair of vice grips and grip the socket but I couldn't get it to bite hard enough and not slip. I ended up having to use a piece of solid wire to help hold the ABS in the other bracket until I ended up swapping out engines. I had all the room I needed once the engine was out.

Post by **subtle_driver** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:40 am

WOW! Awsome!!! this is what i was looking for! i searched but never found the info, maybe the search didn't go well because the title of the thread was not clear? anyways, im gonna go buy the newer style abs unit and swap it in! thanks Matt1979!

BTW, how did the brake lines attach? were they in the same order as the old unit? Serving from memory, i think the older style unit is tagged to show where the line attached and what purpose it served; but the newer style unit was blank and had no guide for attaching the lines. I would assume to just attach the lines in the same order as before. Am i correct?

Post by **mattd1979** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 7:40 pm

When you get the ABS pump, you will see 3 lines coming in at the top. You want to get the 1st brake line and the 3rd brake line that goes in at the top closest to the fire wall. You can reshape the line that goes in the middle of the pump. That line goes to the left front wheel. The 3rd line goes to the rear brakes and the 1st line goes to the right front wheel. You will not need the entire brake line that goes to the rear. Just after it exits the inner fender, there is a junction block. You disconnect it there. Hope this helps.

Post by **subtle_driver** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:19 pm

mattd1979 wrote:When you get the ABS pump, you will see 3 lines coming in at the top. You want to get the 1st brake line and the 3rd brake line that goes in at the top closest to the fire wall. You can reshape the line that goes in the middle of the pump. That line goes to the left front wheel. The 3rd line goes to the rear brakes and the 1st line goes to the right front wheel. You will not need the entire brake line that goes to the rear. Just after it exits the inner fender, there is a junction block. You disconnect it there. Hope this helps.

uh oh, i totaly just cut those lines....I read your earlier post that says you used the lines from the bmc to the abs unit. and you bent the other lines... so i cut the other lines and took with me the lines from the bmc. i guess im screwed now. so you can't reshape the lines coming from the calipers to fit the new unit?

so to clearify:i have the two lines coming from the brake master cylinder.I do not have the 3 lines that go to the front and rear brakes that attach at the top of the abs unit. (i chopped those off)

I'm still gonna attempt it! I'll let you know how/if it works.

Post by **mattd1979** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:45 pm

You will only need 2 of the 3 lines that go in at the top. The middle line can be reshaped. Since you don't have the 2 lines, you can attempt to reshape them but I don't think there is enough line to reach. The line that goes in at the top rear of ABS is for the rear brakes and the 1st one at the front top of the ABS is for the right front wheel.

Post by **subtle_driver** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 9:50 am

I replaced my 1990 abs pump module with a 1995 unit and it works perfectly! Total success!!!! re-shaped old brake lines. no abs light, and tested functionality, all good!

this can be done!

Post by **pbauer** » Sat May 09, 2015 1:08 pm

Hi All
check this post back in 08.
was real interesting. A great fix if it works.
Anyone tried this.
Installed a Q45 94-96 ABS Actuator in a 90-93 Q45
Thanks in advance for your reply.

See below post.

Quote

I replaced my 1990 abs pump module with a 1995 unit and it works perfectly! Total success!!!! re-shaped old brake lines. no abs light, and tested functionality, all good!

this can be done!
Grassroots Racing in San Diego, Gymkhana, Drag, Autocross, Rallycross, Dyno days and more!

will newer style 1994 and up ABS unit work on my 1990 q45?

will newer style 1994 and up ABS unit work on my 1990 q45? edit:(YES! IT WORKS!)

Re: will newer style 1994 and up ABS unit work on my 1990 q45? (subtle_driver)

Re: (Q451990)

Re: (subtle_driver)

Re: (Q451990)

Re: (subtle_driver)

Re: (maxnix)

Re: (Q451990)

Re: (Q451990)

Re: (subtle_driver)

Re: (mattd1979)

Re: (subtle_driver)

Re: (mattd1979)

Re: (subtle_driver)

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Re: will newer style 1994 and up ABS unit work on my 1990 q45?

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