951 V8 with Boxter 986/911 996 ABS ----- DONE :-)
 

Ok...

I talked and talked... and finally did it.

The 951 V8 now has fully functional Boxter ABS brakes :-)

woooo hooooo

Some technical details:

1) The stock 951 ABS sensors work fine with the Boxter ABS

2) You must use either a 986 Boxter or 996 911 ABS pump that has "only 2 rows of pins" in the harness plug. This is important. All the 996 & Boxter ABS pumps that have 3 rows of pins will not work as they are tied in via the bus to the PCM.

Only the 2 row ABS pumps work in stand alone mode.

I used the Boxter 986 ABS pump because it's the Boxter has a closer weight distribution to a 951 than does a 911 (obviously).



Work to be done:

1) Still need to configure a ABS warning light to indicate that the ABS has shut down for what ever reason. I could wire the output into the GM computer to trigger the Check Engine light but I am not. I want a separate ABS indicator light apart from the Check Engine light.

2) Test. I tested it on the street today with some skinny junk take off wheels. And yes.... it really works. And it feels much better and different than the factory 951 ABS.

Anyway, I have to test it on the track. I used to use an adjustable Wilwood rear brake proportioning valve, but have removed it and use the factory Boxter rear proportioning valve. I want to see how that works as a starting point. I will make changes from there.


That's the update for now....

I'll report back after the track this weekend (if it doesn't rain that is...)

TonyG

PS: A special thanks to Chris Andropoulos at Schneider Autohaus in Santa Barbara for replying to my request to purchase 951 ABS stub axles.

Chris has an ABS 944N/A car that he's preparing for 944 Spec Racing. So he can't use ABS.

Chris was kind enough to remove his stub axles and hand em over.... And I took em. However, I did send my non-ABS stub axles back to him today so that he could use them in the car he's building.

Thanks again Chris!


TonyG

Very cool

This is exciting news Tony!! Can't wait to hear your feedback from the track. When do you think this will be?
Can you see any developmental hiccups yet to occur?

I will be definitely looking to do the same if it all proves fine.
Thanks for the update.

ps any Pics???

Is that a 4 channel system?

My understanding is that 944s that came with ABS can use their ABS in spec racing - just that you can't forward- or back-date ABS to a non-ABS car...

I have a full 951 ABS system for sale, if anyone wants (plumbing, wiring, sensors, brain and pump).

ps Email sent Tony.

It's a 4 channel, 3 port system. Meaning that all 4 wheels have sensors. But only 3 ports drive the system (2 front, 1 rear). That's how all the 911's have it. And I couldn't find a 4 port system that was a 2 row connector (able to be used stand alone). Further... the more I thought about it, the less it mattered because the 4 ports would only enable features such as stability/traction control.

Anyway... that's what I'm using for now.

TonyG

what are the chances of adapting to a non-factory abs car...:icon107:

Very interested in your results Tony! I'm currently using the stock 89 951 ABS system and if this is a worthy upgrade that isn't an ass pain to do, I'm on it!

+1 on viability of this upgrade for a factory non-abs car. I read Excellence prior to purchasing my car that said all 951 had ABS from the factory from 87 on - my car proves that this statement was printed in error.

Van - same question for your stuff - how difficult to retrofit?

Very cool project by the way.

Thanks for the leg work Tony. Very good info and Very interesting. Congrats.

That's exactly what Tony has done here Spencer. Converted a 1986 to ABS using non '86 hardware.

Pics please :D

and keeping the early offset to fit Fuchs wheels... :D

ABS warning light
 

Are you still using the factroy gauge cluster? The '86 clusters has an ABS warning light despite never actually having ABS. It's located just above the oil and voltage gauge icons.
I dont recall if the wiring harness has that pin populated or not. You may have to run a wire and source a pin, or you can carefully solder a wire, to the circuit film, in order to activate the light. It should use a common ground, so only the power wire would need to be run.
I did this to add a separate warning light for my TEC3.