ABS warning light

[Foxy]

I'm currently on my holidays but before I left the country I went for a ride out around the Yorkshire dales. Towards the end of the ride my ABS warning light suddenly came on. When it was safe to do so I pulled over, deliberately locking the back wheel up whilst stopping and sure enough it skidded to a halt without the ABS kicking in. I had a quick check of the bike including removing both sensors and giving them a quick clean up. I then realised that the 30 amp ABS fuse had blown.  I replaced this and set off down the road. The light went out for about 10 seconds and then came on again.  When I got back I checked the fuse again and sure enough it had blown again.

After several replacements I think that the problem is being caused by an intermittent short in the wiring loom. I keep a puncture repair kit under the seat and can only assume that this has stressed the loom and although I can't see anything exposed I think it's shorting against something under the insulation because intermittently when the left side of the loom (highlighted in red) is flexed the fuse blows.

I didn't have time to diagnose any further before I left the country but will be back on Thursday and should have chance to take a good look at the weekend.  My questions are:
1 - has anyone else had a similar experience?
2 - there are a few looms on eBay at the moment at varying prices,  does anyone know if the loom is different between ABS  and non ABS models?




Thanks in advance 

[Scotty001]

I've no idea if there Is any difference In the looms, but if you have found the location of the issue (the fuse blows when you flex a specific point).

One of the cores has snapped inside its insulation, when the wire is wiggles the core arcs, creates a fault current and blows the fuse, you will not be able to see the exact point of breakage untill you remove the cores insulation.

why not just undo the tape around the wires, flex each wire individualy till the fuse blows (this is the faulty wire that needs replaced and rough area of the broken core) cut away the damaged section of abs wire and solder in a new section of wire, this will be a full perminant repair, would only need a short of length of wire, some heat shrink and insulation tape (to wrap the loom up again) . It's likely to be much cheaper than purchasing a new loom.

If your not confident is doing it ask a local workshop what they would charge, it isnt much of a job and the materials would only be a couple of £.

[maccmike]

This sounds very similar to a fault Burty had a few years ago, and funnily enough it came up in the conversation on our recent trip to Ireland. I'd PM him if I was you Foxy.

[Foxy]

Thanks chaps.  I'm fine with a soldering iron,  just wanted to cover all options,  hence the question about the loom. Will give it a good going over when I get back 

[Foxy]

Just found Burty's post and it sounds very similar

https://www.z1000sx.co.uk/index.php/topic,3176.msg41631.html#msg41631

 

[burty]

It does sound remarkably similar to the problem I had.  Check the insulation where that cable goes under the plate on the left of the picture.  Mine had worn through and was shorting to deck.

Personally I wouldn't buy someone else's problem loom for a minor issue.  (But to answer the question the ABS and non-ABS looms must be different).

[BikerJoe]

Sounds very similar to a fault I had on my old Z750S where the headlight loom had worn through rubbing against the fairing support frame. Happened a few times until I had a chance to get the fairing off and have a poke around. Once I'd found where it had worn, it was easy enough to unwrap that section of loom, insulate the affected wires, then re-wrap the loom. Smoothing and gaffa-taping the sharp edge responsible stopped it happening again.
Cheers, Joe