I helped a friend replace the 2.73 rearend on his 98 TA last week with a 3.42 rearend from a 2002 CE TA. The 98 TA had the sensor for the antilock brakes in the pumpkin of the rearend. The rearend from the 2002 CE TA had a sensor for the antilock brakes and a sensor for the traction control. One sensor went to one rotor and the other sensor went to the other rotor. The 2 sensors plug into the same style 4 pin connector that his ALB sensor did but he only had 2 wires in it. This one has 2 wires for each sensor. The problem is... his ALB don't work. He get an ALB inopt light. Is there anyway to make this work. The guys on LS1.com were no help.

 

First thing you need to find out is which sensor provides what kind of signal. Some ABS sensors use AC, some use DC. If the traction control sensor (nearly identical to an ABS sensor) provides a like signal everything should work out well. It should, but it's better to find that out BEFORE any wiring.

Second, the traction control sensors operate the same way the ABS sensor does. The traction control has 1 reluctor ring and sensor on the end of each axle, while the ABS has just 1 ring and sensor on the differential carrier. Each ring and sensor provides a wheel speed input to the ABS ECU, and with the traction control, the PCM also. You could just repin (if necessary) and extend the ABS wiring to one sensor and connect it there. Or you might be able to splice both traction control sensors into the one connector for the ABS. You might get interfering signals when going around a turn though... Another option would be to take the reluctor out of the old rear, install it in the new rear, drill a hole for the sensor and install the sensor. That's a lot of work though.

A good wiring diagram is vital here You will need to know which wires go where.

Next time make sure your friend buys the right parts!

 

The new rearend only had 2 sensors. One in each axle; It didn't have anything in the carrier. His old rearend only one sensor in the differential. He tried unpluging one sensor at a time thinking the TC sensor was screwing with the ECM but that didn't work.



We didn't know about the differences and this rearend only had a few thousand miles on it and only cost $300.

 

Maybe I should have been more specific. The "ABS" rear has just one sensor located in the housing, with the ring on the differential. The "traction control" rear has 2 sensors on each axle end (no ABS sensor needed, the traction control sensors ARE ABS sensors). The ABS rear sends the signal to the ABS ECU, and the traction control rear sends the signals to the ABS ECU and PCM.