348 ABS Computer Clarification

bjwhite, you're my hero. I just got an ABS Computer for the Milano off eBay for cheap. Price so good, nice to have for a spare.

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Further clarification regarding the "|" marked ("not used") pins. I had a look at these pins on the Lincoln ABS computer - I could see where about half of the "|" ones go and can confirm that they are actually connected to the circuitry; the other half, the connection of which is not possible to see, are probably also connected. So, it seems that the indication "|" on the sticker is to show what pins are not used by the particular car and does not mean that the computer does not have functionality for them. So, it appears that Lincoln, Alfa and 348 ABS computers can be interchanged as far as pin functions are concerned. Jaguar XJS has exactly the same usage of the ABS computer pins as the 348 so it is certainly interchangeable. What differences they have in the programming of the Intel processors is not known but I don't think they are major.

 

Prices of alternative new ones:

Lincoln $145 (Ebay)

Jaguar XJS $1,100 (SNG Barratt); even this is not too bad compared with the Ferrari prices

 

I scored an Alfa one for $40.00. We'll see if it works.
Although the Lincoln ABS computer seemed to work fine, the guts inside certainly looked very different. It will be interesting to see what the insides of the Alfa unit look like. I'll report back.

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I know you are happy because it says "Centralina". You don't want on your Ferrari one which says "Steuergerät für ABS" like the one on the picture. VW Golf MKII, Jetta ABS computer is another interchange possibility as these cars also had Theves Mark II ABS system. I have attached the diagram as pdf.

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No worries...just assume it was made for the Italian market up near the border with Switzerland. They probably speak a little German there. Close enough.

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Great thread!!!!

 

Yes these are life cycle 1 abs units. I do know this is the later versions of cycle 1. I know speed / weight were very important inputs
Newer units are insanely complex, when the engineers read the data they go behind locked doors giving me no privy to whats involved.
I can tell you with the latest cycle abs even turning on the windshield wipers chances the algorithm quite a bit.

Thats why I love these cars 348/355 so much we get to stooge them with rubberbands and paperclips and get 90+% correct



xo

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Where are these units installed in the Lincoln, Jag, and Jetta? I hit the Pick 'n Pull every once in a while and I'd like to grab one of these. Are they under the dash?

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In the Alfa Milano, it’s in the left hand side of the trunk behind a trim panel. Just in case you happen across any Milanos, doubtful, but still.

The Verde and the Platinums got ABS. The Silver and Golds did not.

 

Looks like in the Jag the ABS Computer is next to the left rear wheel well behind an acess panel in the trunk.

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Yes, here it is (original strap replaced with much longer lasting zip-ties):

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Is there a market for the correct Ferrari part? Had the 348/355 ATE unit on eBay for $200 and the 328 version for $150. Appeared to be no interest!

 

That seems hilariously cheap, but I guess it's a question of timing. If you try to sell it when someone desperately needs one, you're golden, but if no one needs one, then no one is perusing the ads, so it won't sell.

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Just received the Jag ABS ECU that I bought. Its internals are very similar to those of the 348 except that Jag's unit has two extra small microchips where the 348's PC board has empty holes and links for these microchips and, instead, has some jumpers between the microchip holes. The Jag's ECU is probably just an improved version? (the 348's ECU on the picture is manufactured in 1986 and the Jag's in 1989). Or it could be to do with the "not used" ECU pins (which are exactly the same on the 348 and Jag ECU-s) and for the 348 ATE did not include the two chips as there is no use for them but for the Jag, ATE did not bother omitting them. The numbers on the Intel chips are very close: 348 - 10.0990-9524.1 Jag - 10.0990-9521.1.

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One correction: the 348 ECU is 1993 (I saw, on the round year chop, "86" looking at the not so clear picture).

 

So in the Alfa world, it is commonly noted that while Alfa used the same Teves ABS system, they did not elect to implement the on board diagnostics system that was optional on the Teves controller.

I wonder if neither Alfa nor Ferrari took up this option, but that Jaguar did—meaning that you could do diagnostics to the ABS controller from the car’s dashboard displays or other computers. Hence the extra chips.

 

So, here's the outside and guts of what is supposed to be an Alfa Milano ABS Computer. Exterior looks pretty good, but internals different. Looks like the Jag unit comes the closest by far to matching up with the official 348 unit. I'm guessing the Alfa unit probably works ok like the Lincoln unit did, but the Jag unit would definitely be the preferred alternative. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

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According to the wiring diagrams, the 348 and Jag have exactly the same used (and not used) pins of the ABS unit and Jag also has similar diagnostics socket as the 348. So it appears that Jag does not have any on board diagnostics but same way of diagnostics as what the 348 has. The Jag ABS unit is earlier production than the 348 so it is possible that ATE omitted the two chips (cost saving) in the later 348 production as these chips are either not used or ATE found a way to do without them.

 

Thanks Paul. Alfa and Ford internals look Identical. So here we go (in the order of similarity):

348
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Jag XJS
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Golf MK2
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Alfa
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Ford
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These are the Intel chip numbers:

348 10.0990-9524.1

Jag 10.0990-9521.1

Golf 10.0990-9523.1

Alfa 10.xxxx-xxxx.x (Paul, can you read and insert the Intel chip number of the Alfa unit)

Ford 10.0990-9601.1

 

These are the Intel chip numbers:

348 10.0990-9524.1

Jag 10.0990-9521.1

Golf 10.0990-9523.1

Alfa 10.0990-9508.1

Ford 10.0990-9601.1

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Here's a close up of the Alfa sticker with the pin diagram. Don't know if it's of value or not

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Here's a close up of the Alfa sticker with the pin diagram Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

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Alfa and Ford units have exactly the same used and not used pins (as shown on their stickers) as well as practically identical arrangement of the internals. I can see that the two chips, to the left of the two long Intels, in the Alfa unit have different numbers than those in the Ford unit but probably have the same functions. The other chips, as far as I can see, carry the same numbers.

Anyhow, different PC board arrangements and components do not mean that the functions (the functions of the connector pins) of the five ABS units are different - they are the same based on their ABS system wiring diagrams. The Golf MK2 unit has one large chip where the Jag unit has three small ones. Probably the functions of the three separate chips are integrated into one chip in the case of Golf.

I am not, for the time being, going to plug in the Jag ABS unit that I have just to test it in my 348 as my original "Centralina" is fine. If anyone who is already using a non-original ABS computer decides to buy and try a Jag XJS unit (~$50-60), please inform on the results.