Technical Tips

There is no substitute for buying a Haynes manual to learn about your car and how to fix things but I've had to solve a few problems not covered by it. I've had plenty of free advice so I am more than happy to pass on the following tips to aid you with your Mark 3 Granada. If you have anything else that you think should go here please contact me.

Also don't forget to visit Ian Gater, the Granada Enthusiasts' Club Technical Advisor's Page for more great tips.

ABS Diagnosis - got the worrying yellow ABS light on there are a lot of checks you can do yourself before resorting to the dealer.

A/C Evaporator Drain Blockaged - get rid of those puddles in the footwells easily.

Unstable Idle - My cure for this apparently common ailment.

Engine Rebuild Pictures from Gavin Davies

Back to Main Page

Check which of the following description best describes how your ABS & Brake warning lights are coming on then follow the tests specified for that error.

Check for blown bulb, wiring from ABS module to dashboard for ABS Light, and wiring from ABS Modulator to Dashboard for Brake warning light..

Brake fluid level low, sensor in resevoir faulty or handbrake switch faulty.

This means that accumulator could not be charged to a sufficient pressure therefore no servo assistance for brakes, I would not drive the car in this condition.

Check for low fluid level. If motor not running check wiring etc, circuit diagram in Haynes manual should be sufficient for this. If motor running and brake pressure OK, check and replace pressure switch.

This means that didn't like the readings or output from one or more of its sensors therefore it will not kick in the ABS when necessary, normal brake operation is maintained. In fact my car even passed its MOT in this form but I think the ABS Light coming on has now been clarified as a reason for failure.

Remove connector from ABS module in passenger footwell and perform the following checks:

Check battery voltages in should be at least 10V, check the operation of the main relay should also go up to 10V when ignition turned on.
Check resistance of wheel sensors should all be 800 - 1400 Ohms.
Check sensor shield by measuring resistance to earth, should all be infinite, otherwise look for worn cable shorting to earth.
Check resistance of inlet and outlet valves should be 3-7 Ohms.

Module doesn't like reading from one or more wheel sensor, i.e it would appear that the faulty wheel is moving at a vastly different speed to the other wheels.

Ignition off, Jack up each wheel and spin at 1 rpm, measure voltage using meter on 2V AC setting.
RR - Pins 4 & 22
LF - Pins 5 & 23
LR - Pins 6 & 24
RF - Pins 7 & 25

If any readings out of range clean the teeth of ABS rotor and check Wheel Sensor is seated properly before condeming the expensive sensor, which is prone to failure in the adverse position it has to go in.

Check correct operation of ABS valves by jacking up relavant wheel and seeing if it locks up under the following conditions:

Ignition on, ABS recently run to pressurise accumulator
- run jumper between 2, 16 & 35 - LF wheel should be locked, ignition off - free to rotate
- run jumper between 2, 15 & 34 - RF wheel should be locked, ignition off - free to rotate
- run jumper between 2, 17 & 33 - rear wheels should be locked, ignition off - free to rotate

Before replacing hydraulic control unit, check for poor connections.

Many Thanks to Chris Cleeland who provided this information when I had a problem, I didn't need to go through every test so if you find a mistake please let me know..

The drain for the A/C evaporator is not obvious under the mass of wiring and vacuum tubes, but when you get puddles in the footwells on hot days, it is most likely these drains that are blocked as they are designed to let water out but not suck in fumes from the engine bay.

There are two drains which are L - shaped rubber tube which are a push fit on to the outlet. The nearside one is easier to see and is located on the bulkhead just behind the distributor on the V6 cars. Pull it off and clean it out under a tap until all water flows freely through it. The vent is just as push fitting into the end.

The offside tube is the same design and can be found on the bulkhead under the water valve (mushroom shaped thing). Pull it off and clean it out in the same way.

This seems a common problem which I fix by keeping the Crankcase Ventilation System (PCV) unblocked and also the Idle Speed Control Valve is prone to sticking after a build up of dirt. I fix it by removing it and filling it with Carb cleaner for half an hour. This fix usually lasts for about twelve months.

Hope these tips have proved useful, let me know and I'd be happy to include any of your own tips here as well.