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09-23-2006
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#1 |
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9
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15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
I am a new member and own a 1991 ZR1. I just want to convey to you folks a "safety" concern. I was travelling close to where life begins and suddenly the car vibrated to either side of the road. It shook sideways violently. I thought I blew a tire. I managed to coast down and pull to the side of the road. No flat tires but I could not even proceed home at speeds greater than 55 without the car vibrating. At very low speeds I heard a clanking sound and thought it was the brake calipers.I wondered if I lost a wheel weight and was out of balance. My mechanic pulled the tires and the left front sensor and right rear sensor had cracked apart from the metal banding which held the sensors in place. The plastic housing were apart and the electronic circuit boards were freely floating in the tire. It seems that the 15 year old plastic sensor could not take the high angular velocity. I pulled out all the sensors. A lesson learned.
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09-24-2006
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#2 |
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Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Yep, they are garbage. I've known a few people that have lost them on the dyno, and it is violent.
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09-24-2006
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#3 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sparks, NV
Posts: 2,843
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Yup...pulled mine because of the same concern. Light doesn't even come on now
 Hans |
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09-24-2006
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#4 |
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 1,657
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Boy, oh Boy. Must have been quite a pucker moment.
Glad to hear that you *and* your ZR1 survived the incident. How are your nerves, still shaking? TomC '90ZR1 #792 |
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09-24-2006
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#5 |
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Well yes. It is a classic story. My wife and I were driving to a local restaurant and she said " the road is straight for several miles and I do not see any cars ahead". So I did what any male would do when presented the situation. However she was very frightened and I am sure that will be the last time she makes suggestions like that.
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09-25-2006
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#6 |
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Jacksonville, FL USA
Posts: 4,609
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Glad nothing bad happened to the both of you! That must have been an eye opener.
Does anyone know for sure on the early cars, I have a 90, what to do with the dash lights for the system? Do we pull the sensors and pull the two bulbs from the DIC? Is the "software" to run the system in the PROM? Can that be re-flashed to eliminate it?  Tom
__________________
1990 ZR-1, Black/grey, #2233, stock. ZR-1 Net Reg Founding Member #316 & NCM member |
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09-25-2006
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#7 |
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 322
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Glad to hear that you're safe....and thanks for giving the final nudge I needed to yank mine off soon, probably next week.
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09-25-2006
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#8 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: S. Florida
Posts: 2,647
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Quote:
 If you take them off, but hold onto them incase you sell some day and the new owner wants them.
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09-25-2006
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#9 | |
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Leesburg, VA
Posts: 2,704
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
Quote:
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10-04-2006
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#10 |
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: I'm in a constant state of euphoria in the Z!
Posts: 237
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Re: 15 year old tire sensors are the Achilles Heal of the Beast
I have had my light come on a couple of times, both times it was when I had low tire pressure. If the sensors aren't on the wheel, won't the light stay on?
Mine is a 1990 as well. Jim |
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