I have a 2002 F-150 Supercrew 4.6 with about 180,000 +/- miles on it. I've had the ABS light on intermittently for a while now. I haven't noticed any unusual braking issues since the light started coming on, maybe a very rare slightly hard pedal. Ran it on a code reader and came up with a C1185 code, which looks to be a fault in the ABS module. I checked the fuses in both the passenger compartment (23) and the power distribution box (102), they were good. I figured I would take the ABS module off and have it sent out to be rebuilt . Found a company, Module Master, with pretty good reviews, who would do the rebuild for $130. This weekend I went to try and get the module off, which, of course, is where the problems started. I noticed the 4 module mounting screws were in pretty rough shape once I got the air cleaner out of the way. I sprayed penetrating oil on them and let them sit overnight. This morning I went to try and get them out with the T20 torx bit. No way they were coming out. The head of the screws were in such bad shape that I couldn't even get the bit to grab hold. I ended up using a Dremel with a metal cutting blade to cut the heads off. Unfortunately that messed the ABS module housing up and that sinks the rebuild idea. I will have to order one from RockAuto, which isn't the end of the world. Once I got the module off, I then tried to get the screws that were still in the mounting holes out. The 2 on the right, closer to the wheel well, came out easy. The 2 on the left, closer to the engine, did not budge. I've sprayed them with penetrating oil, used vice grips, they aren't moving at all. I'm guessing since they were closer to the engine, they've managed to bake themselves in there pretty good.

Any ideas on how to get the remaining parts of the screws out?

 

Probably going to have to drill them out.

 

Here is a pic of what I currently have...




Someone suggested heating up the part of the screw sticking out of the housing to break them free. I have researched using heat to break free rusty parts, but I would be concerned using the heat so close to the cylinders. I could use a mini butane torch. Any thoughts on this?

 

I'd try some good penetrating oil first - the best out there is Kroil. If you use heat, follow that up with cold.

 

I would get your Dremel or air cut off tool and chop the remainder out. Then do like glc said and get a quality drill bit in that size and just drill that module right on out.

 

I would rather not go the drill it out route, at least not yet., There is a partial braided brake line right above that rear most screw shank, and getting a drill in there with that line in the way will be next to impossible. Removing the line would be an option, but I've only ever bled brakes once.

I was looking into the heat/cold option. I see CRC makes a product called "Freeze Off". It seems to get pretty good reviews for loosening things up. I know that heat makes things expand. So it seems kind of backward to heat the shank up. But I'm thinking if I heat the shank up for what, maybe about 30 seconds with a mini butane torch, then wait for a bit and hit it with some of the Freeze Off for about 20 seconds, maybe that would free things up?

My concern is the aluminum housing the screws are stuck into. Aluminum reacts to hot and cold differently than other metals, and I don't want to damage it.

 

You want the housing warm and the screws cold.

 

How'd the removal / repair turn out? Replaced my ABS control module a few months ago but had zero problems getting the four little mounting bolts off.