How to clean Brake sensor on Chevy S-10?

Answer 1

On FWD/4WD captive-rotor models, you must remove the sensor retaining bolt from the backside of the backing plate/splash shield. Then remove the sensor from it's mounting bore, and inspect for media presence on the sensor tip, and with a flashlight through the mounting bore to view the reference ring. Exposed sensor/ring types should be serviced at every brake pad replacement at the minimum, or every 30,000 miles. The concealed type would not need regular inspection, except when servicing an adjacent component, as noted above.

Cleaning

For cleaning, once you've removed the rotor (or sensor), you're already half of the way there. Simply wipe off the grime with a degreaser-spritzed shop towel. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to blow the debris off with compressed air! Static voltage can be generated, and then conducted to the ABS computer, which can damage it. Of course, you could disconnect the sensor to prevent this from happening, but why complicate things?

To clean the reference ring, use a small non-metallic brush and a squirt of degreaser. Make sure to go all of the way around the ring, and be thorough about it. If the rotor has been removed from the vehicle, its okay to carefully blow-dry the ring with compressed air. The ring does not need to be hospital-clean, just free of major debris and metal media, especially in the "troughs."

On captive rotor systems, cleaning the sensor is the same, but you'll have to work through its mounting hole to clean the reference ring, which will take some patience and, of course, a brush small enough to fit easily through the hole. It's also okay to use carefully applied compressed air to the ring as you turn the rotor/hub assembly