low traction brake trouble

[spydercam]

well guys i have another problem,sorry for being the newbie king and all.
i have searched around on this subject but not sure if it was this specific problem.just wanted to get some ideas on how to fix it.

well sometimes when i brake (no matter how hard and ussually at low speeds)the abs kicks in for no reason and the low traction light comes on while it does it.this makes braking kinda scarey,i am afraid i will stop to late and hit someone.sometimes the abs inop light will come on ,sometimes it comes on after this happens.what do you think could be the problem?

i have read -
1.brake fluid dirty.(i will probably get the fluid flush and chaged out as it is a 96 and has never been done before.the fluid is very dark.sometimes when i add new to it the abs inop comes on??????)

2.check third brake light.(i will try this when i get home,but when it first started acting up i checked it and all was good)

3.clean sensor in the rear end.i cleaned it but i should do the fluid change back there cause i seems pointless to stick it back in ditry oil after i cleaned it.but sypmtom was still there.i also read that the front speed sensors are in the hub and cannot be changed??is this true?)

i think this is all,what else can i do?i called dealer for a fluid flush and they said about 115.:bs: and around the same for a coolant flush (which i need badley because i have the sludge.:mad:
how bad am i getting raped ?

any advice,
thanks

[RadRacer]

Re: low traction brake trouble

coolant flush is easy man. Just set aside an hr or so to go pick up the coolant and all, and well, flush it. I think we did like a 50/50 mixture in mine, not too sure what's recommended. As for brake fluid, I'm not sure how hard that would be. I'm assuming the actual flush wouldn't be too hard, but bleeding the brakes is gonna be a PIA. I never go to the dealer for anything, cuz they always make you pay out the ***, even for simple stupid things

[BLLDOGG]

Re: low traction brake trouble

you are adding to your fluid level? you should never ever ever have to ever add to the fluid level. i would say have someone diagnose the problem but i think I would be wasting my breath

[spydercam]

Re: low traction brake trouble

you are adding to your fluid level? you should never ever ever have to ever add to the fluid level. i would say have someone diagnose the problem but i think I would be wasting my breath

also i have not added hardly any to it it was just a nick below the line a few times and i added some to it.
your talking to a poor guy over here. :(
any other suggestions?

[spydercam]

Re: low traction brake trouble

coolant flush is easy man. Just set aside an hr or so to go pick up the coolant and all, and well, flush it. I think we did like a 50/50 mixture in mine, not too sure what's recommended. As for brake fluid, I'm not sure how hard that would be. I'm assuming the actual flush wouldn't be too hard, but bleeding the brakes is gonna be a PIA. I never go to the dealer for anything, cuz they always make you pay out the ***, even for simple stupid things

okay the only problem with this is what kind of container are you guys using to do this?i figure it has to be a big one if you are using water from the hose to do a back flush with it.otherwise i think it would be pretty simple.

[Vanquish]

Re: low traction brake trouble

okay the only problem with this is what kind of container are you guys using to do this?i figure it has to be a big one if you are using water from the hose to do a back flush with it.otherwise i think it would be pretty simple.

go to an auto parts store and buy a coolant drain pan.
Also, whenever you are flushing it, remember to remove your bottom radiator hose and stick the hose in there and spray it upward, going against the normal flow of the coolant. This helps get most of the gunk out, and works more effeciently than just spraying downward from the top of the radiator at the fill cap.

[spydercam]

Re: low traction brake trouble

go to an auto parts store and buy a coolant drain pan.
Also, whenever you are flushing it, remember to remove your bottom radiator hose and stick the hose in there and spray it upward, going against the normal flow of the coolant. This helps get most of the gunk out, and works more effeciently than just spraying downward from the top of the radiator at the fill cap.

thanks i will try that out.i was just worried about how i was gonna catch all that coolant. also sorry one more thing.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
COOLING SYSTEM BLEEDING
All 3800-IIs Except "W" Body
1) Fill radiator to base of filler neck. Start engine. Place A/C-heater control in any position except MAX. Select highest temperature setting. Idle engine until lower radiator hose is hot.
2) Increase engine speed to 3000 RPM and then back to idle. Do this 5 times to expel any air trapped in system. Fill radiator as necessary. Install radiator cap. Allow engine to cool. Fill coolant recovery reservoir as necessary.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
i see this is the bleeding system used for our cars,but i also noticed a bleeding screw (i think ) on the top of the engine where the coolant goes into the thermostat.is this a bleeder or do i even need it.i know some cars play h#ll trying to bleed and this sounds too easy.is it really that easy?

[spydercam]

Re: low traction brake trouble

oh yeah now what about the brakes?

joking.

[Rob Bell]

Re: low traction brake trouble

Like BLLDOGG said, you should never have to add brake fluid. You probably have a leak somewhere. So you are probably losing fluid, and then maybe drawing air into the lines when you release the brakes. I have never had to add brake fluid to any of my cars, and I'm talking cars I've owned for 10-15 years.

I would start checking the brake lines and the connections at each wheel to see if one looks like it's leaking fluid.

Plus I think flushing an ABS braking system requires special procedures, be sure to check into that.

[BLLDOGG]

Re: low traction brake trouble

yes it does.

[spydercam]

Re: low traction brake trouble

Like BLLDOGG said, you should never have to add brake fluid. You probably have a leak somewhere. So you are probably losing fluid, and then maybe drawing air into the lines when you release the brakes. I have never had to add brake fluid to any of my cars, and I'm talking cars I've owned for 10-15 years.

I would start checking the brake lines and the connections at each wheel to see if one looks like it's leaking fluid.

Plus I think flushing an ABS braking system requires special procedures, be sure to check into that.

thanks man,i actually wwas looking around in the engine earlier cause of an awful burning odor (i think it is jb on my egr tube???) and i saw a little fluid that looks to have spewed out the top of the brake resevoir.i wonder if it isn't holding pressure or i overfilled it.also on the brake booster(the big black thing)
there was some fluid that looked like it seeped out of the silver metal part of the bottom of the resevior. looks like you guys are right. :embaressed:
is there a seal there or a gasket? (sorry for my great terminoligy i use to descibe parts - )

[BLLDOGG]

Re: low traction brake trouble

yes, there is a seal on the back of the master cylinder. for someone with low technical experience, I do not recommend trying to rebuild it. it needs to be replaced, abs and the brakes bleed and like I said, you need a special tool to bleed the abs with is far too expensive for the average person. needs to go to a dealer unless you can find someone with a tech 2 or equivalent

[gman2000]

Re: low traction brake trouble

yes, there is a seal on the back of the master cylinder. for someone with low technical experience, I do not recommend trying to rebuild it. it needs to be replaced, abs and the brakes bleed and like I said, you need a special tool to bleed the abs with is far too expensive for the average person. needs to go to a dealer unless you can find someone with a tech 2 or equivalent

I'm a little confused about this special tool. I just removed all my calipers to clean and paint. I put them back on and used my hand type vacuum pump to bleed the air out. I used almost a qt of fluid to flush till I got clear "new" fluid. That was several weeks ago and everything seems ok.

[auto666]

Re: low traction brake trouble

i think hes talking about a special tool to cycle the abs and get the dirty fluid out of the unit you can bleed and flush any system at the calipers just start at the one furthest from the master and work you way to it(pass rear through to driver front)

[gman2000]

Re: low traction brake trouble

Thanks for the info. I haven't had to do much more than that to a brake system in a long time.