ABS leaking break fluid.....long story

[JDMLegacy]

hey i really need help, i cant really find much info on my abs system, cept that it was "faulty" and a certain year was recalled, (not my year) i have a 1995 legacy LSi,

ive owned the car for 6 months, and about the 3rd month in, the brake light comes on (not the abs light) i checked the fluid and it was low so i toped it of, a bit later that day it came back on, and i was like well maybe i need brake pads, so i was gonna replace them that weekend, the next day i went to leave for work AND HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL, the pedal would go straight to the floor, and the car would NOT STOP, my dad and i bled the brakes and the master cylinder and replaced the brake pads, and the problem was solved (for a little while)

the fluid would get low really quick, id fill it up like once a week or so (i didnt know this wasnt normal untill recently)

well, it happened again, the brake light came on, and the next day NO BRAKES, i bled them and it got worse, no pressure to the pedal at all, so i re bled them the next day, there ok right now, but i decided to look around for a leak, and its coming from my abs unit, i have a few pics of exactly where its from, there bad pics from my cell phone

but check it out


https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/12/dsf-1.jpg


the leak is coming from down here, this circle thing was wet, and there is a pool of brake fluid under the unit


https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/12/wersa-1.jpg



https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/12/wvf-1.jpg



i wiped it clean today, and im gonna look at it when i get to work tomorrow, just to be sure,

id like to fix the one i have, ive read about all the bad things that happend to most of them, and im glad to say mine works fine, its never done any thing weird or kicked in at the wrong moment, can it be fixed? if i replace it im affraid im gonna end up with one that is worse off than mine,

does any one know what i can do??

[decke48]

make sure the lines and fittings arent leaking. after that you might need to look into a new or used abs unit. subaru has a couple abs unit they used over the years. can you see who made it?

[JDMLegacy]

yeah dude i checked the lines, there clean, well not "clean" BUT no fluid on them and theres a lable with a big number on it and it, and it might say who made it, i can look tomorrow, im not at my house right now (my car is way up the street)

i wish i could fix this one, like i said i dont want to end up with one that has more problems than the one i have, i read that you can take out a fuse? what if its only leaking when it works (when im like goin down hill) what if i take the fuse out? do you know where it is? i umm recently lost my owners repair manule....its been a long day

[decke48]

fluid will still pass through the unit. just by removing the fuse the abs wont activate. if its leaking from the housing you need to either replace the unit or bypass the lines removing the abs indefintly

[JDMLegacy]

ABS is a good thing to have right? (when it works properly) I've never driven a car with out it, I don't even know what to do if your brakes lock up (if assume you let go of them)

If I need a new one, does any one know where I can get one? Or have one they can sell me? I already checked auto zone and advanced auto parts and pick up city (pretty much every place around me.....)

And how hard is it to install/remove? Since I could hopefully do the repair myself

[Grafton]

i've owned 2 cars without abs, not fun, much easier to lock up and loose control if you panic, you should be able to get one from a junker and you'll have to bleed the abs unit if replace it

[JDMLegacy]

Hey grafton! You live around here, no any place that I can look for one!

:)


How do you bleed the ABS?

[Huffer]

You'd bleed the ABS the same way you bleed the brakes. The fluid passes through the ABS unit.

Looks like a faulty ABS unit - so I would try to find a used one if you can...a new one is going to cost you many bones.

While you're digging around under the hood, take a rag and drop it in a mix of hot water and simple green degreaser, and start to wipe down surfaces in the engine bay (stay away from the alternator and battery)... rinse the rag a lot. Having a clean engine bay makes these kinds of inspections easier.

I've never seen an ABS unit leak, but then there's a first time for everything.

[Grafton]

jdmlegacy the answers are in order dunno, and dunno

huffer
possible that so much mosture in old brake fluid that it froze and caused the leak

[JDMLegacy]

I double checked it today when I got to work, brake fluid all over that circle part, I wiped it clean and checked it again when I got home..... More fluid... This blows


The brand of the abs unit is


Nippon


Some one asked up there, I'm gonna google that and see what comes up

[Huffer]

Found it:
http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_par ... artid=1982 (http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partdetail.php?partid=1982)
Item #4
http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/images/products/HYD.jpg

$1000.... crazy.

There has to be a junk yard someone can get to to help you out. What about xxGTBSPECxxx or whatever his name is?

[JDMLegacy]

Omg!! I'm on my cell and haven't gotton a chance to look it up yet (I'm no where near a comp) your way faster than me Rodger I'll give you that!!

But are you serious? 1000??? Omg!! That's so much dude..... Even from a junk, if the new one is worth that much I bet one from there, if who ever is working isn't a complete retard is gonna be like 500 or 600


Crap

[Huffer]

I have a feeling a pick n pull place isn't going to know the true value of that particular part. It's so odd.
And given it's tied into the brake lines most places aren't going to try messing with it.

If I had known... I would have pulled it from my GT when I parted it out.

[JDMLegacy]

Yeah that was what I was thinking.... That I could have used yours! Sux dude,


There are no pick your parts here, I googled a bunch of junk yards in wv all of which are hours away, I got the phone numbers but since it was after 5 none of them answered, I'm gonna call tomorrow,

I'll let you know what they say

[Huffer]

I found a 1995 Legacy L in a pull-a-part yard about 15miles from me. It's been there since 5 November... I wonder what kind of tools I'd need to pull the ABS unit out of the car.

Quick search on ebay yields the following results:
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/_Car-Truck- ... trksidZm39 (http://motors.shop.ebay.com/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__Subaru-Legacy-ABS-Pump_W0QQ_fxdZ1QQ_ptasZ1QQ_trksidZm39)

Slightly better pic of the unit from my old car:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/12/EngineBay_NoIntake1-1.jpg

Looks like the 1998 units are different to the 1995 you have...

[JDMLegacy]

Dude, yeah looks different, but if you could get the one from the junk yard for me!!!!!! Then I could send you the money, or I dunno, I don't mind driving up dude id love you for it!!!


My dad says to take it off you would need, a 10mm wrench to disconnect the brake lines, and its only held on by 1 bold in the middle

[Huffer]

Ok, I'll try to get out to the yard on the weekend...

[JDMLegacy]

Dude..... I don't even know what to say.... I don't think that "thank you" is enough,

You help me with every thing, If you ever need ANY THING hit me up, I'll be there I promise


:)

[decke48]

ill look tommorow at the junkyards. since they have 4, 95 legacy there should be one

[JDMLegacy]

That's awesome! If you find one just let me know so I can tell Rodger!


Thanx!!!!!

[WindingRoad]

I actually have the same problem with my '96 GT wagon.

Same leaking from that round plug and everything. As an experiment, I JB Welded around it (the plug) to potentially stop any more fluid from leaking out, and it worked for a bit... until it started leaking out of the round plug on the other side. And then it started leaking from the same place it was leaking to begin with. Great.

The quick fix for me, is to just bleed the front driver's side brake line, and the brakes are good again for a few more weeks. I'm just assuming that any air being introduced into the system is going only into that particular line, because when I bleed the other lines, there doesn't seem to be any bubbles.

I'm going to eventually order a replace ABS unit off of eBay for like 100 bucks and replace it, as it doesn't look that difficult to do.

At least I'm not the only one with this issue.

[JDMLegacy]

I KNEW I couldn't be the only one out there with this problem!!!!! Hmm I'm glad to see its a bit more common than I thought, and also I FEEL YOUR PAIN! I can't find any on sale on eBay, I the only thing I see is the computer that runs it for 100 bux, its a small black box, is yours the same brand? Nippon?


You welded it really? Hmm, my dad can weld, he used to be a pro, I wonder how safe it is to mess around with the unit!

[Huffer]

Quick search on ebay yields the following results:
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/_Car-Truck- ... trksidZm39 (http://motors.shop.ebay.com/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__Subaru-Legacy-ABS-Pump_W0QQ_fxdZ1QQ_ptasZ1QQ_trksidZm39)

You should contact a Subaru tech and see if a later model ABS pump will work in your car. If they do, then you're golden.

[Grafton]

You welded it really? Hmm, my dad can weld, he used to be a pro, I wonder how safe it is to mess around with the unit!

not that kind of welding, jb weld is a cold weld compound you mix two tube of goop together and apply it to what ever you "welding"

[JDMLegacy]

Hahahah!!!!! Oh god!!! You mean that puddy stuff!!! Lol


I'm so freakin smart, man, I don't know what i would do with out this forum

[Huffer]

The issue with the JB weld fix is that the surfaces must be completely dry, and the other problem is that the ABS unit is part of a pressurized system. If the brake fluid has an opportunity to escape through a broken line or other hole, it will.

One permanent fix is to bypass the ABS unit altogether - that would require fabricating up lines in place of the ABS unit...

My previous cars didn't have ABS and I never had a problem, but then again I never drove on ice where stabbing the brake pedal multiple times a second was required in an emergency avoidance move. ABS has saved my life at least a couple of times.

Did decke48 find you a unit on Tuesday? I need to know if I should still be heading to the junkyard on Saturday lunchtime...

[decke48]

no. went up to it and it the road was closed to it. still havent cleared everywhere from that ice storm we got last thursday... :-(

[JDMLegacy]

Rodger, your not going up on your lunch break from work are you?


Oh man...... I feel really bad.......

[jey]

Check car-part.com. I just searched abs pump in WV and got 5 results starting at $75. It looks like Subaru changed the abs pump for 98 (or 97) but used the same pump for the previous generation Legacy - so you might be able to use one from a 90-94 Legacy too.

[JDMLegacy]

Carparts.com?

Ok then I'll look there and try to find one that isn't to far from me, so its ok Rodger, id really feel aweful if you went to the junk yard in the freezing cold, its ok dude, you know I really appreciate it,

I'll just try to get one online,

I'll let you know what happens

[Huffer]

www.car-part.com (http://www.car-part.com)

I just found a 1996 version at Pick Up City in Fairmont, WV:
http://www.pickupcity.com/directions.htm

$75.

No worries Liz, just let me know.

[JDMLegacy]

WHAT DUDE IM SO MAD, i called pick up city like DAYS ago and they said they didnt have it..... hmm

thanx rodger!!!!!!!!

[Grafton]

stuff goes in and out of stock there it makes no sence like my rear swaybar i bought...

[JDMLegacy]

yeah? weird, i cant afford it till friday though, i hope they dont sell it!!!! crap!

[WindingRoad]

So uh... was it ever determined whether or not later model ABS pumps are compatible?

All I can ever find are the kind that has the brake lines in a 2x2 pattern on top instead of the 4 in a row on top like the kind that I and the OP have. Even the ones listed on eBay as being a '96 are different than the one I have.

If they are interchangable that would make my life so much easier, because this issue is sort of a dealbreaker now as to whether or not I keep this car :(

[JDMLegacy]

Wow, I don't think there innerchangable, what year is your car and brand is the abs? It should say on the side I have a friend going to the junk tomorrow to grab one for me he's gonna get a few if any of em fit your car your welcome to it

[WindingRoad]

It's a 1996 GT, however, it didn't come with the hood scoop.

My ABS looks the same as yours, a Nippon brand with the brake lines in a single row.

Forgive the horrible pics, I just took them a few minutes ago with my phone and a flashlight.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/01/abs1-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/01/abs2-1.jpg
You can sort of make out the NIPPON ABS, LTD label.


If you're actually able to find an abs unit that will work for me, that would be awesome. I've been having trouble otherwise trying to find one.

[JDMLegacy]

Yeah that's mine! Lol


Well my pal says he'll try to find 2, so hang in there a bit and I'll let ya know what's uo

[xXGTBspecXx]

yes il try to find 2..but umm theres a STi one on ebay right now for $50 bucks i dont know if it will work on our cars or not but its worth trying to find out.