So I think Ive finally doscovered my brake problems, a leaking ABS unit. I was under my car about an hour ago inspecting things and observed fluid of some sort at the bottom of the unit along with peeling paint directly below it. If thats not a leak, then I dont know what is.

So what are my options? I can get the delete kit from Mazdatrix, does this require the change over of my master cyl? Im guessing that a new unit is rediculously expensive...

What are some drawbacks of removing the ABS pump, other than the obvious?

 

You will need a new one. If it is a S4 I have one :-)

If you dont want to use it you will have to run new hardlines or adapt new ones to them and exstend. And since I dont feel like walking 2acers to my shop and look IIRC the MC is different.

Clean the area very well where it was leaking and repaint it with something, it will rust metal like no tomarrow.

 

When you say that, do you mean literally new ?

Just making a point of that, because a new unit from Mazda runs about $2200. That, and there really is no guarantee that another used 15+ year old unit is not going to start leaking in much the same manner (as has been the case for others). This is probably the main reason many people opt for a delete kit. I did so myself, and the only obvious drawback was lack of ABS. If you have a leak and your ABS light is on, you have been driving without ABS anyway, so it is going to probably perform as well as it has been already. This was the case for me.

I would love to find a cheaper option to buying the new ABS unit, and when I get some time I hope to figure out how to rebuild the thing. Mazda offers no instruction or kit for ABS unit rebuilding.

 

This I can definitely vouch for, and it sucks like no tomorrow too. I don't know that it necessarily causes the rust by itself, but it strips paint down to bare metal, and voila, you have a nasty, rusty, peeling paint mess!

 

-six- lol thx for the concern hehe. I should state I meant new to him but not brand new I have a JDM one with 56k miles on it and looks excelent. If it didnt work hell I would refund his money what else could I do :-/

Yea it will trash some metal just view my blog and you will see where I took out metal and welded new sheets in because of rust form the MC driping down over the years.

 

A leaking abs unit is how I picked up my fc turbo with a rebuilt motor for a grand.
All I did was remove the unit and get brake pipe splices from the local parts store. you can bend the pipe with a spring and it wont kink. just make sure you put the rear to the rear and the left and right where they go. the proportioning valve is on the fire wall not in the abs so no illefects from removing abs. Also removed abs light from IP. Total cost was $5 including brake fluid. Just remember to bleed your brakes!

 

Just out of curiosity, has anyone rebuilt or found an alternative to ditching the ABS unit and thus ABS altogether? Thought I might float this thread up again, see if any new info comes of it.

EDIT- Also, why did you remove the ABS light? After I completely unplugged my ABS unit, the light took care of itself (turned off).

 

Brake fluid sucks when it gets on paint... I just had to repaint my fame rail in my project car because a master cylinder leak stripped all the paint away.