I decided to start another thread to help me understand the braking circuit on a 1994 Accord with ABS brakes (which will hopefully help me fix my braking issue). Can someone explain to me where the fluid from the master cylinder goes before it gets to the disc brakes? The two lines coming out of the master cylinder go into the ABS unit where i am assuming it is redistributed to the four wheels. Does anyone know what happens inside of that ABS unit? I replaced the master cylinder, bled everything, and now i have no braking force. i'm curious if the ABS has something to do with it because I dont understand exactly how it works. thanks for the help.

 

the ABS modulator has to be bleed as well. not tricky, but get a manual if you don't have one. it is under HIGH pressure. also, did you bench bleed the master first before install?

 

yes i fully bench bled the MC until there was no air. i probably did about 20 additional pumps after the last bubles came out. i also bled the abs for the hell of it but i only did about 3 cycles (opened bleeder until flow slowed down and then closed. topped off fluid and started car for 1 minute. repeat). i didnt think the abs was related to the master cylinder at all, but i started to question that based on the pipes going to the ABS from the MC. should i continue to bleed the ABS? its tough to see when i clear all the fluid out because the fluid in there is pretty clean.

 

There is the rod to the brake booster.....and then from there to the pedal. Be sure these "rods" are in properly adjusted.

The abs, IMO.....when "called" for....cuts into and out of the normal brake system (on this gen). Meaning the abs will "bleed" off pressure of a wheel if the wheel sensor "sees" no rotation/or a relationship between wheels that is "out". It will then re-apply pressure to "the wheel" once the rotation is back into allowed settings.

Bottom line, changing a bad brake master cyl should have nothing to do with the abs....

 

great thanks. that's what i was hoping to find out. i never adjusted the booster pushrod, but i dont think thats the root cause of my poor stopping power. that would just give me a little more pedal travel before the brakes are applied which im also having.