To fix or not to fix..?

[Aries1911]

Ok.. Dead Abs motor and dead master cylinder. Honda quoted me 1500 to fix just the abs motor..Would you fix it? And where is the motor located, behind the dash or in the engine bay?

i have to keep my car for another 5 yrs at least (hopefully).. all imput is great!!

[EJX_Michael]

Ok.. Dead Abs motor and dead master cylinder. Honda quoted me 1500 to fix just the abs motor..Would you fix it? And where is the motor located, behind the dash or in the engine bay?

i have to keep my car for another 5 yrs at least (hopefully).. all imput is great!!

In my opinion No. $1500 is absolutely ridiculous. You really don't need ABS, but if you don't know how to control your car with the brakes locked up then maybe. Even so, I would get a used one and have a shop other than honda do it.

Driving without ABS isn't that hard... Its pretty much as soon as you feel a wheel lock up, gradually release the brake until it stops locking, then hold the brake there. Also you can pump the brakes to regain control in a lock up.

Also, your ABS not working really wont hurt anything. My car still has all the ABS parts, but I disabled the system because I didn't want to spend $100 on a stupid wheel sensor.

If they say your master cylinder needs replaced though, you need to get it done.

If you decide to not have the ABS system fixed, you can just unplug the ABS computer in the trunk and the light will go away.

[weezy911]

fckk abs lol....i got the master cylinder for 54 bucks at autozone....replacing it is cake thee instructions couldnt tell it any better ....i advise u use a line wrench though to prevent stripping bolts and what not

[batever]

My car doesn't have ABS it but if it did I'd try to fix it if I had the cash. But $1500 sounds overly pricey.

Echoing EJX Michael, I would have the brake master cylinder replaced (first priority) and make sure the basic braking system is in good shape, then if I had the cash I would scope out a used ABS motor from a junkyard.

Then I'd be real sure that I understood how best to use the brakes and had practiced emergency stops and an emergency lane changes using normal brake technique as opposed to ABS brake technique.

As to the utility of ABS, my opinion is that, if you know how to use it, ABS is the most important safety innovation since brakes *in the hands (feet, really) of a knowledgeable driver*. . Even more important than airbags in that it allows you to maintain steering control during severe braking and avoid an accident in a much wider range of conditions than even the most skilled cadence ("pumping the brakes") braking can accomplish. But if you don't know how ABS actually functions and what it does to your turning and stopping dynamics, and you haven't trained on it, then actually statistics show it doesn't help that much. ABS will radically increase the amount of front end steering traction during severe braking, meaning that if you don't "steer small" while maneuvering during abs braking then you might steer yourself out of the accident in front of you and off the road into a ditch or spun out. ABS doesn't necessarily decrease stopping distance (an operator skilled in threshold braking can often stop shorter than a car with ABS) but it allows you to steer through a situation, and steering is often a much more effective mode of accident avoidance than braking is.

If you know how to use it, 4 Wheel ABS will even take your car out of a lateral slide and allow you to steer again (if you have enough pavement to recover--say on a track).

For those who are interested, books like Drive to Survive or (not sure if it's in print anymore) Bob Bondurant on Police Pursuit driving give good coverage of basic vehicle dynamics and both ABS versus non ABS braking technique.

[BadIS]

My car never came with abs to start so i say f that and get a new master cylinder.

[Puertorican CB7]

My car does not have ABS either and it stops great! better than my 88 300zx with abs!!

and I drive it on some of the most dangerous roads on this planet! No kidding ! Long

Uphills/Insane downhills/ dirt roads ect.

Master Cylinder is a peace of cake to replace.. even a monkey could do it! lol

Good Luck

[mr_cb7]

None of my cars have had the ABS feature and the car stops on a dime when I pump the brakes, even in the snow during winters. You could also look at it as a good teaching tool when it comes to braking properly instead of letting a computer do it for you. Anyway like the others before me have posted ABS should be on your last list of priorities, the Master cylinder by far is the most important part you should be looking to replace if needed...and it is very easy to replace and can be purchased for around 50$.

One more thing DO NOT GO TO HONDA to get work done on an old CB7. They charge outrageous fees like the quote you mentioned in your post, and their work is really no better than "Joe" mechanic down the street at half the price per hour. Save yourself a bunch of loot and just go to your local autoparts store and buy the parts and find a decent mechanic to install it if you dont think you are up to doing it by yourself.

[JDMDriver]

Yes l would get the normal brakes in order first (master cylinder etc).

As to the question regarding ABS brakes it will depend on the condition of the car and therefore duration of time it will be held by the existing owner.

If it was my car and the body is not clean i would defer the abs till after i have fixed the rest of the car (to near new condition).

Then when the car is clean and know it is structurally sound and cosmetically pleasing (and have plans to keep it for more than 4 years) i would definitely fix the ABS.

ABS are life saving devices and also cost saving devices (preventing write offs or more massive damages). It can assist in even avoiding a collision and can even completely save you, your loved ones and all the mods you have invested on your CB.

In an event of an inevitable collision you can bet that every dollar spent on that ABS (activiating prior to impact) will have absorbed heaps of energy reducing your injuries if not preventing them..

How much would you pay to avoid an accident or severe injury if you knew abs would prevent it. ABS is definitely one to fix in my books if im sticking with the same car for a while .

Besides the saving from not buying new pays for the ABS already in less than a year compared to a new car suffering high depreciation and insurance premiums etc!

[batever]

ABS are life saving devices and also cost saving devices (preventing write offs or more massive damages). It can assist in even avoiding a collision and can even completely save you, your loved ones and all the mods you have invested on your CB.

Yes but again only if you have studied and *practiced* how to use it under severe braking and turning scenarios. (I recommend an empty highway at 1 AM ha ha ha! of course after you have read the books I recommended before) Car insurance statistics show that ABS has not caused collision rates to go down, mostly because only 2% (my figure) of the population understands how to use ABS and in general how to behave in an accident avoidance scenario that involves a combination of braking and turning.

cf my previous post

To all who have commented about how their cars stop great without ABS, I agree, and mine does too. But ABS is more about preserving maneuvering ability during braking. ABS is not about stopping faster necessarily (there are many conditions, like deep snow or gravel, when ABS results in longer stopping distances) but about being able to maintain turning ability during braking.

In general, it is more effective, when you have a clear path, to steer your way out of an accident than to brake your way out of it. You can steer around something that is stationary and only about 15 feet away from you, even at highway speeds, if you know what you are doing and have practiced it. But you can't stop in less than 120 feet or so at highway speeds. The most common sight seen by an accident inspector is a straight trail of tire tread going straight into an object (driver panicked, locked up the wheels and was unable to steer around or didn't even think to steer around, likely because he/she had never rehearsed such a scenario.)

[JDMDriver]

Yes but again only if you have studied and *practiced* how to use it under severe braking and turning scenarios. (I recommend an empty highway at 1 AM ha ha ha! of course after you have read the books I recommended before) Car insurance statistics show that ABS has not caused collision rates to go down, mostly because only 2% (my figure) of the population understands how to use ABS and in general how to behave in an accident avoidance scenario that involves a combination of braking and turning.

cf my previous post

To all who have commented about how their cars stop great without ABS, I agree, and mine does too. But ABS is more about preserving maneuvering ability during braking. ABS is not about stopping faster necessarily (there are many conditions, like deep snow or gravel, when ABS results in longer stopping distances) but about being able to maintain turning ability during braking.

In general, it is more effective, when you have a clear path, to steer your way out of an accident than to brake your way out of it. You can steer around something that is stationary and only about 15 feet away from you, even at highway speeds, if you know what you are doing and have practiced it. But you can't stop in less than 120 feet or so at highway speeds. The most common sight seen by an accident inspector is a straight trail of tire tread going straight into an object (driver panicked, locked up the wheels and was unable to steer around or didn't even think to steer around, likely because he/she had never rehearsed such a scenario.)

What your essentially saying is having a presence of mind in an emergency situtation increases your ability to use the advantages of ABS as the control to change directions is present and should be used. Compared to a car that would otherwise just have no traction and therefore ability to change directions.

I agree but an ABS equiped car in its most basic use (just braking even though no presence of mind to swerve) will still avoid collisions that would otherwise have occured in a non ABS equiped vehicle due to shorter stopping distances.

I agree shorter stopping distances are not achieved for all surfaces but it is achieved on most surfaces most of the time (since we usually drive on paved sealed roads and not on gravel or ice most of the time).

Reduced damages or personal injury is a bonus due to ABS ability to decrease speeds in shorter distances.

Very much worth it in my opinion.

[Teddy]

hi i would get it at the jy ..fix it because it`s on your car.. have some friends help putting it in..food party

[Aries1911]

So the master cylinder is a big deal? still a noob.. im learning tho. the honda guy kinda brushed it off as somethin that could wait.. what kinda time am i lookin at if i try and do this on my own?

My car looks good as far as dents n stuff goes, none of those, but its clearcoat is bout gone, so paint is a must..and of course i have the honda trademark rear wheel wells to fix also. Overall, i love my car. So you guys think i should fix it right?

[gloryaccordy]

I haven't had ABS for 2 years.... get some decent tires and you'll be fine. MC is a definite fix but hopefully u can find someone local from the boards to help u out. Or u can get the parts and find a good mechanic to fix it. That will cost some dough and is pretty important.

[batever]

So the master cylinder is a big deal? still a noob.. im learning tho. the honda guy kinda brushed it off as somethin that could wait.. what kinda time am i lookin at if i try and do this on my own?

Basically, your foot presses on the brake pedal, the brake pedal presses a piston in the master cylinder, and the master cylinder (along with the brake booster) transfers that pressure hydraulically through the two brake lines to all 4 front and rear brakes calipers or drums. (I'm not clear exactly how the brake booster fits in. I suspect it fits in just ahead of the master cylinder). (Some minor details could be off here). If the master cylinder completely fails you lose all braking except the cable-operated parking brake, which really isn't that effective at stopping the car because it's in the rear of the vehicle.

Why did the mechanic say you needed a new master cylinder specifically? That's important info. Maybe he meant, "we normally put a new master cylinder in ia car this old if we are gonna do the abs pump".
Or maybe he saw something specific about it or tested it.

YOu've probably seen this thread that's going on right now:
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=156038

Replacing it: I would guess that it's 2 hour job for an amateur doing it the first time(like I would be), maybe 3 hours (added time to get the lines all bled etc.).

[Aries1911]

So the master cylinder is a big deal? still a noob.. im learning tho. the honda guy kinda brushed it off as somethin that could wait.. what kinda time am i lookin at if i try and do this on my own?

My car looks good as far as dents n stuff goes, none of those, but its clearcoat is bout gone, so paint is a must..and of course i have the honda trademark rear wheel wells to fix also. Overall, i love my car. So you guys think i should fix it right?

I found the print out from Honda:
"ABS light is on, along with Brake Light"
-ABS Vehicle needs a new master cylinder cap for brake light $66.00, also abs pump is going bad cost to replace $1409.00 + TAX Parts Will need ord

Thats what it says.. any ideas?