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Dragging / Shuddering sound while reversing?


enkrypt3d
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Hmm interesting - well ABS on the front end doesn't even seem that useful to me even on the highway as I have greater stopping power with slotted rotors now and the brakes feel great. So I'm honestly thinking of just keeping an eye on the fluid levels and unplugging the sensor cable on the master cylinder ..... are there any draw backs to doing this other than not having ABS?

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Plus that light's supposed to kick on when the brake fluid level drops. I wouldn't have known I had fluid squirting out the side of the master cylinder if that light hadn't come on. I suspect that the lights are triggered by multiple sources so pulling the sensor from the MC probably won't do jack unless the float is stuck. (Couldn't hurt to check the float, it's the bluish foam thing beneath the screen. If it's stuck down it's your problem, not sure how it'd do that though.)

 

Now that I think of it I was messing with the reed switch (sensor) from my old MC the other day and I noticed that it could lock closed if I swiped a magnet over it wrong. You might just pull it out (the whole sensor slides out of the res) and check it with an ohmmeter. It should be closed when there's a magnet directly above it and open when there isn't.

Edited by Slartibartfast
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Well as I said before before I fixed the leak (which is fixed now) i'd just keep adding fluid to top it off and the lights would go off... but the fluid is full and lights are still on... All I see is a plastic screen and the fluid level is about 10-12mm above that.... Also the cap for the reservoir is loose and does not screw onto the MC even if I push down hard and twist nada.

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Plus that light's supposed to kick on when the brake fluid level drops. I wouldn't have known I had fluid squirting out the side of the master cylinder if that light hadn't come on.

 

 

AGREED! Saved my butt once thats for sure!

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Well as I said before before I fixed the leak (which is fixed now) i'd just keep adding fluid to top it off and the lights would go off... but the fluid is full and lights are still on... All I see is a plastic screen and the fluid level is about 10-12mm above that.... Also the cap for the reservoir is loose and does not screw onto the MC even if I push down hard and twist nada.

 

 

 

You say lights......

Do you have more than just the ABS light illuminated on your dash?

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Yes the ABS and BRAKE lights are on... brakes feel great and have just been overhauled - new brake fluid (Although it seems to like DOT 4 over DOT 3 for some reason) rotors, pads, calipers, brake lines, drums, shoes, springs, clips, do dads, gizmoz and thingamagiggers for good measure... oh and the rear end feels great with new fluid :P we can move this discussion to the brake light thread if you guys want since this isn't related?

 

When the caliper was leaking, the light would come on and I'd add some more DOT 4 fluid and it'd go away for a few days until I ran out of my blue DOT 4... I really don't think having a working ABS system is really that beneficial since its a truck and the new brakes work great. And I'm very familiar with how squishy the brakes feel when the fluid is low... I *nearly* crashed thru the gate in my parking garage the first time I discovered the leak... brake pedal went to the floor and thankfully stopped me at the last second. I'm glad to have it fixed but these lights are just an annoyance at this point. btw there are no leaks under the master cylinder from what I can see.

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You can pull out the screen, it's got little notches around the outer edge, hook one of those and the whole thing slides out. Figure out the cap because brake fluid absorbs water from the air... keeping air away from it is therefore a good thing. You might grab a cap from a junkyard just in case your new one is defective.

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This issue intriges me. I pulled out the FSM (aka Pathfinder The Bible) and consulted chapter BR, verses 32-46.

 

I was looking at the circuit schmatics and what circuits illuminate both the ABS and Brake light....three things I noticed right off the bat that will cause both to illuminate:

1) Fuses for ABS and/or Brake. Check them to make sure one or both they are not blown.

2) Brake Pedal switch dead. Make sure your brake lights are not on all the time and/or go on and off when you press the brake pedal. check the rubber stopper for the brake light switch as well that it hasnt deteriorated causing the brake pedal switch to not function.

3) Emergency brake switch. make sure it is functioning properly and the E-brake is all the way down.

 

Three easy things to check to rule out. Sometimes it is somethign really simple.

 

If none of this is the culprit, do the on board ABS diagnostic, it is in the FSM verse 34. It will tell you what the vehicle is complaining about.

 

 

 

One other thing..... I echo the proper/re-bleeding the brakes others have brought up. I also saw you posted about topping it off with Dot4......did you mix Dot3 and Dot4 fluids when topping it off? If so, thats a no-no :nono:

Edited by Alkorahil
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ugh now i see that there is a puddle under the right front ... I dont see any leaks from the master cylinder - I think its the new lines or one of the connection points on the new brake lines........ back to the shop.... grrrrrr! tired of going back and fourth on this. I'm going to hand them the FSM page:

 

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/1995_Pathfinder/br.pdf

 

And make them bleed the system properly including the R-ABS actuator...

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ugh now i see that there is a puddle under the right front ... I dont see any leaks from the master cylinder - I think its the new lines or one of the connection points on the new brake lines........ back to the shop.... grrrrrr! tired of going back and fourth on this. I'm going to hand them the FSM page:

 

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/1995_Pathfinder/br.pdf

 

And make them bleed the system properly including the R-ABS actuator...

 

Ahh now we have a culprit!

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Though from what I've heard, most vehicles will tolerate a dot3/dot4 mix.

 

 

I know they have different boiling points and different specific gravitiy. Though as you say, DOT3 and 4 may not be much of a difference to matter on a Pathfinder.

I was thinking of 6 pistion performace cars and mixing is bad there because those calipers run so hot.

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Ok found the issue :ar15::ar15::ar15::pullhair::pullhair::pullhair: its the friggen master cylinder now! it wasn't leaking before.... now that there's new components and real pressure in the system its slowly leaking out where the master cylinder meets the brake booster............ this is so frustrating i've nearly spent the same amount of $ on service that I paid for the truck!

 

Anyways finally back on topic for the rear diff - since I have the new fluid in, the problem has gotten worse for some strange reason... and it only seems to happen when the diff is cold... if it warms up first then it seems fairly smooth (and im sure ppl look at me like im nuts driving circles around backwards in the parking lot) hahah

 

So do I need to have the gears inspected and or rebuilt? :( its one thing after another! this truck is becoming a lemon as much as i love it........

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Great fun! I just put a new one of those in mine. And yeah, with a car of this age you can reasonably expect to put more into parts than you paid for the bones.

 

Depending on how long the truck was driven with the wrong fluid, the clutches could very well be lunched or the fluid could have clutch material in it. The clutches can be rebuilt, if you're up to that. IIRC My1Path did a writeup on rebuilding his.

 

I wouldn't bother with the diff for now, fix the brakes and give it a week or so to see if the clutches improve any. For all I know they'll wear in.

Edited by Slartibartfast
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What clutches? You mean in the brake booster? And I don't think putting DOT 4 with DOT 3 in it will cause any damage. DOT 4 has a higher boiling point that's all. Its all I had left over from doing the brakes on my NSX. Not sure why there's this aversion to DOT 4? The guys at the shop had never seen blue brake fluid apparently and were dumbfounded when they saw it in the reservoir.... derp!

 

The brake performance really couldn't be any better really so I just think its a matter of replacing the MC (and JUST the MC) and finally being done with it.

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He means the clutches in the diff. As for DOT 3 and DOT 4 it should be fine, I think DOT 5 is when you'd have issues because its a completely different fluid.I'd check over at bobistheoilguy.com for DOT 3 and DOT4 compatibility issues though.

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Not with that unit. Your are going to have to have your third member rebuilt. If you want just to pull one out and put one back in look at replacing the whole thing. If you search on here there are threads that talk about using the third members from frontiers and x-terras.

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the good news is that the chattering has almost gone away - do the clutches get submerged in fluid or are they dry inside the LSD assembly? Maybe it took a while for the fluid to get in there?

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