A friend of mine is dating a girl who is cursed with a 1998 Ford Taurus from hell. As a back story, it's not realistic to get rid of this car for something more reliable due to some financial and family reasons.
Lately, it's been having some braking issues we've narrowed down to the ABS system. Obviously no one wants to pay $1000 to rebuild a system on a $500 car, so we're looking into alternatives.
My idea is to remove the ABS system entirely. Yes, ABS is a safety item, but it's hardly safe when the ABS pump decides it just doesn't want to stop the car right now, thank you very much. There have been a few instances of the pedal dropping to the floor with no effects only to return later in the day. There are no obvious leaks, and fluid level remains constant.
It appears there wasn't a variant of the car with no ABS, but are there some other FoMoCo parts we could swap in to bypass the system entirely?
I would look into the system more closely. I had a 89 volvo and 2 87 bmws all with non-functioning abs. I would suspect that you have a master cylinder problem.
You could by pass the control unit. Run new lines from the new master cylinder.
Pedal going to floor sounds like a master cylinder problem.
ABS units are designed to not do that. if you think it is the abs unit - pull the fuse. If it does it without the abs fuse then it isn't the abs. The valving causing an internal bypass in an abs unit won't cause pedal drop. There are a few exceptions but I'm 98% certain the taurus from 98 isn't one of them.
I'd suspect a master cylinder over an abs unit, even if it has already been replaced. Other possibilities are non retracting calipers or bulging brakes hoses but those would normally cause severe drivability issues.
The only reason I didn't think it was the master cylinder was how it would lose all pressure, then come back later on. We'll try it with the fuse pulled for a while and see how it reacts.
Thanks for the input.
could still be the MC... on my CRX at the end of a track day (think very hot brakes) I load the car and get ready to start home and the pedal goes to the floor (or at least within an inch of the floor) will still stop the car .. just takes a bit of luck and planning ahead..
... by the time I'm home there's nearly full pedal and the next day all's well... new MC and no more problem .
quick check pump the brakes up (even if they don't need pumping) then hold your foot on the pedal for a few seconds, then press hard... repeat several times if the pedal starts to get closer to the floor it's the MC
mndsm
Dork
10/15/10 4:44 p.m.
That's what I did with my DSM- pull fuse, no more ABS.
unevolved wrote:
A friend of mine is dating a girl who is cursed with a 1998 Ford Taurus from hell. As a back story, it's not realistic to get rid of this car for something more reliable due to some financial and family reasons.
Is it more realistic for him to get rid of the girlfriend? I think that would be cheaper and easier solution. 
Pseudosport wrote:
Is it more realistic for him to get rid of the girlfriend? I think that would be cheaper and easier solution.
I was literally just typing this answer word for word when I noticed it had already been typed.
GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
ABS is a fail safe system. Which means it will either lock the system down, or not pump. It won't cause your car's brakes not to work.
As previously said check the master cylinder. Also check the brake booster.
wouldn't hurt to change the fluid.
In reply to Datsun1500:
you guys and your crazy ideas. I think its the master cylinder.
Joey
Not convinced it's the ABS. It could be the master cylinder, though.
I'm actually the boyfriend in this story and I really appreciate the advice hopefully I can get those brakes fixed now and plug up the oil leaks so I wont have to worry about this thing killing her anymore.
petrosexual wrote:
I'm actually the boyfriend in this story and I really appreciate the advice hopefully I can get those brakes fixed now and plug up the oil leaks so I wont have to worry about this thing killing her anymore.
When i started dating my girlfriend, she had a Taurus.
I bought her an Escort, and before i even taught her to drive a manual transmission, i sold the Taurus to the junkyard for $140.
It ran. Drove. Stopped. Turned. Had cold a/c. The guy that came to tow it away was very confused.
"How are we going to get it up on the trailer?"
"..... Drive it. And since it's 100 degrees outside, feel free to turn on the A/C."
"Are you serious bub?"
"Yes. Get that berkeleying piece of E36 M3 out of my sight."
And she has never been happier, nor has she EVER given me any grief over it.
There's a moral of the story in there somewhere, i imagine it's not hard to figure out. 
In reply to 93celicaGT2:
Haha that's awesome, and the fact that they may be the ugliest cars in the world just sort of kick them while they're down.
Seen it very common for the knuckles to rust under the ABS sensors, causing the signal to drop out at low speeds. Results in zero braking when you're trying to stop.
Mostly common on GM trucks but Tauruses have a similar sensor layout, and I've done a few of those too.
a couple of abs stories:
1. My uncle was having an intermitent ABS issue. Like a lot of people he just ignored it until the ABS decided to activate on dry pavement and not stop the car until he was halfway into the intersection.
2. All cars are supposed to have normal brakes when the ABS system malfunctions. I do recommend unplugging the pump itself not just the fuse. it's very annoying coming out to a dead battery for no apperant reason.
