pulled ABS fuses now brakes don't work

[jeepxj777]

I have a 91 xj that had a bad wheel sensor on it. So for a tempoary fix (until I can pay for a new sensor) I was told that I could pull the ABS fuses and would still have my normal breaks. Well it worked for the first day getting it back home, but now my brakes hardly work at all. I try to stop, which eventually it does, but not nearly in enough time I have to pull up on my emergence brake to get it to fully stop (which is not that helpful since that does not work that great either). I can be slamming down on the break pedal and it just comes to a very long rolling stop. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated! Also I just had the brakes bleed, and the guy said everything else on my breaks looked great, and that just my pads looked a little worn but nothing I should worry about yet.

[Airjer_]

Did it start right after the flush?

Does the brake pedal feel normal, hard, soft, spongy, or low?

What happens when you pump the pedal as you try to stop?

[jeepxj777]

Well it started a few days after the flush (about 25 miles worth of driving)...I don't drive it every day. The weird part is the brakes feel fine, they don't feel to hard or soft...they did feel spongy before the brake flush but not now. If I pump the pedal it pretty much does nothing, it still slows down in the same amount of time. Should I put back in the ABS fuses and just sit on it until I can get the sensor fixed? I removed 3 fuses in the fuse block...they all said ABS though. I tried to drive it around the block and pretty muched rolled through a stop sign, luckily there wasn't another car or person!

[Airjer_]

The brake system functions normally with or without the ABS being active. The only possibility that the ABS can interfere with the operation of the brakes is if there is a mechanical failure of the ABS unit. The regular brakes should function normally regardless of removing the fuse!

I think your problem may be that the rear brakes are doing the work and the fronts are not. This could possible be the master cylinder that has failed and depending on how the brakes where bled, the act of bleeding could have contributed. I think it would be worth going around and bleeding the wheel cylinders and calipers one more time just to make sure there is no air in the system.

Did you install any new brake parts?

[jeepxj777]

No new parts. Not recently anyways. I did notice that the brake fluid is filled up to the very top of the brake fluid reservoir, way past the MAX fill line, I don't know if that would cause any problems or not...How would I check if the master cylinder has failed???

[gtmud]

I agree, the brakes should function normally with out the abs fuses. One thing though, is your resivor (brakes) look like a big tylenol capsule. This would be the old abs system, pretty mush useless! I had this system and converted to the regular brakes and booster, minus the abs.
Ok, this may be out in left feild, but on fords and chevy's you have to do a service bleed on the abs system after you flush the lines, this is to get the air completey out, and if not done will give you the problems you are experiencing. This type of bleed is primarily done at the dealer or maybe by some one with a good snap on scan tool. Look into this, befroe you start to spend money. Go back to the garage you had the work done, and demand they fix your problem!Especially i all was working correctly before the flush.

[gtmud]

Usually if your Master cylinder is going or gone, you'll applie the brakes, and they will either go to the floor or will go so far, stop, but if you keep pressure on teh pedal, will slowwly bleed down to the floor. I t sounds like your M/C is working, but your fliud has no were to go. GEt the ABS system bled out by way of the service bleed.