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Generally pissed!

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Posted by: MD-82

Well, permit me to blow off some steam in here. All my attempts to get my Mark up and bouncing again without having to spend $500 have been futile. She had been resurrected after spending nearly four years in the elements. Got the engine purring, got the x-mission topped, but I just can't seem to get her bouncing again. The only part that inflates on this Mark are the rears. The fronts don't even make an attempt. Being that I live 1,500 miles due south of Miami, all car parts carry 40% import duty and that I have to make due with a third of my previous salary, I decided to try to put springs under at least the front. We tried that 3 days ago by putting some VW springs under the fronts. When I lowered her back down, not only did she drop exactly to her normal (flat) state, but she also popped out the driver's side spring. So today we thought we'd borrow some unused Mustang springs. Even went to the hardware store the get some steel plates so the bottom of the spring had something holding it in place. Even got spring compressors. But no matter what we did, either the spring were an inch too long, or the compression bracket screws were an inch too long. We tried for like 3 freakin' hours with no luck. Silver lining? That's lightning coming from behind the clouds to nip our royal butts. Not only did the spring blow out last time, but we then also found out that it snapped the left height sensor right in two. Like a freakin' twig.

Golly......I know. Short answer....spend $500. Shorter answer.....NO MONEY!
She just doesn't want to cooperate with this poor bastard!

VENTING COMPLETE.....SEMPER FI, CARRY ON!

Posted by: OldSchool1

Semper Fi Marine.
I'm a former Marine and I feel your pain.

There is TONS of information on the web concerning our suspension and unfortunately, your initial problem may have been fixed for about $40.00US with (4) four suspension dryer o-ring replacement kits.

Doing a search on the web for "FRONT AIR STRUT REPLACEMENT" LINCOLN MARK VII, should net a lot of links. Read only the documented tech articles. You need not replace the bags with springs as the bags are as in expensive as $75.00 each for aftermarkets or $150.00 each for guaranteed-for-lifers.

The bags in your car lasted at least 13 years. Now, you may need to replace these rubber products with new rubber products. If you were only getting 13 years out of your rubber tires, would you give up and replace them with steel tires?

This is the "bags vs springs" arguement/debate that you'll hear on the web.

My advice is to learn learn learn our air ride suspension systems and then replace one item at a time starting from the compressor and ending at the bags. I too am on a Broke-Dude-Budget. If you replace all of your componenets with new parts, your suspension will probably outlive the life of the vehicle.

John "I-Love-My-Bags" Dancy

Posted by: MD-82

Thanks Oldschool,

I know what you mean. We tried the test procedure, but for some or other reason we never got far enough. The shroeder valve on the compressor, can you use that to measure compressor output without any influence from air leaks? I ask because I once tried checking it while the compressor was running and couldn't get over 60 psi. Which may explain why only the rears jacked up. This means of course the the compressor is gone. Or do air leaks have an influence on the shroeder valve measurement also?

Posted by: OldSchool1

Quote:

Originally Posted by MD-82

Thanks Oldschool,

You're welcome.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MD-82

I know what you mean. We tried the test procedure, but for some or other reason we never got far enough. The shroeder valve on the compressor, can you use that to measure compressor output without any influence from air leaks? I ask because I once tried checking it while the compressor was running and couldn't get over 60 psi. Which may explain why only the rears jacked up. This means of course the the compressor is gone. Or do air leaks have an influence on the shroeder valve measurement also?

Yes, but learn the basics of our suspension before you start guessing. Spend $40.00 for that e-bay shop manual.

Posted by: MD-82

Well,

I guess the answer is more obvious than previously thought. I removed the compressor / dryer assembly only to find out that the arses who worked on the car previously never bothered to put diseccant crystals back in the dryer. The result was a moist rust dryer interior and water droplets falling from the compressor.
Incredible......

Xander

Posted by: OldSchool1

Quote:

Originally Posted by MD-82

Well,

I guess the answer is more obvious than previously thought. I removed the compressor / dryer assembly only to find out that the arses who worked on the car previously never bothered to put diseccant crystals back in the dryer. The result was a moist rust dryer interior and water droplets falling from the compressor.
Incredible......

Xander

But true!

Now you have one more thing to add to your line of experience.

Posted by: MD-82

Sure do!

Thanks man.

Posted by: WALT

Not only the fact that your dessicant was gone but that you are only making 60 psi explains the problem you were seeing ( rear up front down ) -- I had to learn that lesson the hard way myself -- bite the bullet and buy a brand new pump from Arnott
for $169 with the dryer assembly and the mount grommets etc etc and you should be back in business on that end -- would do that before replacing anything else
then go from there -- busting the height sensor was not a good thing --
have heard of people super gluing back together or using permatex Plastic Weld
but your only chance of getting another one is off of E-bay -- If you wanted to do the spring thing you needed to get a kit from strutmasters or bagmasters ( didnt need all 4 wheels if the rear stayed up ) but just a part of lessons learned ---
one of the first things you learn about owning a Lincoln is you better have a decent checkbook because there are typically no shortcuts or "cheap " way of getting them in shape --
Good luck

Posted by: MD-82

In dutch they have a saying "goedkoop is duurkoop".....which means the more cheaply you wanna do it, that much more expensive it becomes.

Thanks to all for the help. Compressor / Airbags and Dryer are on the way.

Xander