turn_on68
Dedicated LVC Member
Front shocks go down overnight,what do I check first? I finally am getting check suspension. Rears stay up fine. Could it be an air line coming into compressor or is it a shock leaking? They are not even a year old.
Frt shocks go down overnight,what to check?
- Thread starter turn_on68
- Start date
NoLimit95
Dedicated LVC Member
If the struts are Arnott, yes, they could be bad already. The lines going into the compressor could be leaking but usually when cold weather hits and you have leaky bags, they will go down over night. They will eventually start slamming all the way down during the night. Go with OEM struts, even if you have to buy used ones that claim to be good but again, they can be good in the heat but bad in the cold.
some links for you to look at.
http://www.americanairsuspension.com/air-leak-test-1.htm
Your solenoids may need to be resealed also.
http://www.americanairsuspension.com/sol-reseal.htm
some links for you to look at.
http://www.americanairsuspension.com/air-leak-test-1.htm
Your solenoids may need to be resealed also.
http://www.americanairsuspension.com/sol-reseal.htm
Go Fast Get Tickets
Dedicated LVC Member
Did you re-seal the solenoids when you replaced the fronts? Have you removed lines from compressor? If both go down I would not think it is the struts themselves, but you never know.
02LS8Lincoln
Dedicated LVC Member
that happened to me not to long ago....the car would slam during the night all the way to the ground.....I bought me a good set of used bags and they've been fine ever since. I would replace the bags if I was you. Usually when one side goes it takes the other.
when one bag deflates, the other infated bag cannot support the weight of the engine and appears to be deflated when it really isnt.
one leaking bag has no way to "take out" a non leaking bag, that simply isn't possible.
now ONE leaking bag WILL KILL your compressor.
the check air ride message is really saying "your compressor is dying a slow death"
if you replace the leaking bag NOW, and done hide in denial or procrastination, you may not have to replace the compressor also.
but if you hesitate,... you will be needing a compressor as well, and maybe and air ride computer.
procrastination is air rides worst enemy
02LS8Lincoln
Dedicated LVC Member
Let me correct my previous statement.....with time IF IGNORED.....one leaking bag will ruin the other. B/c one bag cannot sustain the amount of weight. Like XLRVII said fix it now or you'll be "UP ZHITS CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE" you'll end up replacing a bunch of stuff. My message center also was displaying the check air ride message but ever since i replaced the bags it hasnt appeared anymore. Compressor also seems to be working fine the only thing is that i can feel it kinda weak so I know that in the near future is going to crap out.
the check air ride message comes on after the pump runs for 90 seconds.
a weak pump will last quite some time if there arent any leaks.
and, if you pull one apart and clean both the compressor and electrical motor
they rejuvenate quite well, so long as they arent on the verge of destruction.
currently i'm running a compressor we call "frankenpressor"
tiff took apart 3-4 dead ones and built it...its got roughly 175,000 miles on it using a spider valve to keep it happy
the only possibility other than a bag leak is the solenoid o-rings.
I have never had the luck of a 10 cent part fixing my air ride, but others may have...lol
you could pull the solenoids out of the bag and lightly lube the orings and see if the problem gets better
my bet is a leaking bag sorry to say.
instead of budget aftermarket bags, get OEM from Eddie.
They are expensive..BUT.. they last for 10 years or 200ish thousand miles.
BAD97LSC
Dedicated LVC Member
its either the struts or the solenoids, you can pull air lines right out of the strut and compressor if the bag doesnt have a leak and the solenoids dont either, then you can rip the air lines right out of the car and it wont leak. a leaky air line at the compressor will have absolutely no affect on the front end dropping. the solenoid is mounted right on the strut, so all the air line does is put air in the strut, and lets the air vent back out, but only when the solenoid opens, so if your struts are emptying over night, its 2 things and 2 thins only, the strut itself, or the solenoid. that narrows it down!
open the hood of the car with the struts inflated, take the plastic covers off the top of the strut towers that cover the top strut bolts, spray soapy water ontop of each strut upper mount and watch for bubbles. 96 thru 98 leak differently than 93-95 the plastic style struts usually leak on the top where the isolator bushing is on the top of the strut, the steel struts usually leak at the air bladder itself, and if they are arnott struts who cares where they leak, toss them in the garbage anyway!!
open the hood of the car with the struts inflated, take the plastic covers off the top of the strut towers that cover the top strut bolts, spray soapy water ontop of each strut upper mount and watch for bubbles. 96 thru 98 leak differently than 93-95 the plastic style struts usually leak on the top where the isolator bushing is on the top of the strut, the steel struts usually leak at the air bladder itself, and if they are arnott struts who cares where they leak, toss them in the garbage anyway!!
turn_on68
Dedicated LVC Member
Just emailed Eddie and apparently I only replaced Arnott's passenger strut a year ago with Eddies. I have ordered a new drivers strut because it is lower than the passenger strut which told Eddie it was my driver that was leaking and it is an Arnott strut.
Now for the big question if I was to swap out the relay on the ABS or Airbag on the drivers side and the relay was bad would it show up in my computers window as non working or check airbag. I have two relays in my tool box but not sure which one works or if both work? It is really hard to get to the one on the passengers side since I don't have to open that side assuming it is still working, but while I have the driver fender off which I need to swap out with a replacement one I have. I figured why not try the other two relays in the drivers side relay which runs what? and will it tell me if one is defective or not. God I hope I made this question clear?
I've taken a weak air ride relay and swapped it with the ABS relay and it worked fine.
The air ride pump puts more load more often on the relay than the ABS system does, so a weak relay has a better chance of working on the ABS versus the air ride.
worst thing that can happen if the relay fails on the abs side is
1. you get an "ABS warning/ Antilock" light
2. you dont have ABS, the system defaults to "regular brakes"
The air ride pump puts more load more often on the relay than the ABS system does, so a weak relay has a better chance of working on the ABS versus the air ride.
worst thing that can happen if the relay fails on the abs side is
1. you get an "ABS warning/ Antilock" light
2. you dont have ABS, the system defaults to "regular brakes"
turn_on68
Dedicated LVC Member
turn_on68
Dedicated LVC Member
Thanks , that's what I needed to know.