2nd attempt to repair air ride

BILLBOATS

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My 96 mk 8 had been sitting on its from in my drive for near 2 years . Last year I bought all new arnott air parts intending to rebuild the air ride. However I could not find A WAY TO LIFT UP THE CAR ENOUGH INCHES TO GET A 3 INCH jACK FOR A START TO RAISE IT UP. ONE OF THE GUYS HERE SAID TRY A 2"X3" BOARD . THAT SOUNDED promising as the end of the board can be tapered allowing me to drive the rear wheels up onto the board. Plan to have same in front of the front wheels . Provided I get it up my next question is. What steps are necessary to reach the air compressor. The front bumper has to come off to reach the rt front corner of the MK 8 thus allowing axcess to the compressor. The compressor will not run with the key in on position. I have a super star 2 tester. Suggestions appreciated expecially disassembly of the front bumper cover and removing the compressor.
 
Do you have the scissor jack that came with the Mark? That thing goes pretty low.

Although a low profile jack should be able to get underneath, you can do as you say was already suggested and wedge a board in front of the right front tire, drive onto it to elevate it enough to slide the scissor jack underneath, jack it enough to use your regular jack, and then continue on from there.

As for the air-compressor; I suppose you can access it through the bumper, though ideally you'd want to get at it through the passenger side wheel and removing it is pretty straight forward. I've uploaded the removal process from the 98 workshop manual as the 96 doesn't have images for some reason.

Since you have the Super Star 2 Tester, then;
  1. Enter function test to vent suspect air spring solenoid/s.
    • Test 213-LH Front.
    • Test 215-RH Front.
    • Test 217-LH Rear.
    • Test 219-RH Rear.
Here's a video where the Rotunda tool is used at around the 2:40 mark(no pun intended. or was it?) to adjust air ride height.
 

Attachments

  • 98 Mark VIII Air Ride Compressor.pdf
    505.2 KB · Views: 247
My 96 mk 8 had been sitting on its from in my drive for near 2 years . Last year I bought all new arnott air parts intending to rebuild the air ride. However I could not find A WAY TO LIFT UP THE CAR ENOUGH INCHES TO GET A 3 INCH jACK FOR A START TO RAISE IT UP. ONE OF THE GUYS HERE SAID TRY A 2"X3" BOARD . THAT SOUNDED promising as the end of the board can be tapered allowing me to drive the rear wheels up onto the board. Plan to have same in front of the front wheels . Provided I get it up my next question is. What steps are necessary to reach the air compressor. The front bumper has to come off to reach the rt front corner of the MK 8 thus allowing axcess to the compressor. The compressor will not run with the key in on position. I have a super star 2 tester. Suggestions appreciated expecially disassembly of the front bumper cover and removing the compressor.
I see you live in the Akron Area according to google map. Thanks as your suggestions are helpful. Until the temp gets steadily above 50 , likely in April, I am prepairing tools and ways to get the car up and off the ground. I have not as yet used the super star so I'll need some coaching when the weather gets better. Last year I bought 650.00 of air stuff from Arnott but realized I could not get the car up . I sent it all back and had a good business relationship with the company. I'll buy from them again
 
If you haven't used the Star II tool, then you may want to grab this PDF from the 96 Workshop Manual that I uploaded.

It explains how to use the Rotunda New Generation Star(NGS) or Super Star II Tester for Diagnostics/Functional Testing, so be sure to pay attention to the instructions that pertains to your particular tool for setting it up.
 

Attachments

  • Mark VIII Air Ride Star II.pdf
    408.3 KB · Views: 245
I went onto the arnott website and it only showed the rear air springs, i cant find fronts anywhere online, can anyone suggest somewhere?
 
There are several places online to buy the fronts. You might not want to buy them until you find the problem. my experience with this is when you have all four corners down, you have a check valve problem. Inside the compressor.
 
If they are original to the car, they more than likely have or will shortly have dry rot cracks in them. If I wanted to keep bags, I would clean slate the car with new bags and then track down each and every other issue. After a lot of reading, I convinced my self to go springs on my 97 and am very happy with the ride quality.
 
Monroe is what most every one puts up front and Arnott are suppose to be good. The Monroes sell each singularly for free shipping here since it costs less to the seller. Make sure they are a left and right 90002-1 & a 90002-2 Like these.
Air Spring to Coil Spring Conversion Kit Front Left fits 93-98 Lincoln Mark VIII | eBay
Air Spring to Coil Spring Conversion Kit MONROE fits 93-98 Lincoln Mark VIII | eBay
For the rear, you could stick with the Monroes like this set
Air Spring to Coil Spring Conversion Kit Rear fits 93-98 Lincoln Mark VIII | eBay
Or there are cheaper but make sure the springs have close to closed loops on the ends. The wide open last spring loop is not a good idea.
Also be ready to put in new upper control arms up front. When these bags go flat up front, that usually wipes out the old rubber bushings in the control arms if they didn't go bad all ready. Personaly, I would get ones from Rock auto with grease fittings and go there for grease fitting-ed ball joints if need be also.
 
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If you haven't used the Star II tool, then you may want to grab this PDF from the 96 Workshop Manual that I uploaded.

It explains how to use the Rotunda New Generation Star(NGS) or Super Star II Tester for Diagnostics/Functional Testing, so be sure to pay attention to the instructions that pertains to your particular tool for setting it up.
First of all thanks for all the instructions to help find whats keeping the car"s frame smack dab on the driveway gravel. Making a set of ramps to lift it 2 inches would help get a jack of some sort underneath the frame and allow more lifting till there is room enough to pull off the front bumper cover and axcess the compressor. I thank you for the directions to use my super star 2 . I'll try this before going to the labor of ramps and compressor removal. I do not post a lot and infrequently look up replies. So appreciate a workable answer and welcome any other workable ones too. Let you know of progress made in the next 4 weeks or less
 
I went onto the arnott website and it only showed the rear air springs, i cant find fronts anywhere online, can anyone suggest somewhere?
The fronts are just struts with built in air bag around each strut. They are not like the rear bag
 
Do you have the scissor jack that came with the Mark? That thing goes pretty low.

Although a low profile jack should be able to get underneath, you can do as you say was already suggested and wedge a board in front of the right front tire, drive onto it to elevate it enough to slide the scissor jack underneath, jack it enough to use your regular jack, and then continue on from there.

As for the air-compressor; I suppose you can access it through the bumper, though ideally you'd want to get at it through the passenger side wheel and removing it is pretty straight forward. I've uploaded the removal process from the 98 workshop manual as the 96 doesn't have images for some reason.

Since you have the Super Star 2 Tester, then;
  1. Enter function test to vent suspect air spring solenoid/s.
    • Test 213-LH Front.
    • Test 215-RH Front.
    • Test 217-LH Rear.
    • Test 219-RH Rear.
Here's a video where the Rotunda tool is used at around the 2:40 mark(no pun intended. or was it?) to adjust air ride height.

I just ran all 8 pages on my printer so when the opportunity comes I can have them next to my mark. I have a desk to so it can't be moved to the car like a lap top. Thanks
 
Do you have the scissor jack that came with the Mark? That thing goes pretty low.

Although a low profile jack should be able to get underneath, you can do as you say was already suggested and wedge a board in front of the right front tire, drive onto it to elevate it enough to slide the scissor jack underneath, jack it enough to use your regular jack, and then continue on from there.

As for the air-compressor; I suppose you can access it through the bumper, though ideally you'd want to get at it through the passenger side wheel and removing it is pretty straight forward. I've uploaded the removal process from the 98 workshop manual as the 96 doesn't have images for some reason.

Since you have the Super Star 2 Tester, then;
  1. Enter function test to vent suspect air spring solenoid/s.
    • Test 213-LH Front.
    • Test 215-RH Front.
    • Test 217-LH Rear.
    • Test 219-RH Rear.
Here's a video where the Rotunda tool is used at around the 2:40 mark(no pun intended. or was it?) to adjust air ride height.

Its been a while since I last spoke to you and others about this problem. We had a cold March and april bings showers although they bring May flowers they don't help mark followers fix their cars. I have to wait till a streak of warmth come along. Meantime build those ramps. If I can get the right front up I could remove the tire but how hard is it to remove the inner fender wheel well?
 
If anything, you can also download the Adobe Reader app to your phone and glance at it everytime that you need the information rather than to take the print-out. Though, the font size on the print-out will probably be more convenient than the phone's font.

As for the wheel well,...

If you mean removing the shroud/splash shield inside the wheel well, then it's pretty straightforward. You merely remove the fasteners & pushpins as shown in the first upload, "98 Air Ride Compressor", and then finagle the splash shield from the lip it's inserted into.
 
If anything, you can also download the Adobe Reader app to your phone and glance at it everytime that you need the information rather than to take the print-out. Though, the font size on the print-out will probably be more convenient than the phone's font.

As for the wheel well,...

If you mean removing the shroud/splash shield inside the wheel well, then it's pretty straightforward. You merely remove the fasteners & pushpins as shown in the first upload, "98 Air Ride Compressor", and then finagle the splash shield from the lip it's inserted into.
Its been over a month so I wanted to update you with what has not been done .I am wanting to make 2 or 4 ramps with the store bought steel ramps. The have to be cut lower than the 3 inches I have to fit under the rocker panels. I tried one uncut ramp next to the rocker. Its too high . Cutting it down makes it so low the car would not raise enough up. I want to dig the ground down say 4 to 6 inches under each rocker. That can make the clearence needed to fit a steel ramp next to the rear tires. Not sure till I try doing so. As the car is driven my goal is for the car to raise up some so the frame rises enough to get another jack under. This is not a solution in itself. Its would allow me to have enough clearence I hope to reach the rt inner fender well as the tire now is in the way and needs to come off provided the car get lifted enough to change the tire. I need clearence to get the front bumper cover off as another way to reach the compressor . I do not hear anything now when the igniton key is turned on like the compressor noise. The best way would be to pin down if its the compressor before I remove remove wheel well or bumper cover. The if its a compressor and the car get up high enough I can start replacing the compressor . This woud be a good answer because the air bags could then raise the car enough . We always are cautious as there could be more parts that leak once the compressor is replaced If the compressor does what we hope it will, the car needs a brake line. I would use vise grips the shut the line off and allow some brake pedal. The car if all goes well could be driven onto a lift for the bake line replacement. I don't really want to work under the ground when jack stands won't clear. Any help in knowing a way to make sure the compressor is the problem . Its dosen't make a sound when the cars ignition is turned with the key. Lincoln mark guys and ladies too what can you say?
 

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