Front Air Ride Puzzled

[Dennlee]

The only time the front air ride goes down is after I drive it,when it sets after resetting the key for it to air up again,I can leave it for weeks and it will never drop,any ideas? This is a 1998 mark viii.

 

[LaserSVT]

Prolly broken.

 

[Dennlee]

Response to reply

Im sure if you dont know,ok try again think this time

 

[slowmkviii]

Is it venting when you turn the key on

 

[Dennlee]

It is doing everything normal accept going down only after is been drivin,and the amount of miles makes no different I was thinking it might be the control modual or bleed valve not shutting down right after I park it.thanks

 

[My Great 8]

You probably have a leaky air bag

 

[Dennlee]

The other thing is when it sits the front air struts will over inflate and lift the up anywhere from a 1/2'' to an 1'' higher thats ok Ill take it to a wrench Ive tried everything,thanks

 

[lsc 98 f100]

sounds like a compressor

 

[chris2523]

make sure the height sensors haven't fallen off or something.

 

[mespock]

Click on the link in my signature and go to American Air Suspension's web site. They have a trouble shooting page.

Next ... call Eddie Spinks owner of American Air Suspension. If you need the right answer he'll give it to you.

 

[GMAN]

The o-rings in the air solenoids are bad. This is common. The solenoid airs up the bag and vents it as well. There are two o-rings on each solenoid. Replacements can be purchased at any autoparts store. Just bring theold ones as a reference.

 

[LaserSVT]

The o-rings in the air solenoids are bad. This is common. The solenoid airs up the bag and vents it as well. There are two o-rings on each solenoid. Replacements can be purchased at any autoparts store. Just bring theold ones as a reference.

If it was o-rings the bags would leak all the time. Not just certain times.

His issue is cracked bags.


The only other issue it could be is a sticking vent solenoid but thats only 30% as common as an old worn cracked bag leaking.


Had he of actually read one of the 134 threads on this then he would have known.

 

[Dennlee]

Air struts are fine been checked and double checked,also the front of car would always go down if strut was leaking,thanks

 

[chris2523]

the front of car would always go down if strut was leaking

no. that's not exactly true.

 

[LaserSVT]

Air struts are fine been checked and double checked,also the front of car would always go down if strut was leaking,thanks

That is not true. Its been proven time and time again.


Here is how it works. If the car drops while sitting then its bags (80% of the time) or solinoid o rings (20% of the time).

If it leaks going down the road then its bags 70% of the time, comp 20% of the time or stuck solenoids 10% of the time.


Now if its dropping and continues to drop after highway speeds or if it drops after sitting more then two days or if you shut the air ride switch off then its the bags.

Most bags will hold air fine at certain height settings but leak at others. The reason being is the cracks are usually very very tiny and the bag kinda folds over them to help seal them.
Many mechanics that just dont know will say a bad bag is good.

This is how you tell if a bag is bad. Remove it from the car and look at it very closely (pref with a mag glass) and look for ANY micro cracks. If a bag has any cracks (similar to an old tire side wall) then the bag is bad. They only last 10 years at best but usually fail after 7 years (+/-).

 

[Dennlee]

car has been setting for 12 days and actually has lifted abou1/2'',have it looked at next week will keep all posted to what I find,thanks much