Scenerio. Gas tank. Not even-suspension? INTERESTING

Markus2

Markus2

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So in another tread I have spoken about putting in a new fuel pump with new "correct size sock" so that my car would stop having fuel issues at 1/4 tank thinking it was empty because the wrong sock size was in my car prior.

After installing the 190lph walbro with new strainer (sock) and what not.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THINKING IT WAS EMPTY AND MAKING TURNS-HAVING THE CAR WANNA DIE..... WENT AWAY. THE GAS TANK PROBLEMS ALL DISSAPPEARED.


So...
Recently I have been having very similar issues when turning and straightening out the wheel, with the car once again, having starvation issues in turing and below 1/4 tank buckling.
So I have the right fuel pressure-new injectors, fuel pump, and filter now also.

I have noticed that my car always seems to look slightly LOWER on the passenger side rear.
There is only one sensor in the back-and it adjusts according but always seems like the driver side rear is pitched up higher than the passenger side rear.

I dont get how the pass. rear can always look noticeably lower as if its on a different setting-but there is only one rear sensor.

So-I am thinking that the fuel issues, I am currently having-might be due to the fact that the car is always tilted in the back so the tank is totally off in fuel delivery and accuracy.

DOES THAT THEORY MAKE SENSE?
 
just spoke to guys are arnott-
they seem to think that one of my bags can look to be lower in back if front end has leak-
he said sound like a weak compressor with a leak somwehere up front and suggested
two bags plus compressor.
thats a lot of money.

I dont know if i should just get the new o ring kit and two solinoids or do the correct more expesive route and take care of all worries at once with the air bag solinoid o ring and compressor assembly.
 
update

I found a guy who has some NOS parts for mark vii's.

he said he would sell me a used compressor for 150.
New FRONT AIR bags from FORD for 250

Want to know if the Arnott Compressors make a lot of noise like this guy says. Claims they are super loud compared to factory compressor. T or F?

I gotta do new fronts-and im thinking the aftermarket is made better than the old manufacturing process that created the NOS bags from years ago. T or F?
 
so..

i ordered a pair of two arnott bags for the front. Sticking with current solenoids -cuz it seems that my research leads me to beleive that they hardly ever go bad.
so bags.
o rings.
and re using solenoids.

I have used arnott for the rear bags when i replaced less than year ago.
It seems they have a decent rep.

Lookin to get new compressor over next few months


Met up with JOE BLOW to see the OEM bags from ford that were supposedly NOS.
They were not.
I could tell that they were def. used and thrown into crushed box with tape all over holding box together.
So i said No.

he claims they were just dusty-but i had a gut feeling they were dusty FROM USE.

So-thats the update.
Goin to attempt to put bags in for first time el solo.
I think I can do it.
Just gotta get the wheel well liner thing off-seems simple. jack up one side at time and i think if i follow the instructions all over it should be a good experience and confidence booster if I can fix my sinkin linkin.
 
You'll be glad you did it yourself. Whole lot easier than changing coil springs for sure. For the fronts you don't need to turn a single wrench, the only tools i needed was a flat blade screwdriver and a hammer (slight whack needed to dislodge the lock ring so it would turn freely). Make sure you lube up those o-rings before you install them (nothing petroleum based) and make sure all the sealing surfaces are nice and clean. I've yet to have an o-ring leak and i've re-an-re'd many sets of bags, solenoids, and one compressor. Very cool system...GOOD LUCK!
P.S. There's no need to remove the wheel liner...who told you to do that ?
 
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i suppose i will attempt to use the local "rent lift by hour" shop-

thought i had to remove the liner from wheel well-
I dont know. shrug.

Im rocked.


I hope I can do this ok.

It seems not many folks have their solinoids go- so i really hope that the old ones are fine-

Looking for a strong compressor now-cuz mine makes that ticking buzzing noise when i put car in park from time to time.
And the compressor also has been under alot of straining pumping up front end quite some times now.
I heard that the new compressors from arnott and other companies is extremely noisy with clicking all the time-what do you think?

It would prbly be best to get a new compressor and dryer but 170 is alot of money.

I need a new outer tie rod and the mech. was trying to charge me 120 parts and labor and i was like-hell no.

So maybe I will attempt the outer tie rod too while the car is up doin the bags.

Any thoughts man?
 
Markus2 said:
i suppose i will attempt to use the local "rent lift by hour" shop-
Click to expand...

No need for that, all you need is a flat piece of ground and a floor jack. I've swapped bags in my apartment parking lot a few times.

Markus2 said:
I hope I can do this ok.
Click to expand...

Like I said, once you actually dive in and do it, you'll see it's quite simple. Do you do most of the work on your car yourself? Is it generally successful ;) Just observe all possible safety precautions ie. don't get under any part of the car without jackstands supporting it.

Markus2 said:
It seems not many folks have their solinoids go- so i really hope that the old ones are fine-
Click to expand...

This is true. I'm driving an '87 in harsh canadian winters. I had ONE solenoid go bad. I actually think it was the computer that fried the solenoid though, it didn't go south on it's own, they are very durable.

Markus2 said:
Looking for a strong compressor now-cuz mine makes that ticking buzzing noise when i put car in park from time to time.
And the compressor also has been under alot of straining pumping up front end quite some times now.
I heard that the new compressors from arnott and other companies is extremely noisy with clicking all the time-what do you think?
Click to expand...

Are you sure the buzzing is coming from the compressor? Our transmissions will sometimes make a very distinct buzzing sound when put in park after a drive. Mine does it from time to time. I actually saw a ford TSB (technical service bulletin) referring to it. I got a rebuilt compressor/dryer from AMERICAN AIR SUSPENSION. Works like a charm.

Markus2 said:
I need a new outer tie rod and the mech. was trying to charge me 120 parts and labor and i was like-hell no.
Click to expand...

Sorry man, but that's just about spot on pricing for that job. I personally wouldn't recommend doing front end work (ball joints, tie rods) in your driveway. You need some special tools and maybe a torch just to free that stuff up and you could really mess up your alignment. I'd pay for a shop to do that one, save the headache. I'm happy if any job done in a shop comes in under 3 bills.

By the way, have you done the suspension self diagnostic? The system will do a self test so you can isolate any failed components. this is how i knew my solenoid was dead. I can give you more info on this if you need it.

The links below should give you much of the knowledge you seek.

http://www.americanairsuspension.com/mk7-frt-respring.htm

http://www.americanairsuspension.com/MARK VII AREA.htm

I hope this helps.:D

By the way, i reccommend removing the wheel contrary to the above article on air bag replacement. It's just easier. Ive done it BOTH ways incidentally.

 
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good news

Installed with help of my uncle and his lift-the front air suspension from ARNOTT.

I broke one of the metal cover/cap things located at the very base of the seat where the air bags bottom sits-it covers the hole-
It snapped on one side-and also has some kind of rubber adhesive shoved all over it-previous owner crap fix of some kind. Totally beat!

So one of the covers are not on the passenger side-is that bad?

Traveled down to VA-6 hour drive from NY same day of install and oil change-finally got the seafoam out that I have been driving around with for thousands of miles now.

Car is no longer lowering-it sits really nice all around I feel-and the ride is most def. stiffer up front with what i feel to be better handling all around.

I did notice that i gotta do driver tie rod-bit loose-would explain why at higher speeds it seems to sway a bit. SHRUG


****I was having a major problem with not being able to fill up past the 3/4 full range in my gas tank. And it would stutter and starve for fuel when below the quarter mark.
I thought possibly that with the weak air bag up front-was causing the gas to sit off balance due to the weak air springs.
So sure enough after doing the install I was able to fill up the tank to the full mark.
It was great.-standby to hear news on wether or not it still slips and starves below a quarter of a tank.
 
Update

Drivers side air bag- that was installed a few weeks back has suddenly torn open and now needs to be replaced yet again.
I just did two new bags a few weeks back-as posted above.

My mechanic whom I had to unfortunately go to- do to front end dropping-electrical system draining-and hood release cable breaking- informed me that it looks as if the tear happened from the bag rubbing against the ride height control sensor area.
WTF??>:<?#$%^&*(&^%$#@#$%^&

I am pretty sure the plastic locking mech. at the top of the bag was installed correctly and locked up fine.

What up front could be worn or messed up that would cause the bag to actually tear open.
 
I have new control arms and bushings, ball joints. stablizer linkage-
the bags are BRAND NEW.
What could cause them after three weeks to have a huge tear in them.
Please dont tell me AGE-please dont tell me age.

I just ordered another spring to be overnighted here from arnott.
I cant afford for this bag to go in and tear open like that last one.
Please man, drop me some knowledge.
Im treading water here and fear my expensive nightmare will not end
 
is it possible that it is a defective air bag.
A ford master tech. swears the install was fine.
Everything was in place.
Hit no major pot holes.

Does arnott have a reputation for making defective airbags?
 
yes, i spoke to arnott.
Their tech. dept. informed me that this could only happen-and has in the past due to improper installation.
However....
My uncle has worked for FORD as a Master Tech doing mostly Diesel trucks up until his retirement just a few months ago.
I HAVE 100 percent faith that the install was correct.
I spoke to my uncle and he claims that he has seen a few defective airbags in his days at ford-usually as he put it, its the ones that don't have the goodyear logo-inferring that he has seen aftermarket bags explode due to defect or more commonly dry rot/old age issues.

I really really think its odd that im driving along and the bag tears open-not due to hitting a bump or anything.
ITS REALLY REALLY ODD.
 
I rarely ask my uncle for help but instead turn to this site-because every time he has gotten involved in the past-it turns into him doing all the work and me holding the flashlight.
I try to do stuff on my own, but he does get involved I have total faith in him.
I think a master tech knows what he is talking about.

I just hate to ask him for help-he is infuriated with me that I went to my local mech. instead of to him.
I never want to be the guy in the family that uses him monthly for free repairs.
Family is family and I see how the rest treat and use him.

I really think there was something wrong with that bag.
It makes no sense.
 
From my experience these bags are tough as hell. I slid my moms through three yards over two driveways, blew both tires one the driver side and broke one wheel in half,, the whole frontend ie control arms and all had to be replaced,,,,,,,, except the bags all four were fine and they were 8 years old. It can always be installer error no matter how good you are no one is perfect.
 
I understand user/installer error. And of course that is a possibility.
ITs just really really odd that I drive for three weeks and than tear occurs.
I checked both sides while it was up on the lift-
they were in place-I am so sure that the platic ring on top was locked in correctly.
The install went great.

Its taking a rather huge leap to the conclusion that my sober uncle fudged the simple install, and my second set of eyes and hands missed it too.
He has done this countless COUNTLESS times on many different vehicles over the past "close to two decades plus now" as a FORD Technician at the stealership.

IS THERE NO CHANCE THAT an AFTERMARKET MANUFACTURER OF THESE BAGS-ARNOTT-COULD HAVE A FEW DEFECTIVE BAGS OUT THERE? And i got one of them?
 
It's possible but as you said they don't care so you're gonna have to suck it up and buy one and put it in and pray that it was the bag and not installation error. Cause if it goes smmoth again and fails again can you really blame arnott. No. You need to think about it,,, the weight of the car on a weak or torn bag would pop instantly not three weeks later, to me it sounds like something rubbing. Drive it to kc and I'll trade you for my 8. Ive been lookin for a 7.
 
You are right on the money- it does seem like something rubbing-but what could rub up against it?

I am close to putting it up for sale-every month its something new and for the most part all i do is highway driving to work and back.

I have my local by the hour mech. doing the install this time-i ordered another from arnott-and its getting over nighted to the mech. shop.
So my hands and my uncles will not be on it this time.
This entire experience is a real PITA.

I am getting closer to putting the for sale sign up...
I am really getting close.
Only thing keeping me from doing it is the thought of all the thousands of dollars invested in thing over the past two years.
 
I don't want to buy it I said trade. And also good you should have a warranty now, oh wait you won't because you are bringing you're own parts.
 
"And also good you should have a warranty now, oh wait you won't because you are bringing you're own parts."

What does the above statement mean? Im confused.

And i read it the first time correctly......that you wanted to trade.
I retype-it might be up for sale soon.
 
You're mech probably will not warranty any part failure because he did not provide the part. when we mechs get parts we get them noticably cheaper and mark them up, we get our parts where we have had good experience and feel comfortable with them, and usually dont feel comfy with customers "cheaper" parts. And thats not sayin they are cheap cause arnott is not cheap it's good. Therefore he will not warranty that part.
 
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