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crownvicjim

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Hey guys got a check air ride today. While driving it sounded like whooshing air, then slammed in seconds but only in the front. Tried battery disconnect, turning switch on and off, pulled fuses, nothing. Air compressor wouldn't even kick on. Then I pulled the tires off and unhooked the ride sensors. When I did that, and moved them in and out I got the compressor to kick on and partially air the bags up. Thought the problem was solved so I put the tires back on and lowered it down on both sides. And it just dropped right back to the ground. I didn't hear any air noise at all but when I pulled 'he tires back off they were definitely softer than before I jacked it down. So I repeated with the same results. I'm stumped. The rear seems higher than normal too. I didn't disconnect that sensor at all. Im lost. I hope its something stupid or I'm being stupid. Any Ida's? Bags look in as new condition.
 
The front bag or bags are blown that's why you cant hear a leak...and with the front slammed it will make the rear looks like its up high...replace the blown front air strut
 
That could be but the compressor would be running double duty right? Won't even kick on with the tires on and it not jacked up. So doesn't seem like that. And when I move the sensors the compressor kicks in and airs the bags up semi firm. They still push in about a half an inch with some decent pressure pushing in the center. Put tires on and it deflates. Pull off tires and the push in a lot easier.
 
You said it deflated when you lower the jacks with tires back on so it vents the air out or it leaks out?
 
It sure seems so. The first time let it down slow, didn't hear anything. The next time let down real fast. After jacked down it took maybe four seconds to be completely slammed again. It dropped about two inches. I've never had a prob with air ride. If it was bags the compressor would still kick in right? I've heard of a koeo test? Will an odb 2 do this? What can I do to narrow it down?
Also I didn't hear anything as far as an air sound or any solenoid clicking sound either.
 
if it leaks REALLY fast, the bag blew up, or the solenoid may have popped out.
 
it dropped approximately 2" in 4 seconds. If that was so, why wouldnt the compressor kick on to air up the "low" bags. Or with getting the "check air ride" message, does that stop the compressor from activating? If i disconnect the sensors with the tires off and the front end jacked up, and push them in and out, the compressor kicks on, airs up both front bags partially, then shuts off. When i put the tires back on and set it down on the ground, the air vents(cannot see or hear anything leaking, air noise, nothing) somehow and its back to the ground. BUT THE COMPRESSOR WILL NOT KICK BACK IN THEN. When i repeated, i got the same exact results. could it be the sensor(s)? Im thinking if theres a way to "trick the system", bypass them to air the bags up good and firm, tun off air ride, and jack it down to see if it holds with the air ride off. At least eliminate the bags. which still doent make sense to me because of the compressor not kicking in. Damn, i'm lost here. Thanks for the ideas. Any more?
 
crownvicjim said:
Or with getting the "check air ride" message, does that stop the compressor from activating?
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yep. if that comes on, it will shut off the compressor to prevent over heating.

crownvicjim said:
could it be the sensor(s)?
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it sure could be.

if you pop both front sensors off and let them extend, the front air bags will go way high.
 
When i let them extend, it goes maybe normal ride height. I know what you mean and it only airs them up partially with them extended. You always hear turn off the air ride before you jack it up for that reason. It gets nowhere close to what it should be if you had the switch on and the car jacked up.(which it is) and thats the wierd part. startin to think its the sensors. i mean, what else could do this? If it were the solenoids, i'd think i would hear them open or it wouldnt hold the bags semi-aired up with the tires off. it does partially air up the bags with sensors extended out and car up in the air.
 
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Often when a car is slammed the sensors are over traveled. A set of mini ramps (2" X 4/6") can get the car up enough to put a floor jack under the front sub frame so you can jack the car up about 6 " from slammed. This should put the sensor rod in operating range, and allow the computer to signal the compressor to start. Make sure you have the doors and trunk closed then turn the key to on.

Any time you raise the car with out turning off the air ride switch you are telling the system to let air out of the system, so when you take the car off the jacks it will be slammed.
 
I had a similiar prob when i was on air..Dont know the fix though..

My bags leaked and once in a blue moon my front end would slam in a matter of seconds. I'd have to wait a good 10-15min of cycling the ign to get them to air back up.

Thank god for coils..
 
Roadboss said:
Often when a car is slammed the sensors are over traveled. A set of mini ramps (2" X 4/6") can get the car up enough to put a floor jack under the front sub frame so you can jack the car up about 6 " from slammed. This should put the sensor rod in operating range, and allow the computer to signal the compressor to start. Make sure you have the doors and trunk closed then turn the key to on.QUOTE]

Thats just it,ive done that, and it doesnt kick on then. Not until i take off the tires and release the sensor from the top of the bracket so its not compressed all the way does it. And then only to about almost normal ride height. As soon as i hook the sensors back up and put it back on the ground, its slammed again and no compressor kicking in. I really want to start eliminating things but dont know where to start. i would guess the sensors need replacing??? But with the compressor acting the way it is........just doesnt make sense!
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can over travel (being slammed) ruin the sensors? Theres people on here that have rays switch, and thats what that does right?
 
If you got an instant check air ride message the compressor won't turn on at all...if not and it turns on after you adjust the sensors then try replacing the sensors
 
CobraStar_LS8 said:
If you got an instant check air ride message the compressor won't turn on at all...if not and it turns on after you adjust the sensors then try replacing the sensors
Click to expand...

I'll have to check that out. It seems like its been on the whole time since the beginning. I'm not really sure. I know with the switch off it only reads air ride switch off. Does it not run the diagnostics when the switch is turned off?
 
Thanks a million too. I live in a pretty remote area of northern wisconsin and dont have much for help here. You guys are at least giving me useable info and that is much appreciated!
 
2" in 4 seconds is not possible without a leak in the system. That is over double the normal rate for it to drop.

If the check air ride message goes on then the compressor is now off. If it runs for over 60 seconds it will trip that error and can take as long as 10 minutes to turn back on if you tripped it a couple times back to back. Like if it gave the warning and then you turned the car off and back on then it tripped the error again. When it does that it will take several minutes before it fires up again.

Your problem sounds like a bad/sticking vent solinoid or a cracked bag.

Yeah people always say "but my bags dont have cracks!" Yeah, sure. Fill the bag up and look at the ends close to the caps. If you see little tiny 1/2cm long and half the thickness of a hair cracks then the bag is no good. You cant see them from 2' away so you have to get close to look.
 
I finally got a chance to work on the front end again. I did a lot of reading and thinking and i think i mechanically understand the system now. And i think i have a weak compressor. My front sensors are working. The front solenoids are working too. This is pretty much for sure. I do not hear or feel a leak anywhere. I did get out the spray bottle too and cannot see any leaks. I stated earlier that the rear was all jacked up. It might have been but it mostly appeared that way. And from the info on here the fronts air up first. I could never get past the front, without the compressor running for 60 seconds and throwing the "check air ride" cel. And when working on it yesterday, thats the only way the cel would come on. So it never got to the back to air up or VENT any air out. there is air coming out of the solenoids in the front but barely. I would like to know what psi these pumps should be putting out, what the front and rear bags hold normally(i read on another thread 150psi?), and the best way to make sure its weak. And if so anyone have a compressor? I'm really hoping this is it. But for sure not gonna get my hopes up. At least i understand air ride now! Am i on the right track or is everything i know wrong?
 
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