Suspension Trouble

mespock

mespock

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Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Yesterday I got in my Mark VII and the suspension was up as it has been ever since I purchased my VII.

I drove it to work, came out 3 hours later and the front was down.

Turned it on the front pumped back up and stayed up until today. Took the car to work and again today. Suspension stayed up. Went to PT drove home went inside for about 1 hr. came out suspension was down.

Turned on the car pumped right up. Then on and off tonight I had to to a few places. Twice I found the front down after about an hour.

What's up? Leak in the bags? Sensor? Ideas?
 
depends what you want to do, keep it stock or go with springs? If you make the conversion you might as well remove the compressor and all (a little less weight) but you will always have a suspension light on (just remove the bulb). If you stay stock, I'd stick with Eddie. Great prices and service. If you need help installing let me know. It took me about half an hour when I did the Mark VIII fronts. Extremely easy job.
 
mespock said:
Thanks,

This was fustrating! Didn't need the problem right now! You know Christmas is coming.
Click to expand...
So is your birthday, does that me we can get away with only getting you one gift! :N
 
Leaks in the springs are often signaled by cracks in the rubber. Eventually the crack goes all the way through and creates a small, pinhole leak. The folding of the rubber over itself can act to temporarily seal small leaks, causing seemingly random suspension sinking. Check out the replies to your thread on LOl. I explained where to get springs there. They are not hard to change and it will be a quick easy fix to have a working air suspension again.
 
Run the self test procedure like provided above. Then let us know the results. Also, when the car is at trim height at night, turn off the air suspension switch and see if the car has settled by morning. If it has there is a leak in the bag(s) and they need replaced. Otherwise it may be a different fault.
 
ND4SPDLSC said:
Leaks in the springs are often signaled by cracks in the rubber. Eventually the crack goes all the way through and creates a small, pinhole leak. The folding of the rubber over itself can act to temporarily seal small leaks, causing seemingly random suspension sinking. Check out the replies to your thread on LOl. I explained where to get springs there. They are not hard to change and it will be a quick easy fix to have a working air suspension again.
Click to expand...

Ok, the bags look smooth with no cracks...

I haven't been home for a few day so I don't know if the car is still up. I had been up for over an hour yesterday after I started to look for any leaks.

Thanks for the help I'll check on AOL and see what else is written.
 
JoshMcMadMac said:
Run the self test procedure like provided above. Then let us know the results. Also, when the car is at trim height at night, turn off the air suspension switch and see if the car has settled by morning. If it has there is a leak in the bag(s) and they need replaced. Otherwise it may be a different fault.
Click to expand...

I'll see what's up when I get home tomorrow thanks
 
mespock said:
I'll see what's up when I get home tomorrow thanks
Click to expand...
if you want to stay with air go to eddie american air ride, if you want springs like I did in my VIII go to strutmasters,the link is at the bottom of my post, here is the rule I follow, one or two bags replace w bags, more than 2 bags and or compressor go to springs...but it is up to you :Beer
 
viiiball said:
if you want to stay with air go to eddie american air ride, if you want springs like I did in my VIII go to strutmasters,the link is at the bottom of my post, here is the rule I follow, one or two bags replace w bags, more than 2 bags and or compressor go to springs...but it is up to you :Beer
Click to expand...

Thanks :Beer
 
Another quick question...

Would a sensor problem show up on a code reader test....

My friend just pick up a code reader for his Mark VIII he said it claim to also read all Lincolns.
 
mespock said:
Another quick question...

Would a sensor problem show up on a code reader test....

My friend just pick up a code reader for his Mark VIII he said it claim to also read all Lincolns.
Click to expand...
No. That is for the engine and related parts. The test you need is a built-in self test sequence like provided in the link above or in a Shop Manual. As for the reader working on your car, it depends on if he has a 96 or newer MarkVIII. 1996 was the year all cars became required to have OBD-II. Prior to 1996 most cars had OBD-I, including the MarkVII. OBD = On Board Diagnostic.
 
Ok, I got home about 4:30 pm today (Friday) I had parked my Mark VII on Wednesday with bag pumped up.

When I got home car was still up. Drove it home from where I had borrowed my friends truck to use for TGD. Turned off the the air ride. Drive the car to the store, and gas station. When I got out of the store (15 min) car was down.

Turned air ride back on. Drove home parked car to look at in the morning. Car has not dropped since I've been home.

Bags look very good no cracks. Did not find leaks on Wed. before I left. Sprayed with soap.

Will try the mannul things tomorrow.

Seem like there are no leaks.
 
Haven't had time to yet. Car is still up after a few hours.

I didn't see any cracks or signs of real wear on the bags. They look better than the ones on my Mark VIII.

"You have proven a bag or bags have a leak problem by turning off the switch and still seeing the car go down.
You have about a 1% chance of seeing a surface problem on the bags.
To explain, the bags are just like tires. They are made with solvents that make the rubber elastic. Over time these solvents migrate out leaving the rubber harder until a point is reached were there is no strech and cracking developes. This cracking is most pronounced in the area that rolls down over the base. The cracks develope from the outside inward until a path is opened for air to escape.
When the bag surface changes position the cracks can close up and you can't see them and they may not leak at that time until the next time suspension movment takesplace or the car retrims position.
It's funny that changing tires every so often is fine but changing air springs 1/10 that often presents a problem in the 'mind'."

From LOL site. http://www.lincolnsonline.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=005744
 
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