Air Suspension question

New2Me

Registered
The last 2 mornings my Mark VIII has lowered itself in the front end between 7 and 7:30am... I know because this is the time I walk our dog and I have heard it do it, I can hear the solinoids open and close. The car both times hasn't been driven after 5:30 pm the previous day...
Now my question is, from what I have read @ American Air Suspension's web site, it would appear to be the module doing this, anyone have any input???
Thanks

Mark8.jpg


otherside.jpg
 
Depending on the driveway, the car will self adjust at random times. It should not lower that far down though so you could have a small leak/crack in one of your front bags. When it lowers to "park height" it exposes the crack. After that it slowly leaks and then the module/system lowers the other side to make the car level.
 
+1 What J said. Leaky air spring causing the system to re-level. Picture of front shows suspension set too low (from spec).
 
Depending on the driveway, the car will self adjust at random times. It should not lower that far down though so you could have a small leak/crack in one of your front bags. When it lowers to "park height" it exposes the crack. After that it slowly leaks and then the module/system lowers the other side to make the car level.

+1 What J said. Leaky air spring causing the system to re-level. Picture of front shows suspension set too low (from spec).

Thanks, I have turned the air ride off for the night and will see what it looks like in the morning... What I can't figure out is why does it hold for some 12+ hours and then lower...

One last thing, AAS recommended waiting at least 5 minutes before shutting of the air ride...
 
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You can leave it off for a couple of days and then you should easily see that one has leaked enough to make the car tilt.
 
What I can't figure out is why does it hold for some 12+ hours and then lower...

One last thing, AAS recommended waiting at least 5 minutes before shutting of the air ride...

Like I said, it "appears" to be holding because it has a slow leak. It slowly leaks down and eventually the system says "oh man...the right front side is lower than the left front side, Ima lower the left side to match" and then its like "oh look, now the back is too high" and then 12 hours later its thinking, "man...that right side is lower again, WTF?" and then it lowers the left side more. You wake up, go take your dog for a walk and you're like, "WTF, my car is slammed and why is the air compressor running?"

Does that sound about right? haha :p

Not sure why AAS recommended that but I'd believe him over us. He probably wants you to turn the car off, shut the door, and let the car get to "park height" before you turn it off.
 
Again thanks for all the help... This morning when I got up the front was slammed on the ground and the back was up... I turned the system on and the car came right up... I have no experience with this system, so I guess I'll have to do what ever reading I can on the NET and then sometime in the next few weeks try to fix it... Oh the compressor never comes on until I turn on the key or start it...
If any of you have some tips I would be most grateful, because I now feel that both bags on the front are leaking...
 
Before assuming both bags are leaking, I would do some inspecting. Your valve for the front set could be leaking, i.e. o-rings, etc, or it could be both bags.

Do this........mix yourself up some soapy water in a squirt bottle. Let the car pump up to ride height and then turn the car off and shut the door to allow it to drop to park height. Then turn OFF the air ride switch, start the car and turn the wheels all the way to one side. Turn the car off, and spray your soapy water all over the bags. Look around and see if you see any new bubbles forming. Its kinda like submersing a bike tube into a bucket to see where your pin hole leaks are coming from.

Do this to both sides....if you don't see anything, you can try letting the car pump up to ride height and turn the air ride off before shutting the car off and closing the door. Now the bags will be in a different position and you will be able to see where the cracks would be developing and spray your soapy water on there. If you've ruled out BOTH bags leaking....next you should move to the venting valve. JP might be able to tell you where that is....


PS DO US ALL A FAVOR AND KEEP CHECKING BACK AND UPDATING US. A lot of times, people will post, we give them a TON of information, and then they just disappear. :D
 
The vent valve is on the compressor. There's been a couple good threads lately on replacing it and fixing the problem.
 
you can try letting the car pump up to ride height and turn the air ride off before shutting the car off and closing the door.
PS DO US ALL A FAVOR AND KEEP CHECKING BACK AND UPDATING US. A lot of times, people will post, we give them a TON of information, and then they just disappear. :D

I did this last night and had the same thing happened when I got up this morning, and I plan on being here a long time so you will know what I find and probably even see several more questions...
I will admit this, that after looking at the prices for this air ride stuff, I am thinking very seriously about going over to the "Dark Side" as I have seen it refered to here before!!! :eek:
 
The vent valve is on the compressor. There's been a couple good threads lately on replacing it and fixing the problem.

See, ask and you shall receive. Haha

I did this last night and had the same thing happened when I got up this morning, and I plan on being here a long time so you will know what I find and probably even see several more questions...
I will admit this, that after looking at the prices for this air ride stuff, I am thinking very seriously about going over to the "Dark Side" as I have seen it refered to here before!!! :eek:

Naw man, at this point you're in the cheaper portion of repairs and parts. Thanks for sticking around......where's JP and his recruiting for membership speal? :)
 
Any luck?

Haven't had time to look at it yet, the thing will stay up all day... I have turned the air ride off and drove it and it still stays up, so will look at it once I have some...
Like I said, I promise to let you know my findings...
 
Temperature changes can effect the bag also. A higher ambient temp will cause the rubber to expand, not exposing a leak, but colder temps will expose a crack and start leaking.
 
Found the leak tonight, it is on the driver's side right at the bottom of the bag...
I have decided to go over to the dark side, the car is a 94 and I feel it will just be one thing then another...
 
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