who knows air suspension here?

Doesn't it mean that the system has an air leak of sorts if the compressor runs for 90 seconds and shuts off?

Like Unity said...if your relay was bad, the compressor wouldn't run at all.

Like I said above, when Sunday rolls around, jack the front of the car up so its level with the rear, this will most likely "seal" the cracks in the bags, keeping the weight of the car off of them, and the compressor will pump it up and level it out.

Also, while you have it up, look at the bags, I bet you'll be able to see the cracks as the bags "roll" up when you're lifting it with the jack.
 
J, I like your idea but my thoughts on the bags are that if indeed they are/were leakers - would they not have started a slower leak that would have led to a more gradual lowering of the front end. In this case, it dropped over night - although that in itself is odd...

So never-mind what I just wrote, try Js plan and see what ya find. I think we all agree, the air is going somewhere! lol
 
Lol, yeah that air is being pumped, but its just leaking out somewheres!

The front end lowering overnight could have been from him parking on a hill, having the wheels turned, or something of that nature that would expose the crack in the bags, causing it to leak down, thus completely exposing a gaping hole in the bag, which now can't pump up.

Picture trying to blow up a ballon with an Inch hole on the other end, not enough air pressure fast enough to compensate for the big hole. The compressors in these cars aren't the fastest things in the world, haha.
 
sounds to me like the vent valve is corroded and not making a good seal inside the compressor.

When my vent valve failed I got luck and it "rusted shut"..so I just put Eddies Spider Valve on the car and "went on with my life".

if the vent valve doesnt seal the compressor will "run until it times out" at 90 seconds..

If the relay was bad, the compressor wouldn't turn on....
 
I'm don't know too much about the air susp parts....can you elaborate on how to and where to fix/check the valve?

The reason I'd believe the front bags are leaking is because its on the ground, unless he has 2 issues.....bad front bag(s) and a stuck open valve.

Is there a pressure sensor that will detect if the system is pressurizing? I would imagine a completely deflated front end would take longer than 90 seconds to fill up, so if the compressor was working properly and he were to assist the front to fill(by jacking the car up) would the compressor keep running longer than 90 seconds to bring the car to level?

Oh.......I forgot.....leave the front of the car slightly lower than the back...or the system will think its filled up properly and the compressor will turn off because you're holding the front of the car with the jack.

On second thought....this might be a good way to test the "valve" that everyone is talking about. Level the car with the jack.....turn on the key and the compressor may only run for 20 seconds because the car is leveled out already.
 
93 mark viii air ride problem..

93 mark viii air ride problem..

my air ride compressor quit working so first I checked my fuses and a 30 blew but i don't know if it goes to the air ride or not. so I put a new one in and still didn't fix my problem. then I took off the main wire going to the compressor and its not getting any juice either. I also checked the air ride switch in the back to see if its getting juice and its not getting anything either.. so I have no idea.. all my fuses are getting juice except two 10's.. and i don't know what they go to and why they wouldn't be getting juice.. if anyone can help me out Id appreciate it. my email is vulcan913@yahoo.com if that will be any easier..
 
PostShawn said:
It does take 90 seconds before it goes off though which that article says clean the relay.

I'm a little confused here. What takes 90 seconds before it goes off?

Does the compressor run for 90 seconds then shuts off? If so, the relay and wire connections are OK.

If you are saying that the "check air ride" message comes on after 90 seconds, then yes, check the relay wire connections and the relay first.
Click to expand...
 
Hey guys.

I parked and most times do park on level ground with my wheels straight.

The car isn't slammed. It's about 3 inches off the ground. The wheel is in the fender by an inch at the top. My friend said he thought that if the bags leaked that the car would sit about an inch off the ground if that. Is that the case? If so then the bags at least are holding some air and aren't the leak source.

billcu, The 90 seconds is for when the warning message comes on which is also when the compressor stops trying and I hear it go off. The article on American Air's website says clean the relay. Someone here said that the relay not working would cause the compressor to not work at all. Well I heard something. It sounds like a metal or mechanical gargling or something. Would that be the compressor being overworked or some other part. That's the noise that stops after 90 seconds. Also it shakes the car a bit. Just sitting in it you can feel it and I can even feel it in the stearing wheel.

Anyway guys, these suggestions are great. I am going to try them out on Sunday and see what I can find.
Thanks.
 
Tom.......

OK...if the car isn't SLAMMED like this.....

DSC01844.jpg


Than that is a good sign....kinda.

You either A)still have leaky bags and the car being slightly lower in the front is causing the bag to "roll over" on top of the crack, causing it to seal or B)the compressor vent valve is still stuck open.

Now....in situation A, the compressor is trying to fill up the bags, but it just exposes the crack which makes the air just leak out

In situation B, I'm guessing you can just access the compressor and inspect said valve.(I have NO clue where this valve is in the pictures, lol)

Comp1.gif

Comp2.gif
 
Cal,

The car is not as low as the one you have pictured. It's probably only an inch or two difference though in the front.

The thing with the airbags is that when I had the car on a lift and they hung down witht he wheels off, I squeezed them and there was no play. They were had as a rock. If they have a leak I would think at that point I would have heard something or would have been able to squeeze them in. Oh well. I am getting ready in a bit to go check this out. I'll let you guys know tonight what we find out.

-Shawn
 
Shawn.....first of, I'm Jesse, definitally NOT Cal...that guys a jerk(hence the avatar which is an inside joke) :)

Ok....so you had the car on a lift and the bags were hard. You know why? Because the air bags are actually holding the weight of the suspension as it "hangs" there. If you were to stick a jack under one of the control arms to lift that hanging side up a bit while the car is on the rack/jack stands, the bag would feel squishy. Regardless, its a moot point. A hard bag or a squishy bag doesn't mean anything.

You're mainly looking for cracks at the bottom portion of the air bag where it "folds" up and attaches to the strut. You'll see what were referring too when you get in there. You want to jack each side up at the lower control arm to visually watch the bag "fold" onto itself, kinda like folding an engine belt to look for cracks.
 
Well it's fixed.... for now. We replace the whole tray that holds the compressor and relay. So it was one of those. Since people are saying if it were the relay that was bad, then the compressor wouldn't even go on. Well I know I heard the compressor before. It sounded bad but I heard it. So it must have been a bad compressor.

Now I know that they go bad because of something else. Usually moisture. Anyone living in Los Angeles can tell you that is probably not the reason. It's real dry out here. The bags were fine. They looked real good and no cracks that I can see where the fold is. Not even a bit. The car will be gone in a few months so I am just looking to be able to drive it until then. If at this point it's anything else it's probably a solenoid or valve.

So we swapped the parts out. Put everything back on. And I switched air ride on and started the car up. The check suspesnion light went on and it only rose about a half inch from before. Top of the wheel was level with the edge of the fender. So we turned the car off and the air suspesnion switch. Waited a couple minutes and started the car up and flipped the switch. As soon as I flipped the switch the car rose to normal height in a matter of seconds. The compressor is quite too. I drove an hour back home from where I did this and when I got home the car still looked good for height. So now to just see over the next couple weeks if the car sinks or gives warnings again.

Thanks everyone,
-Shawn
 
Sweet, good job. So you must have just gotten a used compressor/bracket assembly that had everything attached to it? That was a good idea :D
 
J said:
Sweet, good job. So you must have just gotten a used compressor/bracket assembly that had everything attached to it? That was a good idea :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, I got the whole assembly (minus the little air filter box thing and computer thing) for $30 from a junk yard. I just swapped over what I didn't have and installed the whole assembly.

Worked good for now. It actually looks like the front sits slightly higher then the back now but probably just need to let it settle into place, or it's my eyes playing tricks since I hadn't seen it back up there for a couple weeks.
 
PostShawn said:
Now I know that they go bad because of something else. Usually moisture. Anyone living in Los Angeles can tell you that is probably not the reason. It's real dry out here.Thanks everyone,
-Shawn
Click to expand...

California isn't immune to the moisture problems that are inherent with the design of this air ride system.

The moisture comes from the air, even dry air and "accumulates" inside the system, due to the "double pass" nature of the dryer.

All incoming and outgoing air go thru the dryer.

Pretty much ALL mark 8's in pretty much ANY climate is subject to a moisture related failure unless one of Eddies Spider Valves are installed, which turns the "double pass" system into a "single pass" system, which helps eliminate the accumulation of moisture in the system
 
XLRVIII said:
California isn't immune to the moisture problems that are inherent with the design of this air ride system.

The moisture comes from the air, even dry air and "accumulates" inside the system, due to the "double pass" nature of the dryer.

All incoming and outgoing air go thru the dryer.

Pretty much ALL mark 8's in pretty much ANY climate is subject to a moisture related failure unless one of Eddies Spider Valves are installed, which turns the "double pass" system into a "single pass" system, which helps eliminate the accumulation of moisture in the system
Click to expand...


Interesting info. Thanks.
 
PostShawn said:
Worked good for now. It actually looks like the front sits slightly higher then the back now but probably just need to let it settle into place, or it's my eyes playing tricks since I hadn't seen it back up there for a couple weeks.
Click to expand...

Haha...probably an "optical illusion" for now, like you said....its had a nice "rake" to it for awhile :D I noticed on my car that if you look at it sometimes the back seems lower(or the front higher) because the rear fenderwell is smaller in diameter than the front, so it sits lower on the body line causing the front to look higher. Compare the rocker panel level to the level of the ground, than you'll know if the cars straight.
 
XLRVIII said:
ANY climate is subject to a moisture related failure unless one of Eddies Spider Valves are installed
Click to expand...

Has been for at least 4 months.

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J said:
Compare the rocker panel level to the level of the ground, than you'll know if the cars straight.
Click to expand...

better way to measure is from the top arc of the fender well to the bottom dead center of the rim, not the tire.. but the rim

That takes tire height and inflation out of the equation

If I remember correctly that measurement should be something like 26 or 28 inches.. a search would turn up the correct measurement, but that is the correct WAY to measure the ride height
 
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