rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

G

greenbeanmtx

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Hi everyone im new to this forum. I just got a 93 mark8 that has been maintained very well but ive already encountered problems with it. the front suspension is all new but the rear is still stock according to the papers i got with it. Heres what its doing:

It sits just fine and perfect height and then when you start it up about every other time the rear end will make a hissing noise like theres a leak and it will drop to the ground. When it does this the check air ride phrase comes up. It stays squating until i shut the car off and start it back up and then within say 10 to 15 seconds its aired back up and fine, occasionally it will still hiss once it gets to the top of its ride height but it quickly stops. Then it rides fine. I turned the air ride off and drove it and it did the exact same thing except this time it did it with no phrase on the message center. It deflated while i was driving it. It sounds like its comming from the left rear and the compressor is nice and quiet. Do yall have any ideas? I would automatically assume airbag leak but it only does it some of the time so it leads me to think of a valve or something being the culprit. Yalls suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks, Karson
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

WELCOME TO THE JOYS OF THE AIR RIDE SYSTEM
I ALSO HAD WEIRD INDICATIONS AND DROPPING OF RIDE HEIGHT I found that as a air bag develops a leak sometimes it will leak and make hissing sounds or perhaps it will work fine depending on how it is sitting this will give you intermintant indications .. the next time you hear that hissing sound or the ride height drops try bouncing the effected area if this makes it seal then you need a new bag
or you could do what Im doing and replace the bags with springs and stop the madness :)
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
WELCOME TO THE JOYS OF THE AIR RIDE SYSTEM I ALSO HAD WEIRD INDICATIONS AND DROPPING OF RIDE HEIGHT I found that as a air bag develops a leak sometimes it will leak and make hissing sounds or perhaps it will work fine depending on how it is sitting this will give you intermintant indications .. the next time you hear that hissing sound or the ride height drops try bouncing the effected area if this makes it seal then you need a new bagor you could do what Im doing and replace the bags with springs and stop the madness :)
[/div]

Well i have pushed down on it and its gotten worse.......... if i lift up on it then it stops....... So i guess this would be a bag huh. When you replace with springs do you just put springs in place of the bag? Ive learned there is a place in florida that remans airbags for pretty cheap. Im willing to keep the bags, id like to actually. But im already tired of messing with it so im opened to anyhting.
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

Buy second generation new ones from Torrie. $220 each and that includes the air valves!

Best Deal in town.
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

i found that the airride bag costs about $500 per bag installed by a garage
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

That is a rip off, they only list for about $287 each. So $400 in labor? If you can install them yourself you can do it for $500.
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

Alright guys i just talked to a reputable mechanic of mine and he said that from what it sounds like he thinks the release valve on the compressor is bad. Could it be? because the car will hold it self up for days parked and then as soon as you start it the thing releases and squats. How much is a compressor then if thats the case? Any deals on those like there is on air bags? Im assuming there are 2 compressor motors cuz the front performs flawlessly. Im just trying to figure out a way to keep from getting scalped on this. I know the dealer will want an astranomicle amount for the compressor as they do for bags. Yalls suggestions are much appreciated, Karson
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

Your problem cannot be the vent valve.

You only have one compressor, with a single vent valve built into its body. It can only vent ALL lines when open; the actual venting of individual corners is controlled by the suspension module which provides ground to the appropriate isolation solenoid on each bag, venting that air into the lines and then through the vent solenoid, which the module opens simultaneously.

This is a common, common, problem. I've seen it too many times over the years in Marks, Continentals, and Town Cars with "load level". The bags always develop fine cracks right at the "roll-over" area which can be exposed or blocked by the support sleeve, depending upon ride height. At rest, the bag rolls over slightly lower and the leaking cracks are blocked. When the suspension module lifts, they are uncovered and a bag can that was fine a moment ago now leaks severely. Sometimes it takes as little as a quarter inch difference in ride height to make this happen.

Get your car up in the air and look at the bags. Don't forget to turn off the suspension before you lift it. You'll see what I mean by rollover and I guarantee you'll see the cracks. Get a spray bottle filled with a 50/50 mix of dish liquid and water. Spray the bags and watch the bubbles!
 
RE: rear end has a mind of its own......... any ideas?

Thanks for your help on that. I broke down and took it to a buddy of mine thats a mechanic cuz hes got a lift( i normally do all my own work) Anyways it does exactly what you suggested and its comming from the left rear..... I guess i should just order 2 bags for the rear. Im going to wait and see what he says. Even with it turned off i was afraid to get underneath it. Does anyone know the number and name of the place in florida that sells them for really good prices? I was told by a buddy of mine that works at a lincoln dealer that they get them from a guy in florida that sells them really cheap at least compared to the new ones from ford. Thanks a bunch
 
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