SLROC Forum
General Category => TECHNICAL CHAT => Topic started by: JD6920 on December 18, 2010, 11:25:53 AM
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Hi, as the post states, having issues with the air suspension on one side of the disco. Had the air bag replaced, didn't cure the problem. So I'm thinking the sensor may be the problem. Does anyone have any experience of the same issue?
It's an odd fault, it will inflate correctly when you start the car, be fine all one day then do the sink down deal 5 times the next day,grrrrr! So there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it, that's why I'm think dodgy sensor, anybody have any thoughts?
cheers, Jim
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When you replace the airbags you need to re-calibrate the sensor.... not too sure how, but there will be online info
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Would it be better going to a local garage and get them try there diagnostic machine on it. if it is electrical it would come up on there machine as a fault, mite help in your serch for whats wrong.
Don't know if it would work but have you tryed disconnecting the battery and leaving it for 10 mins see if it resets itself mite not work but worth a try.
Gary
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Bit like I.T crowd?..... Tried turning it off, then back on again
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Ha thanks for the repies, the goofy thing is if you let it sit for 20/30 minutes it re-inflates itself and will stay up for an undetermined time. So yeah we've tried the IT crowd fix,haha. The bag on the problem side was replaced a few months ago as it exploded, which leads me to suspect the sensor might be acting up?
I've ordered a new sensor, think I'll need to take it to LR or find someone with the machine to do it for calibration, I'm seriously considering just taking the bags out and putting coils on it, save a lot of time and hassle. Hopefully the sensor will be here on Monday, so we'll see how we get on once it's fitted.
Anyone want to swap a '04 Td5 Disco ES for a 300tdi 90 Lol!
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When you replace the airbags you need to re-calibrate the sensor.... not too sure how, but there will be online info
I've done two airbags and didn't need to re-calibrate anything. The ECU wont know the airbag is missing.
cheers
Geoff
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If you replace an airbag its a brand new bit of rubber and SHOULD be calibrated, of course you don`t have to, but you`ll want to if and when the motor starts sitting at an angle
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I replaced both the air springs on my td5 disco and didn't have tog et it calibrated. You will however need to get it calibrated after fitting a new sensor.......
Gary
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Could well go bang after a while though as the newer rubber isn`t as softened as the old
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Could well go bang after a while though as the newer rubber isn`t as softened as the old
do you know what you are talking about?
as it sounds like you dont......
why would you need to recalibrate the sensor after replacing the bag? the peramiters the sensor is working through hasnt changed between an old bag & new bag,
to the original poster what brand of bag did you use? if you park the vehicle with one wheel up on a curb etc so the suspension is slightly flexed does it make the bag go down quicker or go down at all?
it could well be a case that the air pipe to the bag has chaffed on the body & is very close to going pop & at the moment its just bleeding the air off slowly
i would jack the rear of the car up & allow the suspension to droop slightly then check the air pipes where the come out the top of the bag for rubbing on the bottom lip of the body
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Having had three airbags replaced(two on the father-in-laws) I`d say i had a fair idea
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Having had three airbags replaced(two on the father-in-laws) I`d say i had a fair idea
meh
having replaced aprox 20+ bags in a 4 1/2 year period working for 2 landy independents i think i trump you ;D ;)
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Maybe stratstones were just over doing it so they could charge us extra then ??? They do wear expensive suits, and they need paying for!!!
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Having had three airbags replaced(two on the father-in-laws) I`d say i had a fair idea
meh
having replaced aprox 20+ bags in a 4 1/2 year period working for 2 landy independents i think i trump you ;D ;)
;D ;D
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I would either look at the pipes (as stated) or the valve block, which you can get rebuild kits for.
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I think we may have got lost in translation, the bag that was changed is fine, it's not leaking and the sytem is airtight. Soapy water mix used, distinct lack of bubbles.
I'm thinking of the sensor being the problem area, as if the bag was leaking then surely the compressor would be running constantly wouldn't it? I think maybe the sensor isn't telling the compressor the right thing, saying the airbag is full when it's actually not? Opening the valve when it thinks the air bag is too full, thus causing the thing to deflate?
I've been on the Landyzone site also, there seems to be some confusion as to weather a new sensor would indeed require to be calibrated, with a couple of opposing schools of thought. One saying it will need to be calibrated using nanocom etc, the other saying if the neg battrey lead is removed, and the sensor fitted whilst vehicle is at the correct height then no calibration needed?!
I'm thinking coils........
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If you replace an airbag its a brand new bit of rubber and SHOULD be calibrated, of course you don`t have to, but you`ll want to if and when the motor starts sitting at an angle
So how do you calibrate a bit of rubber then?
Lot of rubbish being talked on here, think it would help if you were clearer on what the course of events were that led up to the problem. Also another thing to bear in mind is that depending on where a hole may be(might only be a pinhole) the actual hole may not be exposed unless the bag is at full stretch. Also you will only get bubbles if the soapy water gets onto the actual part with the hole and stays there long enough.
You can as several people who know have said change an air bag without recalibrating the ride height sensor.
If your still unsure what's wrong I would swap the bags round, see if the problem moves or stays where it is. If it stays then the bag is okay and the fault lies elsewhere. If it turns out to be the bag I would change both of them and keep the one goodish one as a spare for future.
As with any forum you get the few who actually know and those that think they know, the only problem is working out which is which ::)
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you can't swap the airbags over, the ECU knows if it's a left of right hand bit of rubber that's fitted.
cheers
Geoff
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Dont think so mate, IIRC there are no electrical connections to the air springs, only a air supply pipe...... So, how would the ECU know?
And when I bought my replacement springs they were not sold 'handed'.
Gary
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As I've said in previous posts, the bag isn't the problem, that's new. I'm thinking it must be the sensor that is the problem. The problem is the drivers side sagging intermitantly. If the bag was leaking then it would deflate at the same rate and in the same way, plus the compressor would be running all the time, which it isn't.
Jay2578 the problem has only started in the last 6 weeks, and there isn't any pattern to what it does. The car will sit inflated as usual, then it will sink to the bump stop without warning. If you let it sit for say 30 minutes it re-inflates and will maybe be fine for 2/3 dyas then do this 2/3 times in one day. It's as if the compressor isn't getting the signal to inflate/deflate and the bag just lets itself down. This suggests to me that maybe the sensor is the issue.
I appreciate that if the bags are changed then no calibration is needed, but this may not be the case with the sensor, I guess I'll just have to wait and see, but I'm thinking coils may be the quickest and easiest option. We're live on a farm in the Borders and as usual it waits until the weather conditions are at their worst before it decides to go wonky!
Who'd have a Land Rover eh, must be the masochist in us........
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When the air spring went on my disco it would be OK for days then suddenly it would drop..... after a bit of rooting about I found that there was a pin hole in the bag that was only evident when thar car was sitting a certain way, otherwise it was folded up against the bottom plastic guide thingy ( dont know the correct name for that bit, lol) I presume it was sealing against that face hence it would be OK for a while...... but you have said that yours are new so if they were not damaged as they were fitted then all should be fine with them.
If it is the sensor then once replaced it will need recalibrated. As mentioned earlier it could be a sticking valve either in the compressor or the alu valve block.
Coils might be the easiest option but I think it would loose a bit of its road manners if you did away with the air suspension.
What ever you decide I hope you get it sorted out mate.
Gary
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I agree with you JD, go for coils. Landrovers have worked perfectly well with them for years and before that leafs (bit less comfy I admit), but the systems are so complex now that when they get old they are a liability (and expensive). If you tow a lot, presumably you can fit heavy duty coils to compensate, and you probably don't need the car to go down on it's knees to gain access.
But then I'm from the old school who bought Landrovers because they were the nearest thing to a road-going tractor, (they began to get a wee bit sissy when they brought in wind up windows). Ah, the good old days before Mrs Beckham became one of Landrovers design consultants!!!
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Dont think so mate, IIRC there are no electrical connections to the air springs, only a air supply pipe...... So, how would the ECU know?
And when I bought my replacement springs they were not sold 'handed'.
Gary
I know, I thought i'd add to the madness of this post ;D
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Gary1968, I'm hoping it's just the sensor, if not I'll need to look at the valves/solenoids/compressor deal, does anyone have the machine to calibrate it on here? Willing to pay for it to be done, just don't fancy paying LR dealership prices!
Further to my post, those of you who have made the change from air to coils, did you notice much difference in road manners? It doesn't do any towing, the 90 does all the dirty hard work, Disco is the sunday car lol
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have a look here- www.discovery2.co.uk
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Now on coils.....