height control problem - solved!

[spideyz]

My 89 gl-10 wagon is having an air ride problem. I was carrying a heavy load of sod the other day and as we unloaded the sod, the back end went all the way up. We have a slow leak in the front left strut that I have been keeping my eye on. So the next time we drove the car the front end was all the way down and the rear end was all the way up. Now the compressor wont come on to fill up the front and the back is sticking up in the air and the height light is flashing. The self diag. is giving me code number 2, but my manual doesnt give me a key to what this code tells me. I read several old posts and found some info that said when one or more shocks are too high, the computer wont let the compressor kick on. So I am guessing that I need to let the air out of the back end until it is lower than normal so the computer will try to fill the whole system. How do I manually vent the rear struts? I think I will first have all my friends and family stand on the back bumper to see if I can compress the rear struts to fool the sensors. Maybe that will work? I suppose the discarge solonoid could be stuck but I'd rather try the easy fix first. I have checked the fuse and tested the relay. Both OK.

 

Any other ideas or help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

Keith

[c150L]

The compressor will not come on to raise the fronts until the air is discharged to lower the rears. I suspect a problem with the discharge solenoid. Turn the key on, carefully disconnect one airline from one of the front shock solenoids. Compressor side, not strut side of the solenoid. This will allow the rears to lower to a height that the ECU/sensors calculate as normal. At that time, the rear solenoids should close, front solenoids should open and compressor should start itself about the same time. I've found with my XT6, the fronts take the first bit of air real slow. Like it's metered when the struts are bottomed out. (Rears take real easy when bottomed out.) My fronts hold great so I have not done this in awhile, but I always took a jack under front center crossmember and raised the car enough to take the front struts off bottom. Don't raise to normal height, the sensor would close the solenoids.)

 

I have a couple pretty good air suspension PDF troubleshooting files, but can only send to you if you have an email account that doesn't puke with file attachments. (Will not attempt attaching files going to a Hotmail account anymore.) PM me if you'd like those files.

[spideyz]

Well, I got the height control problem solved. I tried to have all me family and friends stand on the back of the car to try to fool the rear height sensors into opening up, but that didnt work. I tried the suggestion above and all of the front air lines were completely without pressure. I took off the front wheel and checked the compressor and air tank lines. Zero pressure there. So, to the back I went and manually vented both rear shocks. The car was now on the ground all around. My wife gave me a look like "now this is worse than before." As I put the front wheel back on I heard a solonoid click, followed by the much-hoped-for compressor kicking on. So we are back in business. Riding even and not bouncing like a hoopty anymore.

 

Keith

[c150L]

Glad to hear ypou're back on a smooth air ride. Don't want to alarm you in any way, but I feel you still have the discharge solenoid issue that will manifest itself onto you in certain situations. With my XT6, the most recent cause for my most recent air suspension alert was the fronts became high due to much warmer weather, air in fronts expanding and the sjuggish discharge soleniod would not bleed the air that needed to go. Here I was, out of town and my slightly leaking rears hit bottom. Comrepssor never tried to bring them up cause the fronts were high. Popped the hood, key on, manually relesed air at a front solenoid (compressor side), relays clicked when the excess was gone and rears came back up. All i would suggest is to investigate the discharge problem, perhaps see if you can find another allegedly working compressor somewhere cheap. Only nice thing about leaky struts is that your system may recover due to that IF the discharge solenoid pukes out.