Air Susp Inactive: Strut out. Airbag seems OK. No air from air-line.

[spudboy]

Following on from my intial post about locating an airbag for my 2003 Diesel L322 with 130,00Km on it, I have another question on a new topic.

BTW, as a bit of history, the drive's side front sunk down low and I got the Air Susp Inactive message on the console. Read a few posts, and it was an easy job to get the strut out.

However, now that it is out, the airbag doesn't look too bad. Bit of cracking around the fold, but it seems to hold air if I plug the hole and squash it down hard.

The yellow air-line that feeds it does not seem to be putting out any air, even though it is now an 'open' circuit (with the air bag removed). Would you expect air to be gushing out of this line if it was disconnected? I tried with just the ignition on, and also with the engine running. No air coming out in either case.

I've checked fuses 57 and 88 and they both look good. The other 3 airbags are hard as rock and no drooping on any other corner, so I am assuming the air compressor is still providing pressure.

Am starting to think that maybe some control block/manifold thing might be gummed up or something. Anyone got any hints?

BTW - we live on a farm that is miles from a dealer, so not had the codes from the ECU read. Is it going to be a case of re-assembing the strut and flat-bedding it to a dealer to read the codes, or can I trouble shoot something further back in the chain of air supply.

Thanks
David

[spudboy]

Well I traced things back a bit more and found some sort of distribution block/valve behind the driver's side wheel arch.


I have air at this block on 2 black lines, but nothing on the 2 yellow lines. See picture for which ones. I undid the brass nipples and both black lines seeped air after undoing then about 1 turn (did them straight back up again) but the yellow ones undid completely with no air released.


Does this look like the block is faulty? That'd be cheaper (by the looks) then replacing the strut!!

I can blow air through the line marked "Front Driver's side line" and it come out where I disconnected the strut, so no blockage in that line at all.

[slug_burner]

Don't reassemble the suspension until you have put some pressure into the bag with an air compressor. The compressor in your car may have been told to stop trying to pump a leaky air bag to prevent burning out the compressor and will not try again untill the fault is reset. I had a leaky D2 airbag which took for ever to find as it did not always deflate. SOmetimes the fold prevented the leak from happening. I think you need some real pressure and not just a squeeze with your hand to test the bag.

I got D2 bags from Arnotts, they were quick as I just did an online order.

[spudboy]

Hmmm - OK. But what do you think about no air coming out of the yellow air line?

I am worried that even if I buy a new strut, that without any air being fed in it will still not inflate. I would be happy to get air being pumped into the bag, and then see it had a leak. At this point I feel there is no air being fed into the bag.....

BTW - the airbag looks a bit worse for wear:

[spudboy]

Sorry Slug_Burner - I posted back too quickly. I see you are saying the ECU may have closed off some valve to stop the compressor burning out.

How to reset this? Dealer only? Disconnect the Battery?

I have tried a Check Control "Reset all defect codes" (option 21 from the console when in test mode).

[Homestar]

Just thinking along the same lines as Slug Burner here - could you inflate the new air spring with your workshop compressor in any way after you have fitted it to allow you to drive it to a stealer to get the fault code reset? Not sure what sort of pressure you would need, or if you could get air in there then refit the line in time, etc.

Also, have you ordered a new strut assembly, or just the air spring itself? Let us know what you end up doing here, as I will probably need to do mine sooner or later - I was thinking of getting the new style air springs that Arnotts do.

[harlie]

You will need to clear the faults before it tries to do anything. I'm not saying the assembly is not faulty but the EAS system just shuts down at the slightest hint of a problem. I would expect no air to be sent to the bag if there are faults still displaying.

[spudboy]

Also, have you ordered a new strut assembly, or just the air spring itself? Let us know what you end up doing here, as I will probably need to do mine sooner or later - I was thinking of getting the new style air springs that Arnotts do.

At this stage I am thinking of getting the whole strut, only because I can't find a supplier in Aust who will sell me just the airbag.

I emailed Arnotts in the US but never got a reply.

If you know of somewhere in Aust that I can get just the airbag please let me know!

[spudboy]

You will need to clear the faults before it tries to do anything. I'm not saying the assembly is not faulty but the EAS system just shuts down at the slightest hint of a problem. I would expect no air to be sent to the bag if there are faults still displaying.

Seems I will have to get an EAS reset device then. The car is in pieces, and we live quite a way from the dealer, so I think having our own device is going to be the answer.

Another forum member (jsp) has offered the use of his RSW AllComms unit, so I am trying to get in touch with him to see if I can organise that.

[harlie]

thats the go mate...

If you are inclined to do repair/servicing yourself (appears so...) then you need a diagnostic tool in your kit.
Have a look at:

• RSW AllComs - last I heard it doesn't communicate with the TD6 engine & Trans (USA based developer with no diesels available) but does all other systems, PC based very nice to use and not VIN locked.
• Gap-Diagnostics IIDTool. Does everything, it is a tiny module that displays info via the dashboard screen and steering wheel buttons, allows calibration of suspension (like Llams but better), no PC or software required, very fast, but user experience is a bit painfull due to the small screen. (What I’m using)
• BBS fault mate. Unbelievably good – absurdly expensive.
• Hawkeye. No PC required, generally I think it covers the early L322 well, hopeless for the P38, like Fault Mate it can cover a range of LRs

And to jsp for helping, I've lost count of the number of D2 owners that have plugged into my nanocom - tend to think what goes around comes around, unfortunately for L322, the IIDTool is VIN locked.