EAS self inflation valves

[Keithy P38]

Hey gang,

I'm not sure how to put it, but ill give it a red hot go!

In my mind it is quite possible, in practice it may not be so easy. Is it possible (easily) to run a 3-way toggle switch (that's an up, off, down) to each individual solenoid valve for the air springs? For the sake of the question, to disable the EAS ECU and manually pump the springs up one's self from the air tank?

It's a random question, bought on by a comment in the 3" body lift thread.

It would also make life easier for a fellow P38'er who is not on this forum and is having very expensive dramas with his EAS.

Cheers
Keithy

[gavinwibrow]

Thats exactly what I have at the moment ie I have to individually pump up each bag from a control box under the drivers seat and attached to the car electrics and the compressor with buttons for each bag plus on, pumping and exhaust buttons. Sounds good, but can be a PITA. Can't show a photo at the moment cos the car is away.

[Hoges]

you could adapt an existing emergency pump up system to feed from the tank. Install a separate switch for the compressor with a safety cutout. With the ECU disabled, an airline feed from the tank to 4 x two-way taps (one for each airbag) set on a manifold would enable you isolate the valveblock and direct the air to each bag in turn rather than put an external airhose on a schrader valve as is done at present...

[Scouse]

The Rovair system developed by Lee Bourgeois at LAB Electronics does this. You disconnect the ECU & plug in the manual height controller.

[Keithy P38]

Thanks for the replies lads!

It would be good to utilise the existing hardware and simply run a few wires to the valves. Setting up new manifolds and what-not would be more headaches!

The compressor could be set up to run off the tank pressure switch rather than the ECU, that's easy enough, and four 3-way toggle switches into the engine bay might be pretty easy too.

As Gavin has said, there will likely need to be exhaust valves wired in too. Would be good to see pics and get more detail of your setup mate, when you find a moment!

I haven't had a look at exactly what is in that little EAS box to know how to go about it.

Cheers
Keithy

[superquag]

Start swotting up the RAVE manual...:angel:

Applying constant voltage to the individual valve solonoids may shorten their life a bit... they're designed to be driven by a pulsed current. - Known in some circles as a 'Hit & drop'. That is, a long 12-volt pulse is applied first, this stays on for a pre-set time, enough for the solonoid to pull all the way in, then the current is pulsed at a high frequency, with a 50% duty-cycle. - Effectively 6~8 volts. This is to hold the relay/solonoid in place, which needs less magnetic force to accomplish.

I guess you could do the same with a capacitor and resistor. No, have'nt worked out the values... !

The box of ZAPS that lives inside the EAS valve-box is the dumb thing that does the 'hitting & dropping', AFAIK. The ECU under the driver's seat does all the clever thinking and tells the peasant underneath which one to fire. :p

Or go the whole hog and duplicate the air 'circuit' using off the shelf solonoids, maybe from EvilBay. Drive it via a panel of push-buttons, pressure gauges, switches etc.

[Keithy P38]

The second option would be the simple option.

If he has no luck with his dramas soon he will probably do that and ditch the factory setup!

Cheers
Keith

[wayneg]

Something like this should work without the factory setup

1 2" Fast Air Valve Manifold 250 PSI FBSS Control Air Ride Suspension 574 | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Fast-Air-Valve-Manifold-250-psi-FBSS-Control-Air-Ride-Suspension-574-/121146427052?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c34e3c6ac&vxp=mtr)

[Scouse]

There's more info on Rovair here (although the link is out):
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/74240-rovair-susp-fault-overide-system.html

[Keithy P38]

That's some good reading right there! And it's a plug n play arrangement, will allow individual adjustment of the bags and it eliminates the ECU which will probably please old mate!

Ill let him know!

Very useful post! Has been saved to my bookmarks!

Cheers
Keithy

[DT-P38]

Are those Rovair things still in production?

[olbod]

G'day.
The EAS on the bitch is driving me crazy, If I could I would like to replace with one of those Pommy coil kits but dont really want to spend money on the thing. I could replace all the EAS with new but in the end it is still lucas crap.
So ive been thinking. Ta Da.
We have the emergency kit installed that I bought from Paul.
I have been thinking that I might bypass the EAS and connect the kit straight to the bags and pump each corner seperately. If the lines and bags have no leaks it should be trouble free. With this you could manually set the ride height to suit and carry a portable compressor ( which I do anyway ) to adjust when out playing. Pressure could be checked once a week when I check tyre pressures etc.
When I use the bypass kit I dont measure the ride height with a stick but use PSI on each corner, 65 rear and 60 front I think, I have it written somewhere. I leave it at that with the EAS isolation switch off. Works well and holds pressure for three or four days but has a slow leak somewhere, not the lines or bags I think. Cant find it. Three bags are pretty old tho.
If this worked okay I would consider replacing them with Gen 3.
What do you think ?

[Keithy P38]

Simple but it is exactly what works for you!

[davidsonsm]

There is one member on here who has purely manual system. Seems to work for him.

Me. I like being able to press a switch and have four heights to choose from.