My car refuses to lower itself

[Pete38]

No I'm not talking about it lowering itself to a Toyota level or anything ha ha. EAS height.

Just before I parked my car at the station I noticed the suspension wouldn't go down to race mode for the roundabout aka highway height.

When I parked it I tried again, as well as access mode. I think the front starts to go down but the back doesn't move. Puah the button to go back to standard height and the front lifts.

So it appears to be exhaust related I'm thinking. No errors on the dash but i didnt leave it trying to lower itself for long.

Thinking I plug the nanacom in when i get home. Look for faults first as its easy, check the height sensor values to make sure there isn't a problematic height value and change all exhaust valves to open.

Any other suggestions? It was the coldest morning I've noticed this year and close to zero so hoping the exhaust valve was frozen shut. They are all independent though yes? Unlike the intake where the dryer is common

[Pete38]

I'm thinking that the cold wasn't the problem seeing the engine bay wouldn't stay cold for long anyway.

[Pete38]

Hmmm. Not looking good.

I noticed there were no errors and something just wasn't right with the EAS going up and down. Tried to lower the front on nanocom, front goes down slowly. Tried the rear, nothinhg....

Then noticed all height sensors were alternating from a low value to a high value, alternating between the two values eg 41 to 120, then back to 41 then 120.... Odd I was thinking. But no wonder the ehights are doing weird things. Still not sure why deflate rear doesn't deflate it but hey.

Anyway, I noticed the nancacom was reporting fluctuating voltages to the eas, down to low 11V and only up to higher 11's, not getting to 12V.

Checked in the BECM settings and it too showed the fluctuating voltages.

I'll get out the volt meter tomorrow and check what is happening. I know these things do weird things with low voltages so I guess I need to find the source of the problem. Nancacom shows 11.5V when car is off, but it appears to crank fine with no hesitation. So volt check tomorrow. Leaning towards the regulator for the alternator but too early to be certain.

Hoping this doesn't end up much bigger than I was thinking it would be.

[TheTree]

Hi Pete

The rr.net electrical sticky is a good place to start as referenced in the recent break pedal ignition issue which shows that bad earths can cause weirdness as well :(

Steve

[Pete38]

Thanks Steve. I'll have a read.

Seems like low voltage at the battery and it's not charging. It's not the end of the world if it's the alternator as one of the bearings was beginning to whine I think. But I'll be sure to do more diagnosing before forking out for an alternator.

[Scouse]

Are you GEMS or Thor? I have a heap of GEMS alternators about to go for scrap. Most have unknown faults but some have been diagnosed as regulator faults - if you want one of those, you can make 1 out of 2 (or 3).

[Pete38]

Thanks Scott. It's a Bosch aka Thor so no good. But thanks for the offer.

The voltage doesn't change with revs so I might take the alternator out and get it checked. Then buy another alternator if that's the problem.

Sound like a good plan yes seeing the voltage at the battery shows there is no charging?

Anyone know if the regulator can be pulled out of the Bosch alternators? And check the brushes etc. I'll have a look later when I'm at the car if that's possible.

[daf11e]

I am sure there is a thread..Alternator replacement or repair..on here back a few years saying the regulator , brushes can be replaced ok....worth a look.

[Keithy P38]

I had my 150a alternator rebuilt on the blue Rangie two days after I bought it. Was cheaper to buy a brand new one than rebuild (even at mates rates).

Good luck mate!

Cheers
Keithy

[Pete38]

I had my 150a alternator rebuilt on the blue Rangie two days after I bought it. Was cheaper to buy a brand new one than rebuild (even at mates rates).

Good luck mate!

Cheers
Keithy

Bugger. Only 2 days.

I'll be pulling the regulator out tomorrow and checking voltages there first. Pretty familiar with how they function so hopefully that will give me a clear diagnosis. If confused then I'll head over to rr.net.

[Pete38]

So the alternator B+ was justbelow 12V so showing the alternator wasn't charging.

The D+ terminal was 6V when the car was running showing what I believe to be the correct voltage for the alternator to charge.

When I pulled the regulator out I noticed the brushes were quite short, with one of them shorter than the other and perhaps not making good contact. There were minor groves in one of the brushes. But no signs or arcing or anything but assuming that should be the problem....

The bearings also appear to need replacing and I think was the source of my whine I had in the engine. Pretty sure the alternator should be quite quiet when spinning, especially with the regulator removed. But could be only one source of the noise and perhaps the idelr pully could also be contributing (although that seems to spin fine, has not movement, and is quiet when spun by hand.

So at the moment I am tempted with a new regulator and new bearings. bearings seem to be $30 for both with the reguator pushing the cost up closer to $100.

Or do I just go a new aftermarket alternator (rather than the bosch I have) for only $300 from here?????

Any thoughts? I'm leaning towards the new aftermarket cheap alternator being less of a risk. I am not certain there aren't other problems in my alternator, although it is unlikely.

Land Rover Range Rover 4 6i V8 Alternator 1994 2002 2743AU | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LAND-ROVER-Range-Rover-4-6i-V8-Alternator-1994-2002-2743AU-/371353506298?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item567664d1fa)

[TheTree]

Hi

I seem to remember some people having success with those ebay ones.

Thar looks like a Bosh one, so it is 1999 - 2000 it will not work on the earlier models

It is also not hard to replace the brushes and regulator

Steve

[blindin]

I thought I had read some where that the voltage was supposed to jump like that for the eas. I have similar faults which I haven't solved, but I know I have good voltage. It may be dodgy sensors.

[Pete38]

Mine definitely is the alternator. Well actually just the brushes warn out. I banged the brushes and pulled the short one out further and the alternator charged again.

Mine was the height sensor values went up down large steps and I have never seen them fluctuate at all

I have ordered new brushes and new bearings from the UK. Oh and new armature.

So extra work, but keep the Bosch Alternator in there and cost only $70 instead of $300 upwards for aftermarket ones.

Sorta regretting I'll now have more work ahead to fix it but hey.

[ian4002000]

It would be a good idea to charge the battery up whilst you are waiting for the alternator repair.
With a fully charged battery you should have a constant voltage to the EAS and you may be able to get the height sensors working correctly.
It may also be a bad earth to the EAS valve body and ECU.


Good luck


Ian
Bittern

[Pete38]

It would be a good idea to charge the battery up whilst you are waiting for the alternator repair.
With a fully charged battery you should have a constant voltage to the EAS and you may be able to get the height sensors working correctly.
It may also be a bad earth to the EAS valve body and ECU.


Good luck


Ian
Bittern

Thanks Ian. I have charged the battery and all appears well now. But thanks for the heads up in case I got my hopes up to find there is also a fault elsewhere.