Thread: what to check - going back to air from coils

Good to see someone ( else) that considers the EAS superior to coils!

Did the EAS "box" remain underneath the car? under driver? Air tank on opposite side? all 4 wheels have height sensors? Loom/computer under driver's seat? +++++
Did EAS front shocks remain? Longer than coils ones and fronts ( and of course rears) are outside the springs.

Definitely feasible to get the old airbag ends and put new bladders on--- considerably cheaper that way, but would pay to check current prices for complete new-- a few years ago the prices ( viaLR) went up and down like yoyo's and even big differences within months; I remember one day they were %400 each; a week later down to $220 each; a few weeks later back up $400; then later still $500 again Who knows what goes on?

Changing the bladders is easier on the car though. You've already got the holders for the ends and in correct position.

thanks don - i've never been in one with air suspension but given it's an LSE i thought i would try and put it back to how it came out of the factory as long as it doesn't break my bank balance! price of bags is ok it's the other parts of the system i'm wary of as i have no experience with EAS.

previous owner told me it was only the bags taken off by the original owner he bought from. popped my head around to look for the things you mention.

there is an ecu under driver's seat with 'suspension' written on it and a bunch of wires/fuses which looks original. i noticed one relay was missing - maybe this is what powers it up?

all four corners have the sensors. there is a pressure cylinder under passenger side mid way along and opposite on drivers side there's an enclosure which i assume that's where the compressor lives. it all looks intact and original.

the front shocks are taller than the coil and are outside of it. the rear shocks are outside of the coil and the top of the shock is angled to the front of the car.

so looks like all is there. how can i test it before i go out and buy some bags?

IMHO, it matters not whether all the wizardry is working at present, if you're that keen on the feeeel of air, then go ahead and buy the bags now.

(I bought the ARNOTTS air-springs which are supposed to be better riding... They come complete with bag and ends permanantly attached. This makes them more expensive than the original Dunlop bladders-only. I've not noticed any huge differance between the ARNOTTS and the original Dunlop setup. If I had to do it agian, I'd buy on the basis of 'price'.)

Then you can re-do the air hoses etc to allow for inflation via the 'self-rescue' system that needs to go on. - Pump it up to the desired height via your garage air compressor.

Once you've got the car running on air, - and holding it over a week or so - you can proceed at leisure with checking out and servicing the pump and valve-block if either needs it. - They invariably will...

Incidently, all fittings are metric "6mm" not Imperial - 1/4"

Yes, you ARE irrational and insane for going back to 'air'... there's more than a few of us masochists around, so don't feel you're alone.....

Originally Posted by pibby

thanks don - i've never been in one with air suspension but given it's an LSE i thought i would try and put it back to how it came out of the factory as long as it doesn't break my bank balance! price of bags is ok it's the other parts of the system i'm wary of as i have no experience with EAS.

previous owner told me it was only the bags taken off by the original owner he bought from. popped my head around to look for the things you mention.

there is an ecu under driver's seat with 'suspension' written on it and a bunch of wires/fuses which looks original. i noticed one relay was missing - maybe this is what powers it up?

all four corners have the sensors. there is a pressure cylinder under passenger side mid way along and opposite on drivers side there's an enclosure which i assume that's where the compressor lives. it all looks intact and original.

the front shocks are taller than the coil and are outside of it. the rear shocks are outside of the coil and the top of the shock is angled to the front of the car.

so looks like all is there. how can i test it before i go out and buy some bags?

G`day Brett ,


You will probably have to use your laptop and get EASunlock software and buy or make a cable so`s your laptop and ECU can communicate .

Reason being it will probably hard fault , while your sorting it out and then it will want to lay on the bump stops .

First though there are some basic things that can be done with pigtail wires .
You should be able to test the pump and i think the pressure cut off valve , the pump for sure also i think you should be able to test the valve block but it`s a while since i played with ours so i`m not sure exactly .

Of coarse the missing relay will probably be needed but that can be checked too .

I `ve seen people on this site type that EAS is unreliable , i can`t agree with the sentiment because after my initial learning period , i haven`t touched it for at least 5 yrs and a reason i don`t remember the pin #s off hand .

If you don`t mind , what is it exactly , hard dash soft dash ? If soft early or late just so i know what it is .

I`d have to look the particulars up for the pigtails , i have them somewhere here or i`ll see if i can locate where i found it on the net , though a few yrs ago now .

Peter

Just remembered if your playing with the pump it has a thermal overload and if 12volts go to the wrong wire it can be burnt out , it is possible to make the pump run again but the overload won`t be there so it`s better to know which wire is which , how do i know this , you guessed , it was part of my learning experence .

The 'softdash' is later (Classic) and looks like a Disco's. Radio is mounted high up. Binnacle is moulded into and part of the top-dash. Very readable day or night...

The normal or 'hard-dash' (?) is earlier, the instrument binnacle looks like an add-on, not so easy to see or read after dark, radio is mounted lower down and the heater controls are a series of sliders. - The softdash has two circular knobs for Left/Right sides temp control.

Not a great deal of differance in the 'softness' of the material used (el-cheapo IMHO, for both when compared to other luxury/expensive cars) - Just visual appeal of soft(er) flowing lines.

You can mount a couple of normal 2" gauges into the 'hard-dash', but there's no convenient place to do the same on the soft.

'95 Classic Vogue SE with working EAS... and stuffed central locking...

I refitted the EAS to my soft-dash just after I bought it, previous owner had put coils in rather than maintain the EAS.
I think the primary reason a vehicle has had the EAS system taken out is because the compressors wear out and cannot supply the required air, so overheat and go into hard fault, and if you get it reset at adealer it will just fault again within a very short time. There seem to be two main reasons for the compressor wearing out; firstly the inlet filter, which is hidden behind the subwoofer box and never gets replaced, thus causing the compressor to work harder and not draw enough air. Secondly, something leaks- a slow air leak overnight will require the compressor to work very hard in the morning to repressurise the whole system, so again the compressor either trips out the overheat switch or just plain wears out.
You should budget on a new compressor, or at least an overhaul kit which has the piston and cylinder (forget just replacing the piston ring/seal). Also the valve-block overhaul kit which includes all the o-rings and seals for the valve block plus new o-rings for the airbags. The kit is not expensive, the compressor is. I had to replace some of the airline as well as the surface where the o-ring sits was damaged.
Make up a cable and download the EASUnlock software and you can unlock and reprogram the thing to your heart's content.

Originally Posted by superquag

The 'softdash' is later (Classic) and looks like a Disco's. Radio is mounted high up. Binnacle is moulded into and part of the top-dash. Very readable day or night...

The normal or 'hard-dash' (?) is earlier, the instrument binnacle looks like an add-on, not so easy to see or read after dark, radio is mounted lower down and the heater controls are a series of sliders. - The softdash has two circular knobs for Left/Right sides temp control.

Not a great deal of differance in the 'softness' of the material used (el-cheapo IMHO, for both when compared to other luxury/expensive cars) - Just visual appeal of soft(er) flowing lines.

You can mount a couple of normal 2" gauges into the 'hard-dash', but there's no convenient place to do the same on the soft.

'95 Classic Vogue SE with working EAS... and stuffed central locking...

Thanks but what i ment was relating to the EAS system .The later soft has the pressure cut out on the valve block the early soft has it on the tank and some have the later valve block with a valve that`s not wired and use the one in the tank but the one in the valve block can be used and this is why my question .

Peter

My apologies... I did'nt realize there were differances in the valve body between years. - Thought it was only Classic and P38 variations. (Pump is differantly mounted, though very similar.)

POD is correct, my original pump was kaput, caused by the intake filter material turning to grunge and stuffing the reed valves...which made the compressor work longer...and eventually die.

The original compressors are too small for real life with around 35% Duty Cycle,,, though they last a reasonable time IF there are absolutely NO leaks. Or even a hint of a leak... and you don't constantly demand lots of height changes.

There are better units on the market now, though I doubt if any would physically fit into the same space. They'd be noisier, draw more amps... but with a greater flow/pressure and over 85% duty cycle, may be worth the hassle of external mounting etc.

Windex or detergent solution is the cheapest and arguably the most effective method of finding your leaks.