Thread: EAS emergency air-up kits

Originally Posted by gghaggis

If any fault condition causes a cascade of errors (more common on the earlier D3's, but can still occur on the later models), it is possible to trigger a major EAS malfunction error. In that case you will be dropped to the bump-stops. Whilst in theory an ABS fault should do no such thing, in conjunction with another fault, or if the ABS fault is registered multiple times (above a certain threshold number), it may.

In my D3's, I was dropped to the bump-stops from a series of errors that were fundamentally caused by the Parking Brake Module. It also occurred with a wheel speed sensor fault in conjunction with a height sensor failure. It also occurred with a twin wheel speed sensor fault.

You get the picture ..........

Bump stop height takes a few people by surprise, especially if you're running larger tyre sizes such as 285/60R18 or 265/70R17:

In these situations, the ability to pump up each bag manually is a great advantage. My mid-range performance compressor would get the car back up to around on-road height fairly quickly, which helped get us out of one or two rather nasty situations. Swapping my rods over in those instances would have had no effect.

Cheers,

Gordon

Yes, I managed to drop my 3 to the stops and light up the dash just by fooling around with the settings on my Scan Gauge II. In other words, I sent a bad set of signals into the 3 via the OBD II socket and the 3 dropped to the stops. Fortunately unplugging the Scan Gauge, then stopping and starting the engine caused everything to go back to normal and then I properly set the Scan Gauge and all is well.

Anyway, below is a flow drawing which is my attempt to be able to pump air directly into the air springs as when the wires and computer stuff fails, direct action is the only solution. Also included is the backside of the mounting panel where the air lines terminate in the engine compartment. I note that one can see the ferrules in a couple of the push in connectors. The regulator is for the air out function that I included as it was easy to do, but has nothing to do with getting air back into the springs.

On the air up fitting for the D3 the air come from the air tank and pressure was reduced by a regulator to 120psi as the actuators were only rated to 150psi. So I used the plastic push connectors. conequence of failure was low in that in the event of pressure loss the the acuators returned to standard LR length and the airtank would drain leading to the system locking the suspension at normal height. All high pressure conectors were brass screw in higher rated ones.

For the D4 the air was taken off the airtank line using the higher rated connectors. Consequence of failure would only be the draining of the tank again but the connector was rated at 230psi.

Conequence of failure if only one air bags deflates would be greater but it is only for emergency use (unless you fit it prior to failure).

I still think a valve to close off each bag would should be there incase of valve block failure where the air could just vent back through the compressor. Or does removing the EAS fuse close the exhaust valve?

The solenoids in the block valves are supposed to fail closed - that is loss of power to the solenoids causes them to close.

That is how I first got onto removing F26E and F35P - to remove power from the computer and hence closing off the block valves, and maybe more importantly, the exhaust valve near the compressor that can wake up whenever it seems to feel like it and dump the system.

Of course if the block valve plastic has split open for some reason, (or a failed air line), then one would wish for a shut off valve right on the top of each air spring.

It seems however that both the air lines and the block valves are fairly trouble free. This is in contrast to the older Range Rover Classics where the primary failure mode seemed to be that the air valves would leak.

A variation of the single valve flow diagram is what I would call the five valve design where instead of a Tee, one doubles up with air lines to and from each air spring with valves in between. The problem with that concept is one introduces double the air line and more fittings. To me, that means more failure points and the introduction of time lags in air spring filling/unfilling due to significantly increased air path distance.

The referenced single valve and Tee design does not significantly change the Land Rover air flow path but does provide individual manual fill points. And yes, if there is a problem, one would probably also be pulling the F35P and F26E fuses to hopefully close off the block valves.

I've sourced a supply of good 1000psi components, so will once again be making emergency air-up kits for D3/D4 and RRS air-suspension vehicles. I hope to fit the first one to my RRS next week, so should have a few pics then. The system by-passes everything except the air-bags themselves, so unless you've done a bag, it should get you out of trouble.

Cheers,

Gordon

Interested.

Estimated cost?

What capability compressor is needed - will my $75 twin piston 150psi ebay compressor do the job? It does my 35" tyres on my 101 from flat to 35psi in 5 minutes.

Applying air direct to the airbags - do you get to offroad height or just onroad height.

I have noticed D3/RRS air compressors on ebay UK pretty cheap so was considering getting one as a spare. If I was to use one of these would I be able to get the airbags up to offroad height or higher?

Cheers

Garry

Gary,

I should be able to provide figures and timings with various compressors once I have the system installed.

Cheers,

Gordon

Originally Posted by gghaggis

I've sourced a supply of good 1000psi components, so will once again be making emergency air-up kits for D3/D4 and RRS air-suspension vehicles. I hope to fit the first one to my RRS next week, so should have a few pics then. The system by-passes everything except the air-bags themselves, so unless you've done a bag, it should get you out of trouble.

Cheers,

Gordon

count me in!

Me to.