Emergency air up instructions

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Originally Posted by INter674

This thread raises several questions for me.

Is the LR EAS really that unreliable that it warrants bypassing ...how many owners have actually suffered failures and what is the most common cause?

I've seen some comments on this forum e.g. Paul (?) advising of problems with suspension and I'm aware of the LCA issues.

Air bags themselves appear very reliable so I'm guessing the compressor is the main issue causing failures?

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Not unreliable at all and problems seem rare but you prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Keep in mind the age of your vehicle and the trip you are planning. Also thank your lucky stars the underside of your car in Australia is not a rusted mess as in the video link above.

I had the compressor fuse and relay problem this year which was simple and cheap to fix in the end. 13 year old compressor with a desiccant change still runs. Would I set off on a long outback trip with it - probably not as its well due for a change. I’d go through a lot of things probably before doing that.

It’s not that expensive to have a spare front and rear height sensors also but if you don’t have the diagnostic tool you are guessing when you are on the side of the road. In my case the code was pretty clear to check the fuse once I could read it.

See the stuck compressor exhaust valve fault code fix here (the problem in the previous video I linked) and some more good explanation on fuses;

YouTube

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Originally Posted by INter674

Just a thought..is there no central place to plumb in a back up system..eg if the compressor is the main issue why not plumb into the comp outlet?

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Not so easy with this generation of EAS, although that's exactly what I did in the LSE. BUT, the secret is to let the EAS system think that it is still the only game in town. That is, don't interfere with it at all.
What I did in the LSE was run a compressor off the motor (not possible in the D4) which pumped filtered (two water traps/filters plus a desiccant filter) into a separate 9 litre air tank which, via a non-return valve, fed into the EAS 9 litre reservoir. The driven compressor was triggered by a pressure switch linked to the primary (separate) reservoir and set at a slightly higher pressure than the EAS reservoir.
When the EAS computer decided that it needed more air, it would send a signal to the EAS reservoir switch to open and as the EAS reservoir pressure dropped a signal would be sent to the EAS compressor to start. But, by then, the open EAS reservoir would be quickly refilled by the primary reservoir, so the EAS compressor would not need to start. If it did start, it would only need to run for a few seconds. As the primary reservoir pressure dropped, the engine driven compressor would fire up and cut out when the primary reservoir was filled. This typically took about 20 seconds or so.
In a D4, the only way I can think of to duplicate this would be to mount a twin ARB compressor somewhere (mine is under the floor where the third row seats used to be) with a switch to be operated by the driver. Run an air line (either direct from the ARB compressor or via the ARB 4 litre air tank or their little distribution tank or even via a second EAS air reservoir installed under the drivers side) through a non-return valve to a T connector spliced into the EAS reservoir input/output air line. Should the EAS compressor fail, you could feed air either automatically or manually into the EAS air reservoir.
BUT. And this is a BIG BUT. You MUST filter water and particulates out of the air before it reaches the EAS reservoir. To do this effectively you would need at least one, preferably two water traps with the second being filled with desiccant. Moisture in the EAS system will destroy it.
I've yet to find a suitable spot for the air filters. They need to be upright, protected and in a spot where they can be drained.

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Originally Posted by DieselLSE

Not so easy with this generation of EAS, although that's exactly what I did in the LSE. BUT, the secret is to let the EAS system think that it is still the only game in town. That is, don't interfere with it at all.
What I did in the LSE was run a compressor off the motor (not possible in the D4) which pumped filtered (two water traps/filters plus a desiccant filter) into a separate 9 litre air tank which, via a non-return valve, fed into the EAS 9 litre reservoir. The driven compressor was triggered by a pressure switch linked to the primary (separate) reservoir and set at a slightly higher pressure than the EAS reservoir.
When the EAS computer decided that it needed more air, it would send a signal to the EAS reservoir switch to open and as the EAS reservoir pressure dropped a signal would be sent to the EAS compressor to start. But, by then, the open EAS reservoir would be quickly refilled by the primary reservoir, so the EAS compressor would not need to start. If it did start, it would only need to run for a few seconds. As the primary reservoir pressure dropped, the engine driven compressor would fire up and cut out when the primary reservoir was filled. This typically took about 20 seconds or so.
In a D4, the only way I can think of to duplicate this would be to mount a twin ARB compressor somewhere (mine is under the floor where the third row seats used to be) with a switch to be operated by the driver. Run an air line (either direct from the ARB compressor or via the ARB 4 litre air tank or their little distribution tank or even via a second EAS air reservoir installed under the drivers side) through a non-return valve to a T connector spliced into the EAS reservoir input/output air line. Should the EAS compressor fail, you could feed air either automatically or manually into the EAS air reservoir.
BUT. And this is a BIG BUT. You MUST filter water and particulates out of the air before it reaches the EAS reservoir. To do this effectively you would need at least one, preferably two water traps with the second being filled with desiccant. Moisture in the EAS system will destroy it.
I've yet to find a suitable spot for the air filters. They need to be upright, protected and in a spot where they can be drained.

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Mmm..thats what I was thinking would be a good back up ie a second reservoir with ARB twin pump plus water traps etc...so utilising what many 4wds already have on board.

But then again...my last big trip had some vehicle issues (not mine) that despite being well prepared you simply could not carry enuf spares eg gearbox failure.. cracked TCase..busted heater core...stuffed (new b 4 trip gen) upper ball joints..

Where do you stop🙄

I've seen the value of roadside assist with a Yota carried from near Corryong to Melbourne plus owners accommodated along the way. I bought my top level cover after that☺

[QUOTE=INter674;2997923
Where do you stop🙄
[/QUOTE]
Yeah! It's a value judgement based on your own experience and ability to repair. There are so many variables. If you travel with others, then you only need to prepare for group "survival" and of course you will have a variety of skills and expertise to draw on.
As one who usually goes bush alone or with just one passenger, I think it would be irresponsible of me to not be able to work around minor mechanical and reasonably foreseeable issues. Cracked transfer cases, broken cranks or trees crushing the car are all possible, but hardly foreseeable. But even those can be prepared for by having the equipment, clothing and ability to either walk out (say Vic high country) or stay put and radio or ePIRB for help (remote outback).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by INter674

Just a thought..is there no central place to plumb in a back up system..eg if the compressor is the main issue why not plumb into the comp outlet?

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You actually also need to connect after the control valves - else the system will just fault and not work anyway. You won’t be able to get the valves to open to inflate and work in conjunction with a second compressor connected direct to the EAS compressor outlet.

The GOE emergency air up method looks to be the simplest way to plumb in a back up. Any other method seems to get more and more complicated.

The fittings and tubing needed can also be bought on line via au.rs-online.com. RS Components | Electronic and Electrical Supplies | Australia

Data sheet for the LF3600 series fittings: https://docs.rs-online.com/3cd5/0900766b8137d350.pdf

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Originally Posted by DiscoDB

The GOE emergency air up method looks to be the simplest way to plumb in a back up. Any other method seems to get more and more complicated.

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There was a GOE permanently installed version and a light solution to carry and fit in an emergency. I’ve got the latter version never used if need info on that.

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Originally Posted by DiscoDB

You actually also need to connect after the control valves - else the system will just fault and not work anyway. You won’t be able to get the valves to open to inflate and work in conjunction with a second compressor connected direct to the EAS compressor outlet.

The GOE emergency air up method looks to be the simplest way to plumb in a back up. Any other method seems to get more and more complicated.

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Fair call..yes I can see the value of a loop whereby you can separate the loop to isolate the valve block side and use the other side of the loop to inflate the bag.

Presumably the quick connectors have valves in them...or not. . cause
on 2nd thoughts deflating the valve block side don't matter and the Schroeder valve takes care of the air bag side..Yes?

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Originally Posted by DiscoDB

You actually also need to connect after the control valves

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No. Under no circumstances interfere with the extant system.
If the system has faulted and grounded itself due to valve issues, there's probably not a lot you can do except go to your emergency air up system like the GOE one.
But, if the error code was due to a compressor fault, by clearing the code and bypassing the need for the computer to send a signal to the compressor, no more errors should be detected by the computer. If you were able to keep the EAS reservoir full of air, then whenever the computer needed more air for a bag it would be instantly available and it would not need to send a signal to the compressor for more air.
The EAS computer is ignorant of how air gets into the reservoir. It just doesn't care. If there's 150psi in there and it can direct it to where it needs to go then it is sweet. It doesn't monitor how often the compressor doesn't get used and wonder "how did all that air get in there?"
The issue, though, is in filling the EAS reservoir with filtered dry air.
You would need a twin ARB compressor and an air reservoir the same size as the EAS reservoir. This could be another EAS reservoir installed under the driver's side. The ARB twin compressor is rated at 100 duty cycle, so I believe, and cuts out at 150psi which is spot on for the EAS. The air would need to be filtered before it went to the driver's side reservoir. An air line from the driver's side reservoir to the EAS reservoir via a non-return valve would ensure that the EAS reservoir was always pressurised to 150psi. This would be enough to ensure that, under normal driving, the EAS computer would not need to send a signal to the (faulty) EAS compressor.
Well, that's my theory anyway.
I have the GOE kit and the ARB compressor and I have a second air reservoir but haven't fitted it yet. But I was only planning on using the second reservoir for tyre inflation. But this thread has consolidated in my mind how easy it would be to rig up a primary air supply to the EAS reservoir should the EAS compressor fail.

In my situation i had the compressor dryer blow its arse out .Attachment 160698 if you look in the picture you can see the base split , I checked my records and I installed this compressor new in feb 2017. So just over 3 years old , and this basically rendered my suspension system inoperative, as the compressor would start but run for a few secs and shut off with a code that basically said compressor faulty. Luckily for me it happened at home and I refitted my old spare compressor which I had fully rebuilt and all is good.

So i strip the new compressor to fit another dryer housing and uon removing the contents of the split dryer I see my bottom strainer is quiet badly rusted compared to the top strainer. I know I live in the tropics and we have high humidity in the wet season , but this really showed me why you need to have filtered air.
Attachment 160697

Another thing I learnt was that removing the old compressor isn't always straight forward, and I am not talking about just the top mounting bolt. I also found my quick release connections on the cap wouldn't release , so in the end I had to cut and join the main air line. I know people take spares for their compressors travelling remote , but unsure if they carry a spare dryer housing , plus some 6mm air line and joiners. , even carrying a spare compressor would have been an issue for me as I couldn't release the airline, even tho I have a lot of experience using these type of fittings.

All in all for me having a back up system is just piece of mind that if I need to I can get the car drivable till I can find a suitable place to start trouble shooting and look at repairing the system back to normal.

Bulletman