Thread: 2006+ Hitachi suspension compressor failure

So, to my disappointment, my suspension finally let me down after 2 years of abuse.

luckily, I was heading out for a big camping trip in the vic high country when fate intervened and i was only 1 minute from home. No suspension at all

I got it home with no issues before it dropped more and more and I got to work straight away. (yes this was on the 43 degree day we had on saturday)

I targeted the compressor straight away, I had bought a reseal kit about a year ago because I new this day was coming...however, being the 2006 half bmw half jag hybrid, parts can be a bit misleading and I had the wrong one....obviously.

Turns out I have the hitachi style compressor up to 2010 along with all discos. So i proceeded to strip down and see what I could find with the piston seals. nope all good there...hmm. I am kicking myself now for not investigating the pump further (like my instinct was telling me to) but instead I started to troubleshoot the valves and hoses on the remainder of the system. This took me a long, hot, sweaty amount of time that I am still paying for...

after nearly giving up with exhaustion from the heat, I did a bit more research about the compressor failures in the disco's and discovered the use of a "delivery Valve" that was inside the head of the compressor. I jumped up and checked it out imminently. Yep bang on! It was stuffed. (See pictured)

Now the new issue of getting parts from england....5 days before xmas.

Now, the next bit is a bit odd...I am still not sure how it happened but bare with me.

I attempted to make a replacement valve with what I had laying about, I found a brass valve seat that could do the job and i put that in. It worked kinda, holding alot more pressure but not quite enough. So i decided to pack up and hope to god that i can find some parts in australia.

As i was packing up, on the tailgate, I noticed what looked like the valve I needed but...brand new....oh crap I thought, where did that fall out of???

So I put it somewhere safe and did some more research over night. All diagrams, all info i got said there was only one....but where the new one came from I am still unsure, maybe the wrong kit I ordered before...I checked in the morning, nope a sealed packet still....

Regardless, I put it in..presto, pressure
the car started to raise once more.
How, I am still not sure...but thank my lucky stars it did.

Ill still be ordering full reseal kits and wont expect them to come until the newyear.

Moral of the story, go with your gut feeling and wait for parts to fall from the sky

Also, when looking at the control solenoids, noticed a slightly pinched seal that was letting some dust in and possibly causing some other issues I have been having...luckily I had a very similar seal hoarded away in my tool box