Member Since: 14 Dec 2014
Location: Chinnor
Posts: 515
My D3 suspension thread
yes I know there are loads, and yes I have searched, a lot, so please humour me
I have had D3 about a month, had my fair share of grief already, replaced my alternator in week 1. I am starting to realise that what I have taken on is an ongoing project, and am getting used to the idea. I have found a lot of very useful information on hare and am very happy to have found the forum, I hope to be able to offer help back as I learn more.
Anyway here goes:
D3 drops evenly overnight at the front, I have read lots of the suspension threads on here and have noted the following:
suspension raises and lowers OK. All measurements are from centre of wheel to top of wheel arch.
off road : Front 52cm Rear 53cm
normal : Front 48cm Rear 48cm
access : Front 42cm Rear 43cm
If I park and lock the car in normal height mode, after 3 hours:
normal : Front 45cm Rear 48cm
after 5 hours:
normal : Front 43cm Rear 48cm
If I leave all night, both front and rear drop right down (I assume as the auto self levelling drops the rear to match the front?)
Today I removed the compressor cover, cleaned a load of crud from the bracket and sprayed with a leak detector spray. No leaks at all evident, with and without compressor running. Hitachi compressor (should have said above D3 on a 56 plate).
As all my heights are pretty even in all 3 heights, and the front lifts up whan I start the engine, is there anywhere else I can look for leaks?
I have read threads saying "spray air bags with soapy water" - but I cannot really see the air bags, as there are metal covers around them, I was trying to find a DIY with pics for leak detection but have not found one yet, there is an amarican video which looks at the front valve block, and I am guessing that should be my next port of call?
But there are also a centre and rear valve block, are these easily accessible for leak detection?
Any advice will be most appreciated, as I said earlier I know there are lots of threads on this, but if I had found one which gave me the information I needed I would not have written this one
I do not have suspension faults at the moment, but clearly something is amiss.
Thanks
Johnny
11th Jan 2015 11:00 pm
Allan_T
Member Since: 10 Sep 2012
Location: Northampton
Posts: 1034
The centre valve block is in front of the air compressor and the rear valve block is attached to the NSR strut tower GAP IID Pro Multi Vehicle Defender L316 2007-2015 - Discovery 3 - Discovery 4 - Discovery Sport L550 - Freelander 2 - Range Rover Evoque L538 - Range Rover L322 - Range Rover L405 - Range Rover Sport L320 - Range Rover Sport L494 Electrical Fault Diagnostics
11th Jan 2015 11:10 pm
Nodge68
Member Since: 05 Sep 2014
Location: Newquay
Posts: 1014
I've not stripped the valve blocks myself but from what I've seen, they aren't that complex. I'd clean the valves and check the O rings Freelander SE 2005 Auto.
D3 TDV6. Gone.
11th Jan 2015 11:26 pm
Johnny Oxford
Member Since: 14 Dec 2014
Location: Chinnor
Posts: 515
I am planning to strip and inspect the front valve block, a couple of questions though:
1 - Should I set the vehicle to access height before jacking? Otherwise will it not drop once I start releasing any air pressure?
I am not fully conversant with how the air springs work? Do they physically lock into each height position? Or is the height dependent on the air pressure?
2 - I dont really want to buy a new valve block unless I find it is nacked, but I am also wary of leaving myself with a vehicle I cannot use if I strip it and make it worse. Is this a possibility?
The air springs rely on air pressure to maintain their height. Don't put it in access height, just jack it up - the wheels will drop as you go. Current: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
Freelander 2 2007 HSE Manual Tambora Flame
Previous: FL2 56 reg SE Manual Black (written off )
Disco 3 06 reg B7S Manual Rimini Red
Disco 2 TD5 Y reg ES Manual Blue - Chipped
Several Discovery 300 TDis
12th Jan 2015 2:37 pm
Johnny Oxford
Member Since: 14 Dec 2014
Location: Chinnor
Posts: 515
thanks mate
12th Jan 2015 3:30 pm
Johnny Oxford
Member Since: 14 Dec 2014
Location: Chinnor
Posts: 515
Quick update (short version): Rather disappointingly, I stripped the old valve block, tried cleaning it, made it worse so replaced with new.
Problem remains still drops overnight.
Can anybody tell me whether it is just 1 fuse (and where it is) I need to remove to stop it self levelling overnight to try to isolate the reason? Or must I disconnect battery? I have read differing views on this on other threads.
thanks - John2014 D4 HSE Facelift Corris Grey
Previous :
Discovery Sport SE (awful)
56 plate D3 HSE TDV6 Zermatt Silver
Defender 90 200tdi
17th Jan 2015 10:45 am
Dolpants
Member Since: 15 Mar 2014
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 395
Pull fuse 26 in the engine bay that stops the truck self levelling. And in my secumstance stops the truck from dropping haven't figure that one out yet.Tonga Green D3
Raptored 19" HSE wheels
General Grabber X3s
EGR blanked
BAS remap
Rock / Tree Sliders
Prospeed compressor guard
Prospeed ladder Raptored
Prospeed roof rack Raptored
CB Radio
4 x LF140 in front grill
LR sump guard
RAI
Defender mud flaps
17th Jan 2015 10:49 am
Johnny Oxford
Member Since: 14 Dec 2014
Location: Chinnor
Posts: 515
thanks will give that a try soon, cant do it for a few days, but will report back what I find, please do the same if you get to the bottom (no pun intended ) of your problem.2014 D4 HSE Facelift Corris Grey
Previous :
Discovery Sport SE (awful)
56 plate D3 HSE TDV6 Zermatt Silver
Defender 90 200tdi
17th Jan 2015 10:56 am
Sandor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2014
Location: Csikszereda
Posts: 53
Hi. So, finally what was the end of story? Do you find the problem?EGR blanked.
Silicone hose done!
FBH controller: TC3
IID Tool BT
3rd Jun 2017 6:17 pm
jimbo1981
Member Since: 25 Oct 2013
Location: Harare
Posts: 110
Dolpants wrote:
Pull fuse 26 in the engine bay that stops the truck self levelling. And in my secumstance stops the truck from dropping haven't figure that one out yet.
Johnny, did you try this and did it work? I have what sounds like the same issue you did. I had also guessed front valve block - glad I read here first though! Looking forward to hearing what fixed your problem2005 Discovery 3 2.7 TDV6 HSE (Auto)
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Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
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