Please excuse my less than technically adept post. I've owned my 57 D3 HSE for about six months. It's not used every day and when parked up it 'sits down' after a few hours. When I go back to it and start it it sits up again and away we go. I assumed this was what they did. Many, many years ago a friend of mine had a Citroen BX which lowered when parked. I had it MOT'ed today (it passed, no problems) but I parked it at the garage last night so they could MOT it first thing. When I collected it the mechanic asked me if I knew it was lowered at the back when parked up. I said I thought that's what they did and he said it wasn't. There aren't any codes. It drives fine and seems happy enough. Have I got a problem? Is it a serious problem. Do I need to get this fixed asap as I've already forked out for a new torque converter and I'm not as 'flush' as I'd like to be. Any advice would be appreciated.
13th Jan 2015 1:13 am
MikeO
Member Since: 15 Jan 2014
Location: The Cotswolds
Posts: 1372
Most likely you have an air leak somewhere which prevents the system maintaining pressure and thus one corner drops. When you start the car again, the compressor fires up, recharges the system and the car levels out. Long term this will put extra stress on the compressor as it's working harder than it should.
The BX uses a hydraulic system which I think is driven constantly with a very small pressure reservoir to maintain a constant pressure. It's normal for them to drop.
2016 Skoda Octavia VRS Estate
<gone>2009 FF Vogue TDV8 Buckingham Blue</gone>
<gone>2015 BMW 520D SE (not my favourite car)</gone>
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13th Jan 2015 10:27 am
Johnny Oxford
Member Since: 14 Dec 2014
Location: Chinnor
Posts: 515
Mine does this, but at the front, from most of what I read it is likely to be a problem with the front valve block leaking, possibly internally, which might not show up by looking for air leaks externally.
I guess yours could be similar as there is I believe also a rear valve block doing something similar.
I plan to look at mine and I have another thread here, I will update it when I get round to looking at it, hopefully soon. Good luck, let us know what the outcome is in any case?
Member Since: 02 Jun 2009
Location: Swindon, Wilts
Posts: 1013
I had this on mine - last weekend I cleaned out the front valve block - so far, it's now staying at the height I left it, even overnight ...Regards,
Mick
- 2014 SDV8 Autobiography
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13th Jan 2015 12:43 pm
Johnny Oxford
Member Since: 14 Dec 2014
Location: Chinnor
Posts: 515
that's encouraging to hear Spooky.
Did you find that you could disconnect and re-ues the Voss air connectors on the valve block? I was considering cutting through the pipes and putting inline connectors in them when re-assembling.
13th Jan 2015 1:09 pm
Spooky
Member Since: 02 Jun 2009
Location: Swindon, Wilts
Posts: 1013
No problems at all - simply placed axle stands under the chassis, then (carefully!) unscrewed the 3 air lines (having taken a pic first to ensure that I got them back on the right way afterwards!), allowing the air pressure to safely vent before final disconnection. Then remove the assembly and dismantle on a clean surface.
To quote Mr Haynes, 'Refit is the Reversal of Removal'!Regards,
Mick
- 2014 SDV8 Autobiography
- 'Vincent' - 2010 TdV8 Vogue SE - 'Molly' - 2005 HSE Auto
'Dixie' - 2000 D2 Td5 ES
Thanks very much for all of the helpful information. I'm not up to the job of doing it myself but I can at least now speak to my mechanic with some level of understanding. I'll let you know the outcome. Thanks again. Dave
13th Jan 2015 8:38 pm
MikeO
Member Since: 15 Jan 2014
Location: The Cotswolds
Posts: 1372
Before you spend any money at the garage, do the drop test I linked to above. It doesn't cost anything and will show you whether the problem is with one corner or both fronts (in which case the valve block is the likely culprit).2016 Skoda Octavia VRS Estate
<gone>2009 FF Vogue TDV8 Buckingham Blue</gone>
<gone>2015 BMW 520D SE (not my favourite car)</gone>
<gone>2009 D3 HSE Galway Green</gone
14th Jan 2015 12:28 pm
Lofty Bates
Member Since: 28 Dec 2016
Location: Laxey
Posts: 22
Been hit by the Isle of Man curse.......due its import test and its sulkng
Front appears almost, if not on, its knees at the front. Wont raise at all. Back is fine.
How often should the compressor be running if its working normally?
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- 2014 SDV8 Autobiography
