Member Since: 09 May 2013
Location: Stroud, Glos
Posts: 101
Compressor and tank question
I had the red suspension light come on the other day and it dropped to the stops. I cleared the codes and tried to lift the car, I have had the orange light on a few times recently with normal height only after suspension raiseing slowly message. I can’t get the car to lift at all. I have ordered a new compressor but have been playing today to try and get it off the stops so I can drive it! If I read gallery pressure on my iid it raises to about half running pressure before throwing a fault, but if I connect the compressor directly to a battery it still increases pressure without the engine running, does this indicate a fault with the valve block or should it blow through anyway?
7th Apr 2019 10:32 pm
adri123
Member Since: 21 Oct 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 163
I had a problem the other day that looked like suspension and turned out (so far) to have been a dead alternator which I replaced (YouTube is very good). Might be worth checking the voltage going into the battery. Someone here suggested one of those plug in battery meters that you shove into the 12v fag lighter outlets and that now gives me a constant reading of what's going on. Very useful and cost 2 quid. But it might be lots of the other suspension problem reasons that could be the source of your problems. What I've learnt so far though is that mechanics almost always want to suggest a new compressor!
Good luck with it!
Adri
7th Apr 2019 10:44 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13980
Re: Compressor and tank question
TDi.Si wrote:
I had the red suspension light come on the other day and it dropped to the stops. I cleared the codes and tried to lift the car, I have had the orange light on a few times recently with normal height only after suspension raiseing slowly message. I can’t get the car to lift at all. I have ordered a new compressor but have been playing today to try and get it off the stops so I can drive it! If I read gallery pressure on my iid it raises to about half running pressure before throwing a fault, but if I connect the compressor directly to a battery it still increases pressure without the engine running, does this indicate a fault with the valve block or should it blow through anyway?
Hi
With the engine off none of the valve blocks will be open , the suspension ECM takes a reading from the pressure sensor in the reservoir valve block , if it doesn’t receive the correct signal within an allotted time it will put the fault light up and shut the system down to protect itself
By connecting the compressor directly to the battery ur simply bypassing everything
Have u fitted the new compressor yet
Does Sound like u have a leak, air tanks are very common , as when theres a leak the compressor works overtime and shortens it’s life span , so this may have caused ur old one to burn out
Indeed when u fit the new compressor need to ensure 100% there’s no leaks or it will do the same to ur new one
Ps, not wishing to tell u how to suck eggs, but under NO circumstances get under the disco without using axle stands first , they can and do drop
7th Apr 2019 11:07 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13980
Member Since: 09 May 2013
Location: Stroud, Glos
Posts: 101
Thanks guys, charging is fine and the battery is only a couple of weeks old.
The air tank is ok, removed it Friday and tested with lots of soapy water, I think it may have been replaced as it’s very clean, although I can’t see a receipt for it anywhere. The other thing I noticed is that if the gallery pressure is measured it builds to appx half pressure and then slowly creeps down which made me wonder if I have an issue with the valve block in the acoustic cover as it is effectively a distribution block to the tank as far as I can tell? I can’t see any external leaks with my soapy water spray but I assume it could be stuck slightly open? Guess I’ll find out once my new compressor is here and fitted!
8th Apr 2019 7:35 am
Globetrotter448
Member Since: 21 Mar 2017
Location: Londonderry NSW
Posts: 1807
Sounds like a possible exhaust valve leak or the valve between the compressor and tank.
8th Apr 2019 9:40 am
TDi.Si
Member Since: 09 May 2013
Location: Stroud, Glos
Posts: 101
That’s what I was thinking. The exhaust valve will be ruled out with the new compressor.
If the reservoir valve block is leaking will this cause the gallery pressure to decrease with the system inactive?
8th Apr 2019 12:19 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10620
see if this tricks your car into lifting up a bit to get you on the road
watch from 4 minutes in
8th Apr 2019 12:29 pm
TDi.Si
Member Since: 09 May 2013
Location: Stroud, Glos
Posts: 101
Just to close this thread, I replaced the compressor with new and rebuilt the valve blocks anyway. All sorted now
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