P38A EAS some more questions!

[rangie1998]

Hello,
I've been a member of this site for many years and found it very useful. I always use the search history when I have a question and nearly always get an answer.
I've been doing some work on my dad's '98 P38 4.0, which he's owned 20 years.
Trying to solve a leak on the EAS. Have read the guide from pwood999, which is excellent and I thank you for the time you've spent preparing this.
Just a couple of questions. Car drops overnight so thought it would be a good idea to overhaul the valve block. Then disabled the system and left it overnight, the rear drops about 7cm on both sides, front right a bit less and front left no drop. I then put a schrader valve on each line to the bags and left it overnight and no drop on any corner. I've rebuilt the valve block twice, thinking I may have made a mistake, using the kit from X8R. I've ordered a regulator to check the tank pressure, as per the guide. Sprayed soapy water around the pipes where they enter the valve block, no leaks.
If there is a leak internally on the valve block would all 4 corners drop (system disabled)? Is there a 'common' area where I may have done something wrong when rebuilding the valve block? even though I was very methodical and double checked everything.
I appreciate there are lots of threads on EAS and I've spent a lot of time doing research, I would be grateful if anyone could answer these questions.
Thank you.

 

[Datatek]

Hello,
I've been a member of this site for many years and found it very useful. I always use the search history when I have a question and nearly always get an answer.
I've been doing some work on my dad's '98 P38 4.0, which he's owned 20 years.
Trying to solve a leak on the EAS. Have read the guide from pwood999, which is excellent and I thank you for the time you've spent preparing this.
Just a couple of questions. Car drops overnight so thought it would be a good idea to overhaul the valve block. Then disabled the system and left it overnight, the rear drops about 7cm on both sides, front right a bit less and front left no drop. I then put a schrader valve on each line to the bags and left it overnight and no drop on any corner. I've rebuilt the valve block twice, thinking I may have made a mistake, using the kit from X8R. I've ordered a regulator to check the tank pressure, as per the guide. Sprayed soapy water around the pipes where they enter the valve block, no leaks.
If there is a leak internally on the valve block would all 4 corners drop (system disabled)? Is there a 'common' area where I may have done something wrong when rebuilding the valve block? even though I was very methodical and double checked everything.
I appreciate there are lots of threads on EAS and I've spent a lot of time doing research, I would be grateful if anyone could answer these questions.
Thank you.

You might think this is a silly question, but how old are the airbags?

 

[rangie1998]

You might think this is a silly question, but how old are the airbags?

They are 11 years old but show no signs of deterioration. Before connecting the schrader valves I sprayed them with soapy water and couldn't see any bubbles. In 11 years the car has done about 30k miles.

 

[Datatek]

They are 11 years old but show no signs of deterioration. Before connecting the schrader valves I sprayed them with soapy water and couldn't see any bubbles. In 11 years the car has done about 30k miles.

I would be amazed if the bags are not leaking, the have a design life of 8 years. Often leaks cannot be seen and they open and close where the bags fold under. Put the car up to wade height and take another look at them.

 

[rangie1998]

I would be amazed if the bags are not leaking, the have a design life of 8 years. Often leaks cannot be seen and they open and close where the bags fold under. Put the car up to wade height and take another look at them.

Thanks for your reply. I have put them on the high setting and sprayed them but nothing. I connected the schrader valves to the air lines and inflated them to normal height and removed the relay. Car didn't drop overnight, wouldn't it drop if the bags were leaking?

 

[pwood999]

As a first step, it might be worth taking the top solenoids off & spraying the valve bodies with soapy water. Mark the solenoids first so it easy to get them back in the correct order. That should show any valve leaks for RL, FR plus the inlet & exhaust.

Another trick is, after taking the timer relay out, then put a balloon over the exhaust silencer. If there's leaks from the tank or air bags the balloon will inflate overnight. Don't forget to remove the balloon before re-installing the relay or it will burst !!

Pete

 

[rangie1998]

As a first step, it might be worth taking the top solenoids off & spraying the valve bodies with soapy water. Mark the solenoids first so it easy to get them back in the correct order. That should show any valve leaks for RL, FR plus the inlet & exhaust.

Another trick is, after taking the timer relay out, then put a balloon over the exhaust silencer. If there's leaks from the tank or air bags the balloon will inflate overnight. Don't forget to remove the balloon before re-installing the relay or it will burst !!

Pete

Thank you. Should I remove the relay or any electrical connectors before removing the top solenoids off?

 

[pwood999]

No just label them

 

[rangie1998]

No just

No just label them

Strangely it didn't drop overnight, which it hasn't done for weeks!
Anyway, I still removed the top solenoids and sprayed them with soapy water, no bubbles. I've put a balloon on the exhaust valve and will check it later.
I pressed maximum height and it went up straight away, so I'm thinking there's plenty of pressure in the tank.
The compressor does run a lot, switches off for 5-10 secs then back on for about 20-30 secs and keeps doing this. I'll be able to check this using your guide when I receive the regulator.

 

[rangie1998]

Well, it looks like there's no leaks! I fitted the pressure gauge on the tank line, as per the guide, and pump turns off at 145psi. No drop in pressure. Took it for a drive and the pump is turning on and off all the time, can run from 5-40 secs and can turn off for the same. If stationary with the door open the pump doesn't turn on. Any ideas what the problem might be or where I should start to look?
Thanks

 

[Datatek]

Well, it looks like there's no leaks! I fitted the pressure gauge on the tank line, as per the guide, and pump turns off at 145psi. No drop in pressure. Took it for a drive and the pump is turning on and off all the time, can run from 5-40 secs and can turn off for the same. If stationary with the door open the pump doesn't turn on. Any ideas what the problem might be or where I should start to look?
Thanks

A leak elsewhere than on the tank circuit? The pump runs more than I would like on one of mine, I wonder if the hysteresis of the pressure switch is too low so that just a small drop in pressure triggers the pump to run?

 

[pwood999]

A leak elsewhere than on the tank circuit? The pump runs more than I would like on one of mine, I wonder if the hysteresis of the pressure switch is too low so that just a small drop in pressure triggers the pump to run?

My Green P38 EAS does the same. Not sure about the Blue P38 yet because I cannot hear the pump !!

 

[Datatek]

My Green P38 EAS does the same. Not sure about the Blue P38 yet because I cannot hear the pump !!

Sounds like you have been in my P38's LOL.

 

[rangie1998]

A leak elsewhere than on the tank circuit? The pump runs more than I would like on one of mine, I wonder if the hysteresis of the pressure switch is too low so that just a small drop in pressure triggers the pump to run?

But if there was a leak on the tank side wouldn't the pump run with the door open?

 

[rangie1998]

My Green P38 EAS does the same. Not sure about the Blue P38 yet because I cannot hear the pump !!

I'm just concerned how long the pump is going to last!!

 

[Henry_b]

My pump used to run constantly, a little investigation turned up no leaks.

Turns out the pump was worn out and running near enough constantly to get the system up to the cut off pressure, £20 rebuild kit fixed it

A leak on the storage side wouldn't cause her to drop, there are a few ways to tell.

1) In my case when Igot mine it has a habit of taking forever to rise up or adjust the issue was the diaphragm in the valvebody probably the easiest was to check is to take the silencer off of the valve block and put your finger over the hole when the pump is running, if you have air escaping with the pump running then the diaphragm in the valveblock has shat the bed, and if that is the case the reservoir will never fill and the pump will work 24/7 servicing a leak

2) leave the car on Wade mode overnight or for longer depending on how parient you are, start her up send it down to access and straight up to wade mode again, if it climbs up then the reservoir is holding pressure, if not then you have a leak

 

[rangie1998]

My pump used to run constantly, a little investigation turned up no leaks.

Turns out the pump was worn out and running near enough constantly to get the system up to the cut off pressure, £20 rebuild kit fixed it

A leak on the storage side wouldn't cause her to drop, there are a few ways to tell.

1) In my case when Igot mine it has a habit of taking forever to rise up or adjust the issue was the diaphragm in the valvebody probably the easiest was to check is to take the silencer off of the valve block and put your finger over the hole when the pump is running, if you have air escaping with the pump running then the diaphragm in the valveblock has shat the bed, and if that is the case the reservoir will never fill and the pump will work 24/7 servicing a leak

2) leave the car on Wade mode overnight or for longer depending on how parient you are, start her up send it down to access and straight up to wade mode again, if it climbs up then the reservoir is holding pressure, if not then you have a leak

Thanks. The pump is working well, no problem reaching the 145psi when I had the gauge connected. It was on normal height this morning, I lowered it then upto wade height and it went straight up, so looks OK. Everything is working well just the pump always running!