TD5 Air Suspension Strange goings on !!

fauly leveling sensors cause bad problems - mine over inflated the bag and it exploded... not good!

the sensors use 'hall effect' ... where a magnet revolves inside a coil to generate a reading that is relayed back to the ECU... not too much to go wrong then???

however if the casing of the sensor is cracked the resistance reading can be effected by moisture and BOOM your rear suspension explodes!

clean them up and check them!

I have the same prob! and am going to replace air bag,were is the best deal for buying them.

Hi, I bought mine from Paddocks last month, cost just £163 for the pair, best price i could find at the time.

land rover recomend changing the bags every 5 years. so for most of the td5's out there they 'Should be' on their second set at least!

it is a simple procedure to change the bags, and with the newer sytle of push fitting on the air bags, even simpler!
you dont need to be a mechanic, it's as easy as changing a light bulb if you know how to use a jack!!!

as Shodi says you can get a set for £163, just bloody change them before you have a catatrophic failure. Believe me. I have had two fail now and I can tell you if it had gone on the motorway at 70mph, I probably wouldnt be writing this. £163 is less than two tanks of fuel!!!

Hey Battenburg, any chance you could divulge the whereabouts of your fuel supplier?

Seriously though I would totally agree with what you say, dont change one just do both......they really are easy to fit and can now be found cheaply.....the bags are the most common cause of these suspension problems, dont try to think too deeply about the problem, change them as the first step especially if you don't know how old they are.

Hi All,

Well I'm glad to see I haven't got something new then ...

Anyway I can now confirm that my suspension only deflates when it's gets really cold around freezing point or below.

Would you still recommend I change the air bags ? If so how do I do it ?

I have been in contact with the dealer where I bought the car and guess what the warranty doesn't extend to quote "preventative repairs"

Thank you

Mark

battenberg said:

land rover recomend changing the bags every 5 years. so for most of the td5's out there they 'Should be' on their second set at least!

it is a simple procedure to change the bags, and with the newer sytle of push fitting on the air bags, even simpler!
you dont need to be a mechanic, it's as easy as changing a light bulb if you know how to use a jack!!!

as Shodi says you can get a set for £163, just bloody change them before you have a catatrophic failure. Believe me. I have had two fail now and I can tell you if it had gone on the motorway at 70mph, I probably wouldnt be writing this. £163 is less than two tanks of fuel!!!

Click to expand...

I've just ordered one for my nearside from Paddock, they're doing them on a "web special" at £81 (incl VAT & delivery) as opposed to £183 plus VAT from a Land Rover dealer.

Any chance of an explanation of how to carry out the replacement?

Quite keen to do it myself but haven't got a clue where to start.

Cheers
Steve

simple

Get a set of large axle stands under the CHASSIS to get the wheels off the ground. then get a trolley jack under the diff pan to support it. Take off the wheels.

remove the 2 clips from the top of the air bag and undo the air suppply hose. Deflate the bag by hand and twist it out like changing a light bulb... as easy as that.

Clean it all up...

replace with new ones anduse the trolley jack if needed to play with the height. Close all the doors inluding the boot and open the drivers window. jack up the axle very slightly to fool the ride height into thinking its in a low position.

Through the drivers window start the engine and run it for a couple of secconds enough to just alow the compressor too kick in and put a bit of pressure in the bags. switch off and go check they are inflating squarley and seating properly. if they are, run the engine again till fully inflated soap test the hose joint with soapy water, bang the wheels back on and take off stands...simple and as easy as that!!!

either be very carefull getting off the clips as they'll be rusty, or have some on hand... i got em from LR dealer for 45p each!

Thanks for that Battenberg.

When you say deflated, how far do you mean ?

Can you really see how much the drop is ?

Mine drops a little but nothing like what you are all saying ?

Thanks.

Hiya Mate Got The Same Problem With My2001 Td5 If You Go To The Rear And Spray A Soapy Solution All Around Where The Air Suspension Bags And Connecting Pipes Are Leave It A Min Or Two And Have A Check. Wherever The Leak Is You'll See A Mass Of Bubbles Growing. I Can Also Hear A Hissing Sound Coming From Mine When It's Leaking ' Have A Look On Ebay You Can Get New Suspension Bags For £80ish Plus P+p.

I also have a 02 discovery with the same problem, the drivers side airbag will go down in minutes when the engine is turned off, and as it goes down there is a loudish hissng sound. However once you start it up and raise the suspension up with the button and it reaches its maximum height it will stay there even when the engine is off.
Any idea's what this mite be surely if it was a leak it would go down all the time.It has been to the garage a couple of times and they have no idea what's wrong with it.

Cheers Dan

Danbuc said:

I also have a 02 discovery with the same problem, the drivers side airbag will go down in minutes when the engine is turned off, and as it goes down there is a loudish hissng sound. However once you start it up and raise the suspension up with the button and it reaches its maximum height it will stay there even when the engine is off.
Any idea's what this mite be surely if it was a leak it would go down all the time.It has been to the garage a couple of times and they have no idea what's wrong with it.

Cheers Dan

Click to expand...

sounds like the valve block...

Yep agree with batten - sounds very like it's the valve block !!

Find the compressor, open the cover with a 5p; bolted onto the chassis, under the body by the passenger seat... drop it off if you need to (just a couple of bolts hold it to the chassis) but support it underneath on a couple of house bricks or similar...

test the valve block with a bit of soapy water to see if it's leaking...

battenberg said:

Find the compressor, open the cover with a 5p; bolted onto the chassis, under the body by the passenger seat... drop it off if you need to (just a couple of bolts hold it to the chassis) but support it underneath on a couple of house bricks or similar...

test the valve block with a bit of soapy water to see if it's leaking...

Click to expand...

If this is all as should be, follow the air feed lines all the way back to the 'air bags' again checking with soapy water on all the connections etc.

Also soapy water the WHOLE of the 'air bags' and then raise/lower the vehicle a couple of times - any leaks will be apparent by a lot of bubbles if there is a leak !!!

Disco's are well known to have problematic air suspension !!

Bump..

good info in this thread...

Can anyone explain a phenomenon that's occurring with my Series 2 Discovery please? The air suspension seems to be inconsistent! It often drops when left for a period of time, but sometimes it will stay up for days, and other times it goes flat if left for a couple of hours.

I am new to Land Rover air suspension, but am familiar with it on wagons and it looks to be similar but I can't explain the variation - if it leaks it should go flat all the time, end of story!

It doesn't worry me too much as it never does it whilst driving and always goes up straight away on start-up. I will change the bags when I get round to it as they don't look too new, but in the meantime, just wondering if anyone can answer?

had same problems with mine.
chnaged to uprated coils in the end cost 200 quid job done including switcing off the air spring system

Firstly Ill eplain my problem The car was low on one side. Then fitted 4 x antiroll bar links. The whole back end was on the ground after fitting and putting wheels back on. It would not raise when engine on, although the compressor was running. Anyway found that the valves were not opening. I put a current through te valves next to the compressor to get her raised level. All looked well and ran ofr a few days, but on starting it always went up and down a bit a few times before getting level. Then it's gone down again! Ahhhhhhh!!! I then changed height sensors, but would not raise on starting...so had to inflate by putting current through the valves, while running the compressor. Anyway got it up level and stayed there at a nice height. Come to start her (the day after) and she's not at the bottom, but looks to me a tad over 1 inch lower than it should be on the back. She goes up and down a little for about 30 secs and then levels at this, what I think is the lower level.

First - any ideas...I'm now thinking its the vavles in the compressor housing not opening and closing correctly? Rather it not as probably have to get whole new housing.

Second I'm thinking of going for a spring conversion...I know which one I would go for and can fit no problem, but I hear that it needs to go on diagnostics to turn air suspension off on the ecu. Is this correct. I also have ACE fitted and 7 seats (not used hardly though). Anyone done a conversion with ACE and 7 seats and what does anyone think to this option. It would be peace of mind..when I did it on my P38 RR it was best thing I did! Help!