Air leak detection - EAS woes!

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
I have an as new valve block for sale and a brand new compressor for sale if needed. valve block is as new .
That’s very good of you to offer but I’ve a spare block here I can swap bits out of as needed. As for the pump, I’ve a few spares ones but only the one fitted is working properly. I think I’ll try a rebuild kit for one of the spares before spending a few hundred on another pump but I’ll bare you in mind should I need another.
 
My guess would be the cones on the solenoids in the valve block. @kurtjohnson10 might be able to help you find a replacement.
Just while I’m waiting on some 8mm hose I pulled these NRVs from the spare block I have. Of the three valves in it only one looks to have a decent cone on it (b). Of the three, which do you think is useable as I’m going to check my valves over the weekend and might use one of these?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0220.jpeg
    IMG_0220.jpeg
    311.8 KB · Views: 62
  • IMG_0223.jpeg
    IMG_0223.jpeg
    299 KB · Views: 79
  • IMG_0222.jpeg
    IMG_0222.jpeg
    316.4 KB · Views: 69
  • IMG_0221.jpeg
    IMG_0221.jpeg
    316.9 KB · Views: 85
Just while I’m waiting on some 8mm hose I pulled these NRVs from the spare block I have. Of the three valves in it only one looks to have a decent cone on it (b). Of the three, which do you think is useable as I’m going to check my valves over the weekend and might use one of these?

I was actually talking about the other solenoids with the little black rubber ends on the cones inside that seal them. Those ones should seal on the red o-rings.
 
Just while I’m waiting on some 8mm hose I pulled these NRVs from the spare block I have. Of the three valves in it only one looks to have a decent cone on it (b). Of the three, which do you think is useable as I’m going to check my valves over the weekend and might use one of these?
Apart from the fact that they are fitted with red O rings which IMO are not good, all the cones look acceptable.
 
I was actually talking about the other solenoids with the little black rubber ends on the cones inside that seal them. Those ones should seal on the red o-rings.
I’m not sure what your referring to there, is that inside one of the silver plungers under one of the black solenoids? If so, which would possibly be to blame, looking at the diagrams and advice on here surely both the inlet and exhaust would have to fail to see this problem? I’m also not seeing any bubbles of escaping air around the bases of the solenoids.

Apart from the fact that they are fitted with red O rings which IMO are not good, all the cones look acceptable.
That’s great, I thought two of them looked ruined as the shape isn’t perfect triangle I’d imagine it needed to be. How badly misshapen do these need to get to cause a problem?
 
I’m not sure what your referring to there, is that inside one of the silver plungers under one of the black solenoids? If so, which would possibly be to blame, looking at the diagrams and advice on here surely both the inlet and exhaust would have to fail to see this problem? I’m also not seeing any bubbles of escaping air around the bases of the solenoids.


That’s great, I thought two of them looked ruined as the shape isn’t perfect triangle I’d imagine it needed to be. How badly misshapen do these need to get to cause a problem?
It's when they get a ridge around the circumference of the cone that they cause a problem as this can cause the valve to hang up and not close. The cone is only a guide as long as it's a fairly smooth taper, they are OK. I have a actually successfully smoothed one off in my lathe.
 
Last edited:
It's when they get a ridge around the circumference of the cone that they cause a problem as this can cause the valve to hang up and not close. The one is only a guide as long as it's a fairly smooth taper, they are OK. I have a actually successfully smoothed one off in my lathe.
That’s good to know, thanks. On the original problem the balloon I fitted to the exhaust silencer has some air in it, nothing huge but more than when it went on so there’s a leak in the valve block, just just to work out what 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
That’s good to know, thanks. On the original problem the balloon I fitted to the exhaust silencer has some air in it, nothing huge but more than when it went on so there’s a leak in the valve block, just just to work out what 🤷🏻‍♂️
Unless you disabled the EAS by pulling the relay, that may not indicate a leak as the EAS self levels downwards every 6 hours which may release air.
 
wonder if this may help in this instance but i used a hand vacuum pump and gauge on each valve block for my D3

I fitted all new seals and then attached the vacuum hand pump to test each circuit to ensure the new seals weren’t letting by, alas even with new seals it wouldn’t hold vacuum therefore had to replace the valve blocks

was also very handy testing a line from A to B and so on , therefore eliminating items as I progressed round the vehicle

plus of course as also mentioned with regards to using soapy water , used a garden sprayer that had a long spray nozzle allowing u gain access to the difficult areas, ie on top of the strut etc

dont know if ur using Voss connectors on ur system but i replaced all mine with brass pushfits which saved a fortune seeing Voss connectors are around £14.00 each whereas the brass push fits were around £4.00:each, considerably easier for reinstallation with the pushfits not having to mess around with a spanner in difficult areas

hope this may also help in a small way

IMG_7439.jpeg
IMG_7438.jpeg
 
Last edited:
wonder if this may help in this instance but i used a hand vacuum pump and gauge on each valve block for my D3

I fitted all new seals and then attached the vacuum hand pump to test each circuit to ensure the new seals weren’t letting by, alas even with new seals it wouldn’t hold vacuum therefore had to replace the valve blocks

was also very handy testing a line from A to B and so on , therefore eliminating items as I progressed round the vehicle

plus of course as also mentioned with regards to using soapy water , used a garden sprayer that had a long spray nozzle allowing u gain access to the difficult areas, ie on top of the strut etc

dont know if ur using Voss connectors on ur system but i replaced all mine with brass pushfits which saved a fortune seeing Voss connectors are around £14.00 each whereas the brass push fits were around £4.00:each, considerably easier for reinstallation with the pushfits not having to mess around with a spanner in difficult areas

hope this may also help in a small way

View attachment 301189View attachment 301190
I have not tried it but I would be surprised if the EAS valves on the P38 would hold a vacuum and even if they did it would not prove that they would hold pressure.
 
I have not tried it but I would be surprised if the EAS valves on the P38 would hold a vacuum and even if they did it would not prove that they would hold pressure.

I did wonder that regarding the set up

indeed know where ur coming from with regards to pressure , I just done that to see if the new seals were actually ok, to which they weren't , saving me a lot of time in re fitting the valve blocks and then finding out they still let by

suspected the seal seats on the valve blocks may have been worn, also took me ages ensuring there was no silica dust left inside , ensured they were 100% clean but regardless to no avail
 
Last edited:
It’s been a week or two since I’ve been at this (HEVAC problems too) but I was wondering about the NRV and diaphragm in the exhaust so to try and rule them out I had the valve block out last night and replaced the diaphragm valve again with one from LandyAir since their valve comes with the large washer type fitting all ready pre fitted, and then I also checked the NRVs, which looked to be in excellent shape and had no misshapen heads or anything. Ran up to pressure and this morning, say 14 hours later or so, I’ve gone from 140 psi to 55 psi. The battery has been disconnected in this time too as I’ve had air bags in and out with the dash so the height isn’t self adjusting down and I’ve lost no height in the corners, just a loss of pressure at the tank reservoir. I’m really at a loss as there’s still no sign of a leak anywhere and I was confident a new diaphragm would cure it
 
Check NRV-1 first and use the good quality black o-rings. The red seals are known to be leaky.

Diaphragm valve is only energised when pump is running, so does not affect the tank leaking overnight.
 
Is there any corrion around the fitting or seams?
Not that I can see, the block is in great shape as are the various bits and pieces. The last time the block was apart I cleaned the whole thing so I’d hopefully have spotted something.

Small pin hole leak in the tank due to rust??
I’m wondering if that’s a possibility. I took the whole tank back to bare metal a while ago and covered it in por15, I might remove it and try to bastardise together some way to test it. Not sure how to go about that yet.
Check NRV-1 first and use the good quality black o-rings. The red seals are known to be leaky.

Diaphragm valve is only energised when pump is running, so does not affect the tank leaking overnight.
The NRV physically looked ok to me but unless there was something very wrong with it I maybe wouldn’t know. The conical shape of the top is perfect and all the seals used are the black ones from X8R.
 
To test the tank, get some spare airline & a 6mm schrader valve. Fill the tank with any compressor & check the valve holds pressure. Periodically check pressure & leak points. That way there's only a few possible leak points:

1) The schrader valve
2) The tank airline & fitting.
3) The tank itself.

I did the same on my project car after removing, de-rusting & painting the tank. It held 100psi for many days, until the weather allow re-fitting to the car !!
 
Back
Top