EAS - how long to get up to height?

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this game, so apoligies if this has been answered before - could not find in the posts!

I have recently bought at 2001 Range Rover DHSE, and within a few days I had an EAS fault. Just had it repaired (replaced compressor), but the garage were not particularly happy with the time taken to get up to height.
So, what is the typical time taken to get from access to normal ride height?

Many thanks

Davy

Literally seconds, I've never actually timed mine but after it has settled overnight it will only take 3 or 4 secs to achieve normal height (if that!).

Lenb

Hi Len,

thanks for the reply. My original post was not well worded - lets say you drop the car to access height (which is pretty low), how long does it take to get it back to standard height?

Thanks

Davy

Ive a 2001 DHSE and when mine is dropped to Access height it takes about 5 secs max to raise up to normal height.

You mention that it is pretty low on Access....the vehicle actually rests on its bump stops in this mode. I cant get my foot on top of the rear tyre when its down (if this gives you a guide to how low it drops)

Hi Davy,

I would agree with the last post, about 5 secs.

Len

After leaving car for a few days one corner sits nearly on tyre and and other three are sitting around an inch or two above the tyre.
Am I right in thinking I need a new air bag,
I take it, its sensible to replace them in pairs.

Thanks

davvy3c - should not take more than 5-10s to raise even from access position, but if it has been raised and lowered several times in a row the accumulator tank will be empty and the compressor will have to refill, which can take several minutes.

p38rr - yes, leaking air bag sounds most likely cause. As long as the others are ok, there is no real need to replace in pairs, but to be honest if one side is going you will usually find the other side is not far behind. Get them from Island 4x4 - they are cheap! You can change them yourself very easily. If you're not too far from Bristol and don't mind coming over I'd be happy to help you change them (as long as it is the fronts!)

Matt

Hi everyone,

thanks for all the replies.. It looks like everyone agrees - it should be a handful of seconds, not minutes.

mmaddock - I did the "how long to rise test" a couple of times, but separated by several hours, so it looks like something else wrong, not just draining the tank...

Garage has now replaced the compressor and ECU, and can't find any leaks anywhere. Has anyone see a similar fault -
- Takes several minutes to rise from access to normal
- 30% of the time the car will be on the rear bump stops in the morning, 30% it will be on the front bump stops, rest of the time it is OK or a bit out of shape
- NEVER goes down in just one corner - always the front or the back goes down
- Always gets up to height and looks level after driving a few miles
- EAS Fault on the dashboard (not the 35Mph one) a day or two after it is reset

Any ideas?? Help!!

Thanks

Davy

Pull the EAS timer circuit (looks like a relay under the passenger seat next to the EAS ECU) leave it over night and see if the car is on one (or more) bump stops in the morning. That will tell you if there is a leak. The reason it may go down on one axel is because if one of the springs has a leak (which lets that corner drop) even with the engine turned off the system tries to self level every few hours by lowering to the lowest corner, which usually results in the entire axel dropping down onto the bump stops, rather than just the one corner. If you have a very slow leak it is particularly difficult to diagnose.

Leaks in the springs are difficult to diagnose, they can come and go! If the spring is folded at just the right point it can seal any leak and it won't seem to be leaking! Get under the car and have a good look at the springs when it is in extended mode and see how much cracking there is on the spring - should give you an idea if there is the potential for a leak. If possible, take a photo and let me have a look.

Other possibilities - water in the air system, or maybe sticking soloniod valves in the block.

When the suspension is up and running, if you lower to access mode and then go back up to standard height, how quickly does it get to the right height then?

Matt.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the advice mmaddock. I did the test, took out the ECU, but nothing happened - didn't go down - inconclusive test
I was due to take the car back into the garage, so I didn't get a chance to do the test again.
Anyways, I've put on another valve block off another vehicle, and it is working a treat!!
Time from access to regular height ~5 seconds, and the car feels a lot better on the road!!
So, good news is it looks like it was a valve block... bad news looks like it was a valve block!!
I'll give it a few more days, but I think I have a solution. Thanks for your advice folks!

Davy

Well, the test wasn't entirely inconclusive - it showed that the air bags were not leaking!

You can pick up valve blocks on eBay pretty cheap. I would recommend buying one and refurbishing it (I think you can get an official LR kit now) and then putting it on.

Matt.

Matt,

Looking on e-bay now!! There are a few availalbe - recon looks pretty straightforward!
Good thinking - test did prove the airbags are not leaking

Davy