L322. A bit of a challange !

Hi All,
Im a new member whos wife has a L322 2002 TD6. She has had it a couple of years and its been great, suspension has always been inactive. Anyway, it went for its MOT in November and failed on both subframes and almost every bush on the car and yes the suspension. I decided to fixit for her as she really liked it. So I found second hand subframes, replaced all bushes on rear as well as drop links, camber bolts and arms. put it back in and everything seamed fine. Removed front subframe fitted new front subframe, new track rod arms and put it all back together. id been getting various codes for the suspension such as can bus, static air pressure when filling and had cleared these.
Anyway went to take it for a MOT and the car was very low on the left hand side. Of course Garage decided not to look at it and ive got it back to fix. New codes 32 can bus fault and 64 articulation validy fault. So reading up I thought the ride height sensors were wrongly fitted easy fix. but they are not wrong. Looked in the live data and the following stands out that I don't understand.
Front left volts 35.5. front right volts 3.8. rear left volts 2.2. .rear right volts1.9.
So I got another height sensor thinking the front left was faulty and plugged it in, still very high reading 35.volts. none of which means anything to me other than it stands out. the front left strut is covered in grease, so thinking is the shock inside faulty, but not sure if it even has grease in it. its not from the drive shaft gaiters though.
2 months in now and ive no idea why its sitting low on the left hand side. but today it then went up on both sides then I get code 32 can bus fault. I don't like passing it on to a garage but wonder if they will just chuck new parts on and still not function properly. also strange unit on rear subframe with two airlines connected with an electric plug connected. Looks in a bad way. not been able to identify it.

Any help appreciated

Steveeasy

What diagnostic tool are you using?
35v in a 12v system? and sensors only have 5v feed.

backinblack said:

What diagnostic tool are you using?
35v in a 12v system? and sensors only have 5v feed.

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Hi,
It did cross my mind how I could get such a high reading. the code reader im using is Autel MD831. Electrics are not my strong point it seams.
Steveeasy.

Not familiar with that one and can't find any info on google. Is it a generic code reader or LR specific?

backinblack said:

Not familiar with that one and can't find any info on google. Is it a generic code reader or LR specific?

Click to expand...

Certainly not land Rover specific, I grab it from my son when hes not looking. I would say it seams to work well but as you say 35 volts is a little steep for a 12v system. I wondered if this ride height issue might be an ECU problem. It does look as if the left front and rear are both down. No leaks at all. I did manage by moving the front left height sensor to get the front strutt to lift but only once. Started to think of fitting springs but would rather fix the air suspension system. It clearly can work but does not want too. could it be a valve block. At one point tapping the valve block in the rear wheel arch activated the system. this was long before the Left side went down though.
Steveeasy

If there are any errors stored it can stop the suspension adjusting until they are cleared with an LR specific diagnostic. Is the light perminently on on the up/down suspension knob even if pressed?

Or are all the lights off?

backinblack said:

If there are any errors stored it can stop the suspension adjusting until they are cleared with an LR specific diagnostic. Is the light perminently on on the up/down suspension knob even if pressed?

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Hi,

No there not always on. I remove codes. the system raises and lowers, then I get codes. I remove them and then on sunday one side decided to drop. Sunday was the first time I got fault code articulating fault code. I had recently removed the height adjusters to remove and install front subframe. Ive checked these and they are fitted correctly and I believe cant be fitted the wrong side.

The car goes in to suspension inactive daily. some times on the dash all the lights come on with I think EHC or something similar.
Steveasy

Did you fit a new sensor or a used one? If you fit it the wrong way round you will know as the corner will drop, or at least mine did you can have the arm 180 degrees out.
Maybe worth trying to recalibrate it if the Autel can do it.

backinblack said:

Did you fit a new sensor or a used one? If you fit it the wrong way round you will know as the corner will drop, or at least mine did you can have the arm 180 degrees out.
Maybe worth trying to recalibrate it if the Autel can do it.

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I fitted another sensor I had. Ive checked the arms that their no 180 degrees out. Its behaving like I fitted the front sensors the wrong way round but they cant be. the brackets would not fit each other side. The really strange thing is while messing with it today, it finally raised properly in all corners only to then get ll the lights on. Ive tried removing height sensors and seeing if moving the arms alters the height and only one time did it raise, when it did it raised very quickly. not sure why it did it once only though.
Steveeasy

It does sound like a faulty sensor or cable, are you sure the replacement one is good? the tracks do wear out over time. There are also a couple of different types depending what lights are fitted.
I worked on the priciple that mine were old anyway so just replaced them both and recalibrated but I do still get an articulation fault from time to time.

I can see @backinblack has this in hand BUT .......... if she has been driving it for a couple of years (I had to check that about 5 times!) with the suspension inactive and she thinks it's great, prepare for divorce when she gets to experience it with suspension working! Nothing compares

gold rover said:

I can see @backinblack has this in hand BUT .......... if she has been driving it for a couple of years (I had to check that about 5 times!) with the suspension inactive and she thinks it's great, prepare for divorce when she gets to experience it with suspension working! Nothing compares

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I wouldn't say I have it in hand, feel free to jump in anyone, it's an L322 he needs all the help he can get

Thinking about it 2 years is a long time for the airbags to stay up, are you sure it's not on springs

backinblack said:

I wouldn't say I have it in hand, feel free to jump in anyone, it's an L322 he needs all the help he can get

Thinking about it 2 years is a long time for the airbags to stay up, are you sure it's not on springs

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Being an L322, I was thinking bags would be down

Yes its been great. suspension has never gone down. I think it maintains the standard height in inactive mode. It even passed the MOTs like this Until this year. I am at a loss to understand why one side has dropped, but the obvious reason would be the height sensors. if I operate these manually would the suspension change height ?. They don't at present and this is when the codes are clear and the system responds to change of ride height.
Steveeasy

Bleeding hell, just when you think getting somewhere with @dwarfer problem another one pops up. Although @bacinblack hasnt mentioned it a fault in either abs, sas, and a couple of other modules which have gone right out my head (its an age thing) can put the suspension inactive and put it at standard height but the articulation fault makes me think its down to wanting calibrating.

How strange I did tag @backinblack aswell in the post.

Sorry fell asleep watching football, I do that a lot these days.

IMO the suspension does respond if you move the sensor a little but too much will take it out of range and it will throw a hissy fit.
Since the sensors are known to wear surely they have to be the starting point.
There are threads on here about testing them with a multimeter but I think the best way is with an oscilloscope if you have access to one.

A good sensor will look like this but a bad sensor will have dips and spikes



And if you're interested the inside looks like this

Thanks for your helpful responses. Ive been trying to figure it out rationally. Id never seen the code articulation validy code until I touched the front. never had the front or side dropped. But when I checked the height sensors today, disappointingly they are fitted correctly. They also did work when I took them off the old subframe I removed. I put them back on the correct sides and the arms face outwards. Its like its perfect apart from being really high one side and low on the other. of course for one time only it did go level today, then when I moved it all the dash lights came on. ABS and the rest with can bus fault and articulation validity code. Could the strutt have collapsed inside at all. This grease has come from somewhere, its not from the CV boot though. Unless It was picked up at Testing station.
I am going to look at the height sensors again tomorrow. bit odd I keep getting this high volt reading in the same corner even when I change the sensor though. It was pointed out 35 volts is a bit high given its only 12v system.
Steveeasy

I suppose if the new subframe is even a few mm different to the old one in allignment it would throw the sensors out. I think your best bet is a recallibration first.