Need help with P38 air lines

Stavros1967 · Sep 3, 2021

Help please, been going well with my vehicle, changed brake pads front and rear plus front air bags ( thanks utube) but the other day I heard a loud air escaping noise from the right rear air bag. Bumped home at 20 miles an hour. Ordered 2 new Dunlop rear air bags all installed eventually. But the right rear won’t inflate. Left one if perfect. Reinstalled right rear air bag but still won’t inflate. Where else should I look. Had wheel cover off, been through the Manual but no advice available. Air escaping somewhere near by, been at it for 3 + hours

Range Rover P38 2000 4.0L Sutton Surrey
Thx

Steven

RangeRoller dt · Sep 3, 2021

Air line near exhaust known to melt through. If you can hear it leaking is case of tracing it back. Loads soap in water thick may help you track it

tomcat59alan · Sep 3, 2021

RangeRoller dt said:
Air line near exhaust known to melt through. If you can hear it leaking is case of tracing it back. Loads soap in water thick may help you track it

^^+1 did you check that both o rings were fitted to the pipe inlet behind the collet?

Stavros1967 · Sep 3, 2021

RangeRoller dt said:
Air line near exhaust known to melt through. If you can hear it leaking is case of tracing it back. Loads soap in water thick may help you track it

I’ve tried can’t see any lines near the exhaust, exhaust was banging as traveled back home snapped it through at the t joint (have replacement) but fumes stop me running the car and being underneath. Used soapy water but yet to spot it unfortunately, might need a garage to help but thx

Stavros1967 · Sep 3, 2021

tomcat59alan said:
^^+1 did you check that both o rings were fitted to the pipe inlet behind the collet?

Brand new air bags no bubbles on soap test so somewhere else, but appreciate the advice

Grrrrrr · Sep 3, 2021

Stavros1967 said:
I’ve tried can’t see any lines near the exhaust, exhaust was banging as traveled back home snapped it through at the t joint (have replacement) but fumes stop me running the car and being underneath. Used soapy water but yet to spot it unfortunately, might need a garage to help but thx

If exhaust goosed and air escaping then almost certainly melted the line. Trace it back from where it enters the bag. You can get connectors but beware cheap Chinese stuff. Trucks and aircraft use the same fittings. 6mm from memory.

tomcat59alan · Sep 3, 2021

Grrrrrr said:
If exhaust goosed and air escaping then almost certainly melted the line. Trace it back from where it enters the bag. You can get connectors but beware cheap Chinese stuff. Trucks and aircraft use the same fittings. 6mm from memory.

The pipes run along the top of the chassis,if you can get it on some ramps locating the leak shouldn't be hard

Grrrrrr · Sep 3, 2021

tomcat59alan said:
The pipes run along the top of the chassis,if you can get it on some ramps locating the leak shouldn't be hard

They go down the passenger side and then the right rear crosses over at the rear but I cannot recall where. Probably behind the fuel tank above that cradle with the brake lines. Probably worth checking the brake lines at the same time.

oakey · Sep 3, 2021

Goes through a wee channel above the axle. Cannot see the air lines at all. Will only be able to hear it if you put a real compressor on the air line at the vlve block. If exhaust sick then almost certainly melted.

Stavros1967 · Sep 3, 2021

Grrrrrr said:
They go down the passenger side and then the right rear crosses over at the rear but I cannot recall where. Probably behind the fuel tank above that cradle with the brake lines. Probably worth checking the brake lines at the same time.

Thx for the advice will try again

Stavros1967 · Sep 5, 2021

Update

So at it again today can hear the leak but not found it yet. Decided to put the wheels back on letting off the tall jacks somehow managed to pull the top off the right rear airbag (Doh).

luckily worked out how to position and refit the bag to the top (like a bigger bike tyre going on the wheel) with a chalk line, using the old one as a guide, ( thought I’d ripped the top off) more gently let down after refitting the rest air bag affected. Ordered some replacement air lines, connectors and tube cutter, try again another Day.

oakey · Sep 5, 2021

Good chance you will never find it as the air line does not want to come out of that channel above axle
I recommend you just replace it an leave the old one there

brianp38dse · Sep 5, 2021

The rear bag should not come apart with the shocks fitted unless someone has fitted front shocks to the rear which are slightly longer.

Grrrrrr · Sep 5, 2021

brianp38dse said:
The rear bag should not come apart with the shocks fitted unless someone has fitted front shocks to the rear which are slightly longer.

No air in the bag as he lowered it.

brianp38dse · Sep 5, 2021

Grrrrrr said:
No air in the bag as he lowered it.

I hadnt thought of that as i have always had the wheels still on the ground as i dont need much room to get under a p38

Mark Piercy · Sep 6, 2021

I'd fix the exhaust first being the possible offender then search for the leak. At least then you can run the car and go search for the leak.

Stavros1967 · Sep 6, 2021

brianp38dse said:
The rear bag should not come apart with the shocks fitted unless someone has fitted front shocks to the rear which are slightly longer.

I just had it jacked to high on the stands , with the weight of the wheel and using the rear diff as a lifting point it favoured the left side and nit the right side. I probably released the lifting Jack too quickly. Lowered the car all round and next time the bag wasn’t so stretched. You live and learn.

Stavros1967 · Sep 6, 2021

oakey said:
Good chance you will never find it as the air line does not want to come out of that channel above axle
I recommend you just replace it an leave the old one there

Good idea thx, parts on order.

Stavros1967 said:
I just had it jacked to high on the stands , with the weight of the wheel and using the rear diff as a lifting point it favoured the left side and nit the right side. I probably released the lifting Jack too quickly. Lowered the car all round and next time the bag wasn’t so stretched. You live and learn.

I also reread the replies and managed to trace the lines above the chassis better. It’s definitely the air line across the rear cross member, so will replace and see how I get on. Any tips on fixing in the new air line in place, as access is limited. Again thanks for all the advice.

brianp38dse · Sep 6, 2021

Cable ties are your friend to fix the new pipe to the old , and put a little chamfer on the ends of the pipe a pencil sharpner works ok.

oakey · Sep 6, 2021

Critical that you use a pipe cutter for the air lines

Need help with P38 air lines

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