P38 4ltr 2002 thor 35mph EAS

I know EAS has been done to death here but, I haven't come up on a search with my exact sequence of events. I've been right through the plumbing, rear bags and valve block and, having grasped the height settings theory, carried out a preliminary proceedure. Happy that all was OK including and especially the compressor cutting out even on extended setting, off I went on a fifty mile round trip to get my AC recharged. For the first 12/15 miles all seemed OK with highway setting coming in and out. I felt that the nearside was a shade low on standard setting. Then, Damn me! I got the dreaded 35mph and got dropped onto the bumps. (my lovely new airbags, I thought). I couldn't stop there and then so I carried on to the Air con place and, suspecting the compressor had overheated took the cover off for the time the recharge took. Reset, well cleared all DT's, before leaving and away home. Perfect ever since. Including the pump cutting out. I remeasured the heights and the nearside arch to hubs are both about an inch lower than offside. Before I start prodding, I suspect that I'm not going to level up by height settings. I'm not even going to try. I've learned about rushing in............Would dodgy height sensors bring about my predicament? I hasten to add, for the last few weeks this motor has spent its life on combinations of axle stands, axle jacking and chassis jacking. It's already been suggested that height sensors might misread under these circumstances but, in my ignorance, I wouldn't want autosuggest. I'm hoping the cavalry's awake and reveillied. Regs, P.

What are the side to side readings front and rear as listed as actual on EASunlock? Sometimes dipping the height sensors into places previously unexplored by them, can cause the tracks to get contaminated. Until the tracks clear with use false readings can happen. Ideally at each height setting bit count should be within two side to side specially at the front in standard and motorway.

wammers said:

What are the side to side readings front and rear as listed as actual on EASunlock? Sometimes dipping the height sensors into places previously unexplored by them, can cause the tracks to get contaminated. Until the tracks clear with use false readings can happen. Ideally at each height setting bit count should be within two side to side specially at the front in standard and motorway.

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As above what wammers said and for pity's sake, make yourself some setting blocks. It really is the only correct way to do it. Measuring to the arches can get you out of a fix but it can easily be a few points out. It really is soooooooooo easy with the blocks and providing your sensors are OK, it will just work.

I'm right on beam with the block regime. Got blocks made already. Do these height sensors do the 35mph thing to you or am I still missing something else? I forget the actual EAS unlock readings because my book's elsewhere at the moment. I'll post in the near future. Need a couple of brandies before I approach. If you've seen the exorcist you'll remember the camera taking the bedroom door opening. You knew something horrible is about to happen. It's a bit like that with the barn door where my heap is. I expect to see its head turn 360 degrees and spew green vomit.

Also when measuring and adjusting height settings. DO NOT get in to alter readings then get out to measure. Do it all from outside, specially if you carry any weight. The settings and measurements will change as you get in and out. You maybe at it for some considerable time. Also note the minima and maxima bit counts that can be used for each height. Exceed these and you will have to start again.

Yes, if the sensors go outside acceptable ranges they will throw up errors.
You need good sensors that have no dead spots and at fixed heights on the blocks they need to be within 2 bits side to side at the front and ideally within 2 at the back as well although the back is more forgiving.
The target heights should also be at least 10 bits within top and bottom tolerance or they will go outside over the bumps and cause problems.

supapete said:

I'm right on beam with the block regime. Got blocks made already. Do these height sensors do the 35mph thing to you or am I still missing something else? I forget the actual EAS unlock readings because my book's elsewhere at the moment. I'll post in the near future. Need a couple of brandies before I approach. If you've seen the exorcist you'll remember the camera taking the bedroom door opening. You knew something horrible is about to happen. It's a bit like that with the barn door where my heap is. I expect to see its head turn 360 degrees and spew green vomit.

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35 MPH message appears when a major fault is logged, like the car is lower than the minima for the height setting in use as registered by sensors. Logic is the key to all this. Make sure you have good air first job, then work through height settings and get them all correct. If you have a height set that is too close to minima or maxima for that height, and the height sensors glitches and reports an higher, but more normally a lower reading back to the ECU it will have an hissy fit and stick SLOW 35 MPH on the message centre.

wammers said:

Also when measuring and adjusting height settings. DO NOT get in to alter readings then get out to measure. Do it all from outside, specially if you carry any weight. The settings and measurements will change as you get in and out. You maybe at it for some considerable time. Also note the minima and maxima bit counts that can be used for each height. Exceed these and you will have to start again.

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Shouldn't be an issue of he's sat on blocks. The issue with blocks is that it is venting the whole time trying to get to Access height or whatever you set it to. So tank is emptying. Best put blocks in, set it to Access and then as soon as it stops lowering, photograph the actual heights and set the height back to Extended ready to take the blocks out. Reprogram the new target heights while the tank fills.

Obviously don't go under the car without axle stands under the chassis rails.

Grrrrrr said:

Shouldn't be an issue of he's sat on blocks. The issue with blocks is that it is venting the whole time trying to get to Access height or whatever you set it to. So tank is emptying. Best put blocks in, set it to Access and then as soon as it stops lowering, photograph the actual heights and set the height back to Extended ready to take the blocks out. Reprogram the new target heights while the tank fills.

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That would be a quicker way to do it but I only used the blocks for standard and motorway and the others I just did by measuring.
It took me about 15 minutes to set mine on tesco car park as it was the nearest flat surface!

OK. I can grasp those replies, thankyou. On blocks. 100mm front 105mm back read in EASunlock LF 125 RF 127 LR 120 RR 119...Got heights for each corner: LF 125 RF 129 LR 122 RR 120
which I wrote and they all appeared when read. This was represented at hub centre to arch rim LF 49.5cm RF 51.5cm LR 48.5cm RR 51cm. Sorry I can't enter in table form. Road camber aside, I still feel like I'm driving with a list to port. In highway mode got heights LF 105 RF 108 LR 99 RR 91 represented by measurements LF 47cm RF 46cm LR 44cm RR 45.5 cm. It did occour to me that the whole thing is load sensitive so when not on blocks I've been doing everything through the windows. Before carrying out this exercise I double checked for leaks. LR into the bag was just suspect so I remade that connection, now I'm absolutely certain. Are there any culprits of note in the valve block that need a double check that, perhaps there's a long history on here of particular pigs' ears. I've a note of maxima and minima settings which I'll check to see how close everything is. In the meantime, I'll digest all that's gone on today. Please can I have a new "like" button, mine's worn out.

You all knew I was going to on this forever. I guarantee I've got an airtight system. From tank and springs empty all corners lift evenly within minutes. Then the pump kicks out. But what happens then is there's two or three click/clonk sounds from the rear of the block and the pump fires up again. Along with these clonks the suds I've sprayed checking the block connections bubbles up big time around the sponge plug thing. The same clicking/clonking comes in when I switch off and down we go to around access mode. I've also completed getting it square in AES unlock.I've done the o rings and diaphragm together with pressure switch. I'm getting a serious complex. Can you please help? Regards. P.

supapete said:

You all knew I was going to on this forever. I guarantee I've got an airtight system. From tank and springs empty all corners lift evenly within minutes. Then the pump kicks out. But what happens then is there's two or three click/clonk sounds from the rear of the block and the pump fires up again. Along with these clonks the suds I've sprayed checking the block connections bubbles up big time around the sponge plug thing. The same clicking/clonking comes in when I switch off and down we go to around access mode. I've also completed getting it square in AES unlock.I've done the o rings and diaphragm together with pressure switch. I'm getting a serious complex. Can you please help? Regards. P.

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Can you take a video with your phone or similar? Stick it on Youtube and then put the link here.

Bubbled from the pipes going into the block is not good. Should be 2 o-rings IIRC. If you put a tiny chamfer on the end of the pipe with a pencil sharpener it can help getting it in cleanly. Should push all the way in. If you have an emergency inflation kit fitted just unplumb it. Just makes problems.

Not bubbling from 6mm or 8 mm connections. The bubbling is from the exhaust choke when the chattering goes on. The suds are residual from checking for leaks generally. I'm about to replumb the whole thing. The airlines can't be checked on account of inaccessibility. I still suspect the valve block. No reason. I've done it. That's enough evidence. Thanks for the response. Home brew city coming up.

I think the exhaust vent points at the diaphram in the valve block.

supapete said:

Not bubbling from 6mm or 8 mm connections. The bubbling is from the exhaust choke when the chattering goes on. The suds are residual from checking for leaks generally. I'm about to replumb the whole thing. The airlines can't be checked on account of inaccessibility. I still suspect the valve block. No reason. I've done it. That's enough evidence. Thanks for the response. Home brew city coming up.

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The chattering is the system self levelling, air will be vented from the exhaust. They don't level up they level down. Put it a max height and pull the delay relay and see if it stays up.

Thanks again. The rear NS is still an inch down. That's where it stays no matter what. I've done the block thing. The battery's off again so I'll revisit this morning. It seems, from your helpful input, the height sensor is sending duff info. Am i on the right track? Would I be right in thinking that if I had a leak the corner would continue on its descent? I'm trying to think for myself here with my remaining brain cell. Morning all and thanks.

supapete said:

Thanks again. The rear NS is still an inch down. That's where it stays no matter what. I've done the block thing. The battery's off again so I'll revisit this morning. It seems, from your helpful input, the height sensor is sending duff info. Am i on the right track? Would I be right in thinking that if I had a leak the corner would continue on its descent? I'm trying to think for myself here with my remaining brain cell. Morning all and thanks.

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The levelling is done from height sensor readings. For the sake of argument say all the readings at standard were 120. If because of a leak when the ECU wakes up to level and one sensor reads 100. The ECU will open the valves on the other three corners to try and match that reading and keep the vehicle level. If there is a glitching sensor giving none linear readings or no readings at all in certain positions this would have the same effect. By raising the car to max and removing the delay relay you can define a cause. With delay relay disconnected ECU cannot wake and self level. If the car drops any corner you have a leak. You then need to find it. If it stays where it was it is you would initially be looking at duff sensor/sensors.

Right, here we go. I'm right on beam now. I take it that a disconnected battery is not the same as yanking the delay relay. This is enough to make you weep, isn't it. But many thanks.

supapete said:

Right, here we go. I'm right on beam now. I take it that a disconnected battery is not the same as yanking the delay relay. This is enough to make you weep, isn't it. But many thanks.

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Well yes, if there is no electrical power then no wake up and self level can take place. But it's a lot easier just to pull the delay relay than have to reset everything after disconnecting battery. Set to high, measure heights of each corner from arch to centre of wheel after valve block has stopped clicking and record. Pull delay relay and leave overnight. Then remeasure heights and difference is a leak.