P38 EAS weirdness

I've posted this on a few other forums, getting a bit desperate... sorry if
you've read it already.

Front of my 4.0 '98 is continually dropping when running- enough that the
valve block raises it up a few clicks every minute or so. The compressor is
running nearly all the time to keep up.
What's unusual is that it's across the front axle, i.e. it's not just one
leaky bladder- or is it?
I've had a bag go bad before, I diagnosed it by leaving a door half-ajar
overnight, & came out in the morning to find the driver's side front corner
down to the bumpstops- she certainly looked ridiculous with her bum up in
the air. A new airbag fixed it- which means that the front axle has one
newish airbag, and one original.
This is different. I don't understand it at all. It's as though the 2 front
bags were connected somehow, but this is a P38 not a RR Mk3.
I've sprayed detergenty water onto the side of the valve block, but seen no
leaks- nor can I hear any, either from that valve block area or the bags
themselves.

Ladies & gentlemen, your thoughts please?
I need to get this fixed by weekend after next- we're off to Mt.
Disappointment for fun & games.
If I don't get it fixed, there could be more fun & games than I bargained
for...

TIA

Natalie Drest nearly made me spill my Shiraz on 15/05/2006 12:16 by writing:
> I've posted this on a few other forums, getting a bit desperate... sorry if
> you've read it already.
>
> Front of my 4.0 '98 is continually dropping when running- enough that the
> valve block raises it up a few clicks every minute or so. The compressor is
> running nearly all the time to keep up.
> What's unusual is that it's across the front axle, i.e. it's not just one
> leaky bladder- or is it?
> I've had a bag go bad before, I diagnosed it by leaving a door half-ajar
> overnight, & came out in the morning to find the driver's side front corner
> down to the bumpstops- she certainly looked ridiculous with her bum up in
> the air. A new airbag fixed it- which means that the front axle has one
> newish airbag, and one original.


> Ladies & gentlemen, your thoughts please?

Sticking valve(s), or leaks affecting both sides.

Well, that's my first guess. Hard to tell without seeing the vehicle.

> This is different. I don't understand it at all. It's as though the 2 front
> bags were connected somehow, but this is a P38 not a RR Mk3.

I've seen problem in the past where it is only one side that's leaking,
but it seems to be both that are the problem.

What happens if you leave it without the engine running and the doors
open (no self levelling going on)?

"Natalie Drest" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've posted this on a few other forums, getting a bit desperate... sorry
> if you've read it already.
>
> Front of my 4.0 '98 is continually dropping when running- enough that the
> valve block raises it up a few clicks every minute or so. The compressor
> is running nearly all the time to keep up.
> What's unusual is that it's across the front axle, i.e. it's not just one
> leaky bladder- or is it?
> I've had a bag go bad before, I diagnosed it by leaving a door half-ajar
> overnight, & came out in the morning to find the driver's side front
> corner down to the bumpstops- she certainly looked ridiculous with her bum
> up in the air. A new airbag fixed it- which means that the front axle has
> one newish airbag, and one original.
> This is different. I don't understand it at all. It's as though the 2
> front bags were connected somehow, but this is a P38 not a RR Mk3.
> I've sprayed detergenty water onto the side of the valve block, but seen
> no leaks- nor can I hear any, either from that valve block area or the
> bags themselves.
>
> Ladies & gentlemen, your thoughts please?
> I need to get this fixed by weekend after next- we're off to Mt.
> Disappointment for fun & games.
> If I don't get it fixed, there could be more fun & games than I bargained
> for...
>
> TIA
>

Natalie:

Sounds like a leak in the line to either one of the front air bags. If 1
fails in the front they both go down. With the car running check for leaks
in the hard air lines and at the bladders. I have heard of this conditioning
worsening as too un-seat the bags from the cradle. Good luck.

Jack