Sinking Feeling!

Hi there,

Right, has anyone got an idea what could have caused the following:

I have just gone and picked up our P38 from my mechanic after having new Boges, Polys and a complete set of Arnott Gen II (2’s) fitted.

While at the mechanics he told me that he had “cleaned” the height sensors too.

Now the problem, less than a mile after leaving she started bleeping that there was a failure within the EAS!?!?

I pulled over and got out and saw that she was maintaining her height so I carried on and about a mile later she dropped onto her bump stops. I pulled over, shut her down and popped the bonnet to see what was what in the EAS valve housing. The compressor seemed to be ok, not hot or anything like that. I then jumped back in and, WOW, up she went back into the setting she was when all went wrong. She was still showing an EAS failure, but as she was up again I continued homeward bound. Another 500 yards and down she went again and remained there for the rest of the 2 mile trip home.

I have got Storey’s software and tomorrow I am going to see if I can clear whatever it is. But, saying that, I would like to know opinions into what the gremlin might be.

It's not possible to clean the height sensors. See what you get when it goes on diag.

wammers said:

It's not possible to clean the height sensors. See what you get when it goes on diag.

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Wammers to the rescue again, good job you're around.

So, with what you just said in mind, could I assume that if "he" (El Mechanic) really has gone and "cleaned" the sensors, all might not be right with them and they could be sending the system into chaos?

Now a questions for you directly Mr Wammers. Am I right in thinking that, on a normal day, just swapping the old air-bags for these GenII's, there should not be any "change" in her settings and all should be as they were before?

I will say that she was holding her height without any "droop" over the past 3 days with the new air-bags in place.

Am I right in thinking that, on a normal day, just swapping the old air-bags for these GenII's, there should not be any "change" in her settings and all should be as they were before?

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Correct... Gen II's on both our P38's

With all that work I'd expect a ride as smooth as silk!

Wonder what he did to the height sensors? I couldn't get mine off without destruction!

ukadamwest said:

Correct... Gen II's on both our P38's

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Thought as much, thanks UK Adam West.

Grrrrrr said:

With all that work I'd expect a ride as smooth as silk!

Wonder what he did to the height sensors? I couldn't get mine off without destruction!

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Yeah, that is what has been going around my head. Why he did what he said he did is beyond me. Will see if I can get my laptop talking with her tomorrow and see what shows up. I hope for his sake the sensors aren't "dead", it's going to cost him a fair bob or two if they are.

O Bife said:

Wammers to the rescue again, good job you're around.

So, with what you just said in mind, could I assume that if "he" (El Mechanic) really has gone and "cleaned" the sensors, all might not be right with them and they could be sending the system into chaos?

Now a questions for you directly Mr Wammers. Am I right in thinking that, on a normal day, just swapping the old air-bags for these GenII's, there should not be any "change" in her settings and all should be as they were before?

I will say that she was holding her height without any "droop" over the past 3 days with the new air-bags in place.

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Should be no difference at all no adjustments are required. New bags cannot effect any settings unless he has hung the axles and dipped the sensors in a dirty part of the track.

wammers said:

Should be no difference at all no adjustments are required. New bags cannot effect any settings unless he has hung the axles and dipped the sensors in a dirty part of the track.

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Here is a photo of her when he was fitting the new Boges and air-bags, is that what you mean when you say "...hung the axles..."?

I`m no expert but that pic dont look good for the suspension !

It's a GEMS, isn't it?

I have a boxful of old sensors for the Bosch ...

The height sensors have been removed from your rear trailing arms,every chance one of the mounts is damaged and it's popping off the arm,the axle sitting like that won't cause any damage,

See what you get on diagnostics, I expect by cleaning the sensors he may mean he's moved the arm over the full range and the sensor has picked up crap at the end of the track.
No re-calibration required when you change airsprings or shocks. Normally the shocks limit travel preventing sensor damage, if he removed the shocks he may have allowed the sensors to travel too far causing damage.

SpiggyTopes said:

It's a GEMS, isn't it?

I have a boxful of old sensors for the Bosch ...

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A GEMS? Ooops, I feel silly now as I truly do not know if it is or isn't. How do I tell. She's a 2.5DSE from 1999.

Datatek said:

See what you get on diagnostics, I expect by cleaning the sensors he may mean he's moved the arm over the full range and the sensor has picked up crap at the end of the track...
... he may have allowed the sensors to travel too far causing damage.

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Datatek, as you can see in the photo on the 1st page of this topic, the rear sensors are in plain sight and they both seem to be both hanging straight down. Would that cause them to have been moved over the full range?

O Bife said:

A GEMS? Ooops, I feel silly now as I truly do not know if it is or isn't. How do I tell. She's a 2.5DSE from 1999.



Datatek, as you can see in the photo on the 1st page of this topic, the rear sensors are in plain sight and they both seem to be both hanging straight down. Would that cause them to have been moved over the full range?

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1. GEMS is a petrol engine. Sensors for EAS are the same on all P38s.

2. It is entirely possible they have been strained or dipped into dirty part of the track.

wammers said:

2. It is entirely possible they have been strained or dipped into dirty part of the track.

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Ok then, if that is what has gone wrong, and it looks that way, will I be able to "clear" the problem with the EAS Unlock Suite or am I going to have to get new senors?

I have plug her into the laptop and all manner of faults popped up. I tried to clear them, but I think I didn't do the shut down sequence quite right (doh). In a bit I will try again.

O Bife said:

Ok then, if that is what has gone wrong, and it looks that way, will I be able to "clear" the problem with the EAS Unlock Suite or am I going to have to get new senors?

I have plug her into the laptop and all manner of faults popped up. I tried to clear them, but I think I didn't do the shut down sequence quite right (doh). In a bit I will try again.

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You will have to see what the stored settings are and compare them to actual readings. It would not surprise me if there was a discrepancy and the readings at various heights were out of range and that was your problem. Resetting the heights within range should be possible. You don't know until you try. All manner of faults usually means bad comms with the ECU, you need good idle and a green light apart from an occasional flicker at all times.

O Bife said:

A GEMS? Ooops, I feel silly now as I truly do not know if it is or isn't. How do I tell. She's a 2.5DSE from 1999.



Datatek, as you can see in the photo on the 1st page of this topic, the rear sensors are in plain sight and they both seem to be both hanging straight down. Would that cause them to have been moved over the full range?

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It maybe they disconnected under the weight of the axle when it was dropped down. If so the arms may be bent or the sensors damaged.