P38 Range Rover EAS Problems

[ben_haynes]

My dad has just bought a 1995 Range Rover P38 and the air suspension is playing up,

it works ok one day then the next the light flashes on one setting and is on at the exit setting and it bounces and knocks, it then does not change when it should like over 50MPH,

it does not sink over night or leak at all, i have done air leak checks on all joints with a bit of WD40, the compressor works ok and gets up to a good pressure, i assume the valve block works ok, all the air bags are good (one replaced before it was bought)

HELP PLEASE

Thanks in Advance

[agent006]

Plenty of reading to be done over at www.rangerovers.net on EAS problems.

[thermidorthelobster]

See Andy Cunningham's www.p38a.co.uk website, and also do a Google Groups search on the alt.fan.landrover newsgroup.

Check for leaky air bags using detergent and water.  Check the unions as the o-rings sometimes perish.  Crud on the airbags can lead to leaks when they fold.

The compressors will sometimes fail;  you can recondition them but I've not done this myself.  The air intakes can sometimes suck gunk into the compressor.  If the truck takes more than a few minutes to jack itself up when you go from crouch to raised air bags, the compressor's probably faulty.  How long is yours taking?

The valve blocks can also fail, and this can be expensive to fix.  Why do you "assume" it's not faulty?

[ben_haynes]

See Andy Cunningham's www.p38a.co.uk website, and also do a Google Groups search on the alt.fan.landrover newsgroup.

Check for leaky air bags using detergent and water.  Check the unions as the o-rings sometimes perish.  Crud on the airbags can lead to leaks when they fold.

The compressors will sometimes fail;  you can recondition them but I've not done this myself.  The air intakes can sometimes suck gunk into the compressor.  If the truck takes more than a few minutes to jack itself up when you go from crouch to raised air bags, the compressor's probably faulty.  How long is yours taking?

The valve blocks can also fail, and this can be expensive to fix.  Why do you "assume" it's not faulty?

I "assume" they are not faulty as it works 90% of the time but it has been playing upfor the last few days then today when i went to check it out it was playing up went in for lunch, went back out and it was working fine :!:

the when it works it takes a minute or so but when it is not it does not move at all :?:

[Jason2985]

:D
Also have the height sensors checked.
I had a P38 1995, replaced all the air bags, took it to Glenn Speak in Whitworth to reset the BeCM and found a faulty height sensor.
After that it was great, airbags are about £65 to £75 on Ebay.
Although they have plastic tops and bottoms not alloy like OEM, but they are cheaper than LR.
They are made by the same company tho `Dunlop`.
After that i saw sense and went back to a Disco, to many potential electrical problems.
Mine was a 4.6 HSE on lpg, did not suffer the porous block tho.
Lovely car but to expensive to maintain.

Jay

[ben_haynes]

the sensors look ok but is it an electrical fault or it it a mechanical fault i.e. they come disconnected or fold the wrong way?

[Jason2985]

:D
They usually get full of crud and salt from the road and start to eat away at the connectors.
You can some times find these on Ebay second hand but to be honest i would buy new.
I think about £60 each but i could be wrong.
Book it in for a testbook diagnostic to check, as this will identify which sensor is faulty if it is the sensor?

There maybe some one on here that has a testbook (Rovacom).
But i would checkout Andy Cunningham`s site as previously mentioned, a good bloke always happy to help if he can.
Also a very good site for the P38.
Hope this helps.

Jay

[ben_haynes]

have had a look on the site and will be using it to troubleshoot most things  :lol:

hopefully will be getting it on a diagnostic this week

[thermidorthelobster]

I wouldn't assume the valve block's not faulty...  after all, something's faulty somewhere!  But from what you've said, it does sound more likely to be an electrical gremlin than a mechanical issue.  That might be bad news, as it could be harder to find.

[ben_haynes]

will be getting it on a diagnosis machine this week hopefully so that should tell me if something has gone wrong

[Jason2985]

Valve blocks can be expensive, again get them on Ebay second hand.
But you are taking a chance like everything else S/Hand really.

Jay

[waveydavey]

i have done air leak checks on all joints with a bit of WD40,

Why did you use WD40? Anyhting oil based will perish any rubber. Soapy water is best, possibly still a good idea to wash off the WD40.

I had something similar and it stopped lifting when i was away from home. I stripped the compressor - a dead eeasy job, put vaseline on all the seals and O'rings and it hasn't had a problem since.

Worth a go for the cost of a bit of Vasaline? Incidentally KY or silicone jelly may be better for the same reason as above but I had to use what I could find at the time.

[ben_haynes]

used it as it was first thing to hand and it got washed off this afternoon as it rained today  :lol:

[Range Rover Blues]

There maybe some one on here that has a testbook (Rovacom).

Jay

Me.

Tell me, when you satart the engfine, all 3 switches should light up, yes?

Then after about 5 seconds they all go out, or do 2 of them stay on?

Will it go into high profile, the up button flashes whilst it's rising then stays on constantly plus the dashboard light (if fitted) lights up.

Does it go into access, push the down button, with the car in park.  Again it flashes whilst moving then on constantly.

If tyhere is a door open it will do nothing at all, all day long.

Check the dissable switch under the back Off side of the driver's seat, a bitch to find it's roughly level with the front edge of the carpet and may be in backwards.  It should be centred, if it's down the EAS is dissabled.

[ben_haynes]

must be different on the classic to the P38 as it dont have 3 switches it only has one up/down switch with a row of 4 lights showing the height and it does not have a dissable switch under the driver seat but there is an inhibiter switch next to the lights for the height?

so this is no help to me but cheers for trying RRB

[waveydavey]

Ben

What RRB said is just as applicable with the possible exeption of the switch on the seat. The rocker swich does what he said for three switches and the lights do the same. To go into access you need Park and your foot off the brake.

The disable swich on the dash is mainly for towing so teh height doesn't suddenly change but you can also use it to hold access in low car parks - if you are very brave!

[Range Rover Blues]

If what I was told in the tyre place was correct, when changing tyres you are supposed to open the tailgate and switch on the hazards?

They tried doing this to the LSE and I couldn't figure out why.

Anyhow, leaving a door open should also stop the EAS self levelling and on the classic at least, so does removing the plug from the diagnostic socket next to the EAS ECU.

[agent006]

If what I was told in the tyre place was correct, when changing tyres you are supposed to open the tailgate and switch on the hazards?

Any door or the tailgate open will stop a P38 self levelling, no need for the hazards.

[Range Rover Blues]

Ah, fair enough.  Like I said, tyre fitters, can't expect them to be experts on everything.

On the classic I don't think the tailgate interupts the self-leveling.

[Difflock]

Dont use KY jelly,its water based    :oops:  :oops:  :oops:

[Range Rover Blues]

Had to look hard to understand that one Difflock.

Actually usingvasaline isn't as stupid as it sounds, petroleum jelly will softent he o rings and cause them to swell slightly.

Check out Rover Renovations, you can buy new O rings and stuff for the valve block.  Yes I know it;s in the 'states but they are dead helpful.

http://www.rover-renovations.com/Valve-Blocks-and-Parts-s/4.htm