Stop Car Too Low.

[ItalianTuneUp]

Iirc, the pump isolates each line individually.

Ok.

I had assumed that the pump (compressor) fed the reservoir, and the reservoir then feeds into the valve block, from where the air is distributed to where it is required: front left strut, front right strut, rear struts etc.

Is this correct?

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Also, from memory of perusing some airmatic tech docs a while back, I seem to remember that the valve block has individual air lines to the front left and front right struts, but only a single air line that feeds the rear struts. The air line to the rear struts then divides using a Y connector to feed left and right rear struts.

 

[John]

Another false alarm I think. I went out to have another look last night.

Car was sat lower on the OSR but again - I think that is the camber of the garage floor.

I had to go to MB Tonbridge today and it was sat on a sideways-level albeit sloping back space and the ride height was the same both sides at the rear.

I jacked the car up last night and I could see the two rear reservoirs (thanks to your photo Alps) and they were clean and looked in good shape (I can't tell if they are leaking from afar but no apparent corrosion - I wasn't comfortable spending anymore than a few seconds under there on the OEM jack without axle stands).

I'm going to get it thoroughly inspected at my local inde at some stage to try and get to the bottom of it. It could be nothing but my guess is a very tiny leak from somewhere is causing it. It's bound to fail at some stage but it's getting on my .... now.

I'll update in due course.

 

[Alps]

Leak was not obvious at first, need to spray some soapy water where the pipe joins the reservoir, the corrosion is under the pipe so not visible, but the leak when sprayed with soapy solution is.

 

[John]

I've parked it up this evening and fresh after I turned it off, I unscientifically measured the gap between tyre and arch.

I will see how the gap is tomorrow.

I suspect what is happening is there could be a leak on the OSR somewhere causing it to settle overnight (or is settling 'normal'?) and then the pump levels things off when switched on again (causing undue stress to it most likely i.e. the usual reason for burn out).

My plan now is to book it in to get the system thoroughly inspected to resolve this now but the fact it is still working buys me a little time.

Need to get it on a ramp and check. Might even see if Acid will have a shifty when I get the Kleemanns done.

 

[Major774]

I don't think settling is normal, my car stays the same height overnight. Sounds like you may have a leak some where.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

My car dropped overnight when there was a leak, but once fixed, no longer drops.

 

[V12]

The car should initially settle once you shut the door/lock the car but this is only 10 seconds max. It shouldn't move overnight any more than this.

 

[John]

Well unscientifically, when parked, I could get my flat hand up to my knuckles between the tyre and wheel arch on the OSR.

This morning my hand ground to a halt just into my proximal phalanges.

Makes me wonder if it was leaking why it would change so little.

I bet quite a few of you either have or will be using Google shortly.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

One quick airmatic system diagnosis for circa £100 at MB workshop will save you time, anguish and stress and provide the answer you are looking for regarding your car's suspension. Once that has been done you will know what to repair/replace.

Good luck with this, as I know how annoying and puzzling airmatic issues can be from experience.

 

[V12]

Luckily my wife has a degree in human biology, otherwise that would have been googled...

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Proximal phalanges = knuckles?

 

[John]

The bones in between your knuckles and your middle finger joints apparently...

I took some pictures again of the car on a flat surface today.

After 8 hours sat there, this is what both sides look like. If you parked a car with one wheel on the kerb, the wheel is going to sit into the arch more than the others and that is what I think is happening in the garage - however, the OSR is slightly lower even on the flat:

 

[TDE1]

Well unscientifically, when parked, I could get my flat hand up to my knuckles between the tyre and wheel arch on the OSR.

This morning my hand ground to a halt just into my proximal phalanges.

Makes me wonder if it was leaking why it would change so little.

I bet quite a few of you either have or will be using Google shortly.

You were right about Googling, John. Got it now, though..

Offside Rear!!

 

[John]

After my recent trip to MSL, a quick check of the ride height settings revealed they were all up the spout (my local inde suggested this might be the issue as well as those on here).

They were reset as they should have been so now waiting to see if I get this error.

I'd stopped getting the error with the new wheels running 285s but it returned when they were put on 275 tyres (3mm extra off the road must have made the difference).

I had a good look on the ramp but I could not see any issues with the rear shockers or reservoirs.

We'll see.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Your thoughts are probably right. I know when I had my car on STAR, the mechanic asked me which ride height I required, so it sounds like the ride height is programmable.

I have no idea if this is possible, but perhaps the ride height parameter has been incorrectly set for the front offside strut? If so, presumably a parameter tweak using STAR might correct the issue?

^^^ Was this the issue?

And does it still drop overnight, or has that problem gone away?

 

[John]

Yes, the ride height could be set and it was set how it should normally be all round. I want to fit a lowering module so I'm not bothered about lowering it on Star.

However, it has shown the error a couple of times but interestingly - since it has rained.

When it is dry, I don't get the error I notice.

I haven't measured the ride height since or checked to see if it has dropped but I will do - although if the ride height has been reset and wasn't the same all round, that may explain the difference I got in those previous photos.

 

[Spinal]

Well unscientifically, when parked, I could get my flat hand up to my knuckles between the tyre and wheel arch on the OSR.

This morning my hand ground to a halt just into my proximal phalanges.

Makes me wonder if it was leaking why it would change so little.

I bet quite a few of you either have or will be using Google shortly.

Does that mean you are shrinking/sinking?

 

[John]

Yes, the ride height could be set and it was reset how it should normally be all round at MSL.

Correction!

However, this did not fix the issue so I am going to see how it pans out with the weather and do another informal ride-height test.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Correction!

However, this did not fix the issue so I am going to see how it pans out with the weather and do another informal ride-height test.

I take it from that, that the height has been set correctly now, but that the car still drops overnight, or have I misinterpreted this?

If sagging/leaks are still present, due to the warmer weather now, I think you will see less rapid dropping overnight, because cold weather seems to exacerbate the leaks...cracks open up wider with the cold?