Air Susp. Compressor Broke, then fixed.

[Zack]

Driving home yesterday and halfway home the light goes on. :mad2:

By the time I got to the driveway it was slammed to the ground, and raining cats and dogs, and I didnt have any room in the garage.

I found a small window in the weather to remove the compressor and I immediately knew it was water damage that caused the pump to quit...got it out, tore it down (quite simple I might add) and blew a ton of rust and corrosion out of the motor. Cleaned the brushes, wizz disked the housing (where it comes apart) then siliconed the mating surfaces and threw it back together.
IMHO this pump is defective by design, and I say that because the 2 parts of the pump motor housing have no seal...just a precision fit. Problem is both sides are aluminum and when corrosion starts, the seal is in jeopardy and ultimately let water enter in this case.

Works like new and is super quiet.
I would have taken pics but I was fighting the sun going down and rain.
I did it all in under an hour, and it was so super easy anyone can do this.
Total out of pocket cost: Zero Dollars.

[Egon Spengler]

Can we Sticky this and maybe have someone else do this process with pics included when their pump goes bad? These things seem to go bad fairly quickly! When I bought my car 3 years ago with 50k on it the pump went out the first week of me owning it! It was a warranty thing, but with my car having 100+k on it now, I am fearing it happen again. Just did the wacky wipers over the winter, so am waiting for this to quit out on me again! If it does, I might try this surgery and I will post pics, but we will see who's goes first!

Nice work ZACK ZILLAAAA! Ok, I have swung your juevos enough... getting down now.

[CBT]

First the sway bar, now this. :shake:Before you spend any more money fixing it, let me help you. By trading for Amy's 98 Honda Civic. :D


Driving home yesterday and halfway home the light goes on. :mad2:

By the time I got to the driveway it was slammed to the ground, and raining cats and dogs, and I didnt have any room in the garage.

I found a small window in the weather to remove the compressor and I immediately knew it was water damage that caused the pump to quit...got it out, tore it down (quite simple I might add) and blew a ton of rust and corrosion out of the motor. Cleaned the brushes, wizz disked the housing (where it comes apart) then siliconed the mating surfaces and threw it back together.
IMHO this pump is defective by design, and I say that because the 2 parts of the pump motor housing have no seal...just a precision fit. Problem is both sides are aluminum and when corrosion starts, the seal is in jeopardy and ultimately let water enter in this case.

Works like new and is super quiet.
I would have taken pics but I was fighting the sun going down and rain.
I did it all in under an hour, and it was so super easy anyone can do this.
Total out of pocket cost: Zero Dollars.

[JamieDrake]

Can we Sticky this and maybe have someone else do this process with pics included when their pump goes bad?

Do a search on this forum, there is a step by step instruction with pictures of how to do the rebuild. I can't remember where exactly, but I seem to remember it was quite in-depth.

Jamie

[ctrlraven]

I think it's color related :lol:

Good work Zack!

[guccijayda]

mine is extra loud right now too and you feel it vibrating the whole car... im sure mine is bout to blow soon:mad2:

[-Matt-]

mine is extra loud right now too and you feel it vibrating the whole car... im sure mine is bout to blow soon:mad2:


Check the mounts....

[Blk Mamba]

Well I guess I'm next, it went out when I was 20 miles from home, and rode that rough ridin' SOB all the way home. Is there a trouble shooting procedure written here to check what is bad? My friend says that if the air bag sensors are bad the pump won't come on.

[fastblackmerc]

There is one sensor, mounted to the Watts link.

[Blk Mamba]

I just noticed, Zack said "the light came on", where is the light, and why isn't mine on?

[a_d_a_m]

Right above the speedometer. Little thing that says AIR SUSP

[Egon Spengler]

Right above the speedometer. Little thing that says AIR SUSP
Should be an amber color

[MM03MOK]

We have a "Reviews" section just for these kinds of tips and "how to's." People just have to think to go look.

[Blk Mamba]

I didn't find anything in the reviews section that could help.

[MM03MOK]

I didn't find anything in the reviews section that could help.
That's because no one's using it. I'm asking people to use it so there's a place to find the info people want.

[RF Overlord]

I thought the Reviews section was for people to give their impressions of products and of vendor service, etc...not for describing how to troubleshoot air compressors.

[JamieDrake]

I did some digging for you. Check here...
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=45169

[RF Overlord]

That's a good find, Jamie. :up:

Once I have the new compressor installed, I'll try Richy04's rebuild method and keep the old one as an emergency spare.

[Blk Mamba]

Well I guess I'm going to rebuild mine this weekend, are there any "O" Rings, or other things I need?

[Zack]

Well I guess I'm going to rebuild mine this weekend, are there any "O" Rings, or other things I need?

Just get a new one.... Its not worth the hassle and uncertainty of longevity.

[Blk Mamba]

Wait a minuet weren't you the guy that started this thread about rebuilding yours? Why the change of heart?

[Zack]

Wait a minuet weren't you the guy that started this thread about rebuilding yours? Why the change of heart?

Because I went through it pretty well and got a few more days out of it.....but the amount of water it took on ultimately killed it for good.

Yours may be in better shape than mine was.

[MM03MOK]

I thought the Reviews section was for people to give their impressions of products and of vendor service, etc...not for describing how to troubleshoot air compressors.
Vendor Reviews are in a sub-forum of the Vendors Forums. There are a number of "how to's" in Reviews,

How to fix window switch lights...w/pics
Removing the Dash
Remote Parking Brake Release Conversion for 2003 300B & 2004 300A
Autometer Real Oil Pressure Gauge
Blacked out window trim
Badge Modification - Godshead

[Blk Mamba]

Well I just took it out, and I'll be buying a new one from Arnott, mine had a broken casing where the corrosion had eaten through, I can't believe it lasted that long. Now I'll start routing the wiring to the back, do I have the hole where the DVD player goes?