Problem Shooting for the rear.

[The Great]

Today I was on my way to work and hit a bump and noticed the rear it harder than normal. I thought I may've been a pothole or something. As I continued driving, it felt like the rear jumped and bounced around way more than usual and I got out and checked the tires. When I got to work, I looked under and around the car and noticed that it sat lower and the air shock noise didn't come on the entire time I drove which it usually does. I don't want to jump to conclusions and say that my shocks are shot so I'm asking if there are some trouble shooting methods I can do to pinpoint the problem and if the shocks are gone, what's the best brand to go with??? Thanks in advance everyone.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Might be air suspension issue. Did the air suspension light on the dash come on? Possibly the ride height adjustment bar got knocked around or off the watts link..it is on the driver's side

[The Great]

Nope and I just thought of that, the suspension light didn't come. Now in the past, I was told that my watt links were an issue but I've had second opinions and was told that they weren't. Yes it's on the drivers side.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Was the rear end sagging? low? I would check the air ride height adjustment link/bar. it sort of sounds like air springs lost air..I'm not sure how the system acts if then ride height sensor is off...if it tries to over inflate the springs or if it deflates them and does not cycle the compressor. That would be my first inspection..You'll probably have to get under car to see the ride height sensor.

[The Great]

Yes it's sagging noticibly low, where exactly is that because I can check that today when I get home.

[RubberCtyRauder]

It's on the driver's side, above axle attached to watts link..here is a pic off an 03 Crown Vic Sport..same as Marauders..If that rod comes off then the system doesnt know where to be at for air.

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu92/mdnos/03heightadjustment002_zps7ed2d 8d2.jpg

[Curless]

I have repaired two of these in the last few weeks. Take your air filter assembly out and look at the compressor, it has a small tank and a motor on it. The motor is aluminum, if its all corroded and swelled up at the seam then its junk. Both of the cars that we repaired were the compressor being bad. Let me know if you need one, I have a connection!

[The Great]

Ok I'll try both of these when I get home. Hopefully it isn't too bad.

[Curless]

The factory compressors are **** expensive, I have a line on after market one.

[lji372]

The ride home IS going to hurt. Ask me how I know:(

I cannot tell you how many times I said holy f###, and not for a good reason

[The Great]

It hurt going to work. I'm just trying to rule out some things before I start purchasing parts I don't need. Hopefully it isn't the compressor.

[Curless]

It hurt going to work. I'm just trying to rule out some things before I start purchasing parts I don't need. Hopefully it isn't the compressor.


Trust me, you want it to be the compressor....simple easy fix and its not too expensive.

[RichardP]

This happened to me today. Did your compressor sound "normal" before it started not going off at all? Mine sounded like it was slowing over time and now if it even turns on it seems to be hurting lol.

[The Great]

Oh I was under the assumption that it was expensive. Yes it sounded slow recently and it actually started annoying me after awhile, it was embarrassing when people were in my car. They'd look at me like "what's up with your car"?

[Curless]

Call me once you have a look at it....616-988-1315, this is my shop number, leave me a message if I don't answer. Make sure to leave me a contact number!

[The Great]

Ok I will and thanks a lot.

[RF Overlord]

Possibly the ride height adjustment bar got knocked around or off the watts link..it is on the driver's side


I would check the air ride height adjustment link/bar. ^^^what he said^^^
I'm not sure how the system acts if then ride height sensor is off...if it tries to over inflate the springs or if it deflates them and does not cycle the compressor. It depends on the position of the sensor when the linkage gets detached. The exact same thing happened to Phoebe...the sensor was bound up and the linkage popped off. Happened on a bump, so the sensor was pushed to full extension. The system thought it was too high and bled air until the springs were empty and stayed that way. Installed a new sensor, which also comes with a new linkage, and all was well.

[RichardP]

I feel your pain man. I had a passenger in the car, got out for a sec, and then came back in. I looked over and she was looking at me in terror and said "I didnt touch anything". I exclaimed it was just my air compressor on its last leg. Good luck with the fix.

[The Great]

Hopefully that's all it is but I won't be able to do anything about it until Friday but I wi check it out to see what's what.

[The Great]

I just took a look at the air compressor and it looks ok to me but I could be wrong. There was some corrosion around the bottom of it but nothing on the tank itself. I didn't know how to remove it and I'm unsure as how to upload pics on here but is there anything particular I should be looking for??

[Curless]

I just took a look at the air compressor and it looks ok to me but I could be wrong. There was some corrosion around the bottom of it but nothing on the tank itself. I didn't know how to remove it and I'm unsure as how to upload pics on here but is there anything particular I should be looking for??


The corrosion is the issue, to remove it there are 3 10mm nuts under your inner fender in the front, take them out and the compressor will slide up out of the fender well. Don't forget to take the electrical connector and the air line outlet and inlet tubes off. The one that goes to the car you must push the orange retaining ring down on with a small screw driver and then pull on the plastic line at the same time.

[The Great]

Ok so the compressor is the issue then, I'm glad I've gotten down to the bottom of that and thanks for guiding me through it because I wouldn't have known where to start.

[RF Overlord]

Before you get too far, while the compressor might indeed be bad as it's a common failure, you really want to check the ride-height sensor, too. Verify the linkage hasn't popped off...even if it hasn't, disconnect one end of the linkage and verify the sensor works easily and smoothly.

You can also have the system manually inflated just to confirm you don't have a leak. It's actually pretty simple (I've done it twice), but you have to do things in a specific order and I don't recall all the steps...hopefully someone else will chime in.

[fastblackmerc]

Ok so the compressor is the issue then, I'm glad I've gotten down to the bottom of that and thanks for guiding me through it because I wouldn't have known where to start.

Did you check the height adjustment on the Watts link?

[The Great]

I looked under the car (while it was lifted of course) and didn't see or feel anything hanging or loose but I can always check again once I get off. I think I've read a little bit manually inflating it but I'm not sure how because I'm sure tired of this rough ride.

[The Great]

Has anyone had any experience with Suncore industries? I found that they have air compressors for $190 and air compressors with air spring bags for $365.

[MOTOWN]

Suncore and Arnott i believe are the two places to get compressors, and airbags.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

Follow this link for the parts you need at reasonable prices:

https://www.arnottindustries.com/part_FORD_Air_Suspension_Parts _yid1_pid9_gid45.html

[The Great]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to Advance Auto Parts today. They carry Suncore Air Compressors.