Air suspension problems

[License2Bill]

A couple of weeks ago, a few days before Christmas on my way to work, I noticed the air compressor kick on and stay on for an unusually long period of time. This was accompanied by almost bone jarring bumps from the rear end anytime I drove over anything bigger than a golf ball. About 10 minutes into the drive, and the pump cycling 2-3 more times for around a minute each, the Air Suspension light comes on. When I get to work, sure enough the bags are not inflated, and the tires are tucking into the wheel well.

After doing some research, I found the link to the Suncore product page for Marauders. I believe I remember reading that more often than not, it's the compressor failure that causes these symptoms. The car is still a few days from being back in my possession since I "outsourced" the blown axle seal job to a dealership. ($975 for them to do the work and upgrade everything to 31 spline.) The suspension is something that I am capable of tackling myself.

Where can I begin without having the car in front of me? I'm trying to have absolute minimal down time with the vehicle. Tempted to take the shot in the dark and order just the compressor, but that will void the 1 year warranty if I don't replace the bags also. :help:

I found FBM's post on diagnosing air susp problems here http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showpost.php?p=1345655&postcount=5

Link to the Suncore parts http://www.suncoreindustries.com/english-mercury-marauder-03-04-air-suspension.html

-Bill

[carfixer]

The more common cause is the airsprings are leaking. It causes the compressor to run too much and burnt out the compressor. You need to replace the bags and the compressor at the same time.

[whitey]

Try manually pumping up the bags, there is a few topics on the how to procedure, and it will let you know if the bags are leaking or if its a solenoid issue. If the bags stay inflated, its the compressor. On another note, which is not your issue, Richardp had a rear shock that was locked up and acted like a spring...no shock absorption at all. It made the rear bounce around, but not sag. Ive had your problem with mine and i actually manually pumped up the suspension and drove it for a few months with the air suspension turned off( air locked in the bags from locking the solenoids with the switch in the trunk ) because i was low on funds.

[License2Bill]

The more common cause is the airsprings are leaking. It causes the compressor to run too much and burnt out the compressor. You need to replace the bags and the compressor at the same time.

Sounds like I should just order the full Suncore kit with bags, compressor, dryer and solenoids?

[twolftdi]

I had a problem and it seemed to be the bags since the car would be parked overnight and the rear end slumped down. After starting the car I would hold 2000 rpm and could hear the air compressor kick in. Watching in the mirror I could see the view rise slowly. Exiting the car confirmed the rear end was in te proper higher position. I found air shocks at TaxiProparts.com in West Park Fl. (Hallandale) for $120.00/pair. They have been in a year and I have no problems since installing them. These are not OEM but work in my MM as OEM did. Good luck.

[vegasmarauder]

Before you replace everything I would try and narrow down the problem. The Air Susp light comes on when the module detects a failure in the system or the compresor has ran for so long it overheated and the internal thermal shut off activiated. Unless the compressor is making a lot of noise, they can work for a long time. Since the command to activate the compressor is given, the module is sensing the car is too low. If the connecting arm is broken off or the height switch is bad internally, the module can be fooled into thinking the car is too high or low. Bug the system will tell you there was failure in the heigth sensor circuit. Sometimes when the arm is broken off the switch the bags lose some pressure and sag but the switch still thinks the car is at normal height. If the compressor runs and the module does not sense the car is rising from the bags filling, it will throw the light on. Its a pretty smart self diagnosing system. If the light comes on, you should have a DTC (trouble code) that will narrow down the problem considerably. If you can get a scan tool, or have a parts store pull the code for you, you should get the code.

If you get a compressor overheat code and the compressor ran without raising the car, you may have a bad bag or compressor. The module can tell if the bag solenoids are opening and closing correctly and will give a DTC for each solenoid or the vent valve on the compressor itself.

In my experience, if the height sensor is attached and moves freely and the compressor runs the full allotted time, a leaking bag is the problem. A leaking bag is the #1 cause of sag and excessive compressor run time.

You can check the bags by airing them up and then spraying them down liberally with a mixture of water and dish soap. The bag will bubble at the bad spot. It is usually where the lower part of the bag wraps back up into the center as this is the biggest friction point.

When you get a Suncore bag kit, they should also give you the solenoid rebuild kits. Vary rarely have I seen a solenoid fail. If you hear the clicks from the sloenoids when it tries to flll the system, that is a good indicator of good solenoids.

In 99% of the cars I have worked on, its just the bags that are bad. this causes the compressor to overheat and time out to cool. New bags and O-rings on the solenoids and the car is back on the road quickly.

If you have never done it before you can do the bags and rebuild the solenoids in about 3-4 hours. I think Suncore may sell rebuilt solenoids as well and you send back your old bags and solenoids.

I have used Suncore stuff on Town Cars, Continentals and Marauders with no problems.

[License2Bill]

While the car was at the dealership being fixed, I had them diagnose, but not repair the issue with the air suspension. They said the compressor and dryer is all corroded and air is leaking out of the compressor at the same rate or faster than it is pumping it to the bags. They said it would an additional $750 to replace the compressor and such. I told them to forget it. Especially when I get a new compressor and dryer combo for from Suncore for less than $200

[whitey]

L2b: try manually pumping up your bags, youll need the old compressor to do it so dont ditch it....it completes the circuit to open up the solenoids to allow air into the bags. Like i mentioned before, i drove 6 months with the trunk switch off and the bags manually inflated. I reccomend doing a manual inflation first, and see if the back end drops the next day. Youll know whether you need just a compressor or the whole enchilada.

[jwibbity]

L2b: try manually pumping up your bags, youll need the old compressor to do it so dont ditch it....it completes the circuit to open up the solenoids to allow air into the bags. Like i mentioned before, i drove 6 months with the trunk switch off and the bags manually inflated. I reccomend doing a manual inflation first, and see if the back end drops the next day. Youll know whether you need just a compressor or the whole enchilada.

this is true, drove around for a week with manually inflated bags waiting for my new compressor, and fyi if you buy from suncore and dont replace the bags also it will void your warranty, and dont forget to swiss cheese the plastic underneath the compressor!!

[License2Bill]

L2b: try manually pumping up your bags, youll need the old compressor to do it so dont ditch it....it completes the circuit to open up the solenoids to allow air into the bags. Like i mentioned before, i drove 6 months with the trunk switch off and the bags manually inflated. I reccomend doing a manual inflation first, and see if the back end drops the next day. Youll know whether you need just a compressor or the whole enchilada.

How do I go about manually inflating?

[jwibbity]

http://mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55431&highlight=air+compressor

read post number 3!

and its alot easier with 2 people unless you like sprinting from the front to the back of the car to hit the switch, lol

[RF Overlord]

if you buy from suncore and dont replace the bags also it will void your warranty,So if you buy a new compressor from Suncore, but don't buy new air bags from them at the same time, they void the warranty on the compressor????? Good reason to buy from Arnott, then.

Arnott recommends a new drier if you replace the bags, but that's it.

[whitey]

i bought a arnott compressor, used from kmastl a long time ago, he said it was six months old, and its still kickin' like a champ. i think people forgot about arnott:dunno:

[jwibbity]

So if you buy a new compressor from Suncore, but don't buy new air bags from them at the same time, they void the warranty on the compressor????? Good reason to buy from Arnott, then.

Arnott recommends a new drier if you replace the bags, but that's it.

yea it sucks but its 25 dollars cheaper too "WARRANTY WILL BE VOID IF AIRSPRINGS ARE NOT REPLACED WITH COMPRESSOR", directly from my receipt.....

according to suncore the old bags could have moisture in them and that can cause the new to compressor to fail prematurely so yea......

[whitey]

yea it sucks but its 25 dollars cheaper too "WARRANTY WILL BE VOID IF AIRSPRINGS ARE NOT REPLACED WITH COMPRESSOR", directly from my receipt.....

according to suncore the old bags could have moisture in them and that can cause the new to compressor to fail prematurely so yea......

thats bs from suncore....from what i understand it goes from compressor>drier>bags, when air is let out of the bags, its reverse order....the drier is in the middle. please correct me if im wrong.

[tbone]

I didn't read everything in this thread, but just replace the compressor first and see if it fixes it. They corrode and don't pump properly. The height sensor is likely bad too. Those were the issues with mine. The bags were, and continue to be, just fine.

[JBeezy]

Would it be cheaper and easier to replace the bags with coil springs? I was thinking of going this route if mine were to ever fail


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[ledzilla]

Definitely drill some holes into the pan the compressor sits in while you have it out. There's one drain hole nowhere near where the water tends to sit. It should be evident where to put the extra holes by looking at the dirt in the bin. All that moisture just sits there and causes premature corrosion and failure of the compressor. That's what happened to the original compressor in mine.

The control module for the air suspension in mine failed and I never replaced it, so I ran a manual bypass and I now raise and lower the rear end by a switch I installed in the glove box. This was done before replacing the compressor. When the compressor finally failed, I used a rubber tipped nozzle from my friend's commercial air compressor to manually fill the bags after opening the solenoids until I was able to replace the compressor (took a while, the compressor died in the winter and I have nowhere warm to work). All that aside, you can manually fill the bags with a rubber tipped nozzle, as well, if you disconnect the output line from the compressor prior to running the car and triggering the compressor to run. I found using needle nose pliers to hold the "quick connect" down works well to remove the line.

[tbone]

Would it be cheaper and easier to replace the bags with coil springs? I was thinking of going this route if mine were to ever fail


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The air bags is one of the nicer and unique features of the Marauder. Replacing with springs ruins the car, imho.

[L.Mark]

Just an FYI on Suncore. I bought an airbag from them for my LSC and had it install. The first time it aired up it blew out around the top(not the bag itself) were everything comes together. I called and nearly demanded they send me one now, without waiting for my returned bag. The were alittle s****y on the phone and I hade to get a manager. End of the story, they sent a new one out no charge and it's been in the car for alittle over two years now with no issues. Not sure if I would buy there again...

[Motorhead350]

I used a junkyard air compressor from a 96 Town Car for $28 years ago. Trouble free ever since.

[whitey]

I used a junkyard air compressor from a 96 Town Car for $28 years ago. Trouble free ever since.

As long as you replace the drier, i dont see an issue, good deal in fact.

[RF Overlord]

Would it be cheaper and easier to replace the bags with coil springs? I was thinking of going this route if mine were to ever fail

The air bags is one of the nicer and unique features of the Marauder. Replacing with springs ruins the car, imho.Agree w/the tbone.

Cheaper? A little. Easier? A little. Reduce the handling and ride quality and devalue the car? Yup.

[License2Bill]

I read the post on how to manually inflate the bags, but can't get the little orange ring to depress. I even unhooked the washer fluid bottle and moved it out of the way.

[jwibbity]

I read the post on how to manually inflate the bags, but can't get the little orange ring to depress. I even unhooked the washer fluid bottle and moved it out of the way.

i had to press on that thing pretty hard to get it out, it will feel like your are about to break it then it pops out....

[License2Bill]

Am I supposed to be pushing down on the piece or squeezing the sides of it?

[License2Bill]

I was pushing, pulling and squeezing on that orange ring while tugging on the air line. In the end, the air line broke. I definitely need a new compressor also. Is there a place where I can buy the fitting to connect to the air compressor or do I need to buy a whole new air line?

[RF Overlord]

You're supposed to push down on the orange ring and pull on the air line at the same time.

If all you did was break off the end of the air line, just cut it square and plug it back in to the new drier. There are no fittings involved.

[jwibbity]

You're supposed to push down on the orange ring and pull on the air line at the same time.

If all you did was break off the end of the air line, just cut it square and plug it back in to the new drier. There are no fittings involved.

you need about 1/2 inch of the actual line itself, the yellowish line, not the black pvc that surrounds it, post up a pic of the end of it and if you have enough you can just follow the above steps^^^

[whitey]

Fear not! I cut my line to get the compressor out not knowing any better, had to go to a place called colliflower to get a fitting to reattach the two pieces together.

[License2Bill]

I forgot I had started this thread. I've been riding around with the bags manually inflated since January. I have lost the little orange ring. Is there anywhere I can buy a new one?

[fastblackmerc]

Did you try Arnott or Suncore?

[RF Overlord]

You'll prolly have to buy a new drier (https://www.arnottindustries.com/part_FORD_yid1_pid194_gid908.h tml).

[jsignorelli]

Suncore is back logged on many of the Ford parts.

[ts-pa]

That little orange ring fitting is just like a standard pneumatic fitting. Push the hose inward slightly, then push the ring inward and hold it there. Then retract (maybe with a little wiggling) hose out of fitting. When you install the hose, have about 1/2" of the lighter inner hose exposed and insert into fitting.

It's that easy.

Some have expressed opinion of ruining a MM by replacing with coils. I don't think that it is that drastic of a change as I have recently went to coil springs. Now it is once and done, I don't even think of my RAS anymore.

My problem was the chase. Change only this now only to have to change another item later. Do it all at once with either RAS or coils to really settle the issues.

[License2Bill]

That little orange ring fitting is just like a standard pneumatic fitting. Push the hose inward slightly, then push the ring inward and hold it there. Then retract (maybe with a little wiggling) hose out of fitting. When you install the hose, have about 1/2" of the lighter inner hose exposed and insert into fitting.

It's that easy.

Some have expressed opinion of ruining a MM by replacing with coils. I don't think that it is that drastic of a change as I have recently went to coil springs. Now it is once and done, I don't even think of my RAS anymore.

My problem was the chase. Change only this now only to have to change another item later. Do it all at once with either RAS or coils to really settle the issues.

My issue isn't that I can't get the hose out anymore, it is now a case of I removed the hose (well it ripped while trying to pull it out) and have lost the orange ring. I managed to manually reinflate the bags and have been driving around like that since January.

Since you recently converted to coil springs, any chance you still have a dryer with one of those little orange rings you'd be willing to part with?

[jwibbity]

My issue isn't that I can't get the hose out anymore, it is now a case of I removed the hose (well it ripped while trying to pull it out) and have lost the orange ring. I managed to manually reinflate the bags and have been driving around like that since January.

Since you recently converted to coil springs, any chance you still have a dryer with one of those little orange rings you'd be willing to part with?

Bill I have a old unworking compressor with the o ring still on it, you want it?!?!?

[License2Bill]

Problem solved. The first new to me compressor I bought didn't have the orange ring on the dryer anymore, Jwibbity hooked me up and I swapped dryers and all is working as it should now. Thanks for the help everyone!