[Rich998a]

I'm 99% sure that's the classic sign of the 'Drive Box' (black box bolted onto valve block) failing.

I had very similar issues to yours and a new unit cured the problems totally.

 

[Gavin]

Can anyone post a link to rebuilding the valve block. A while ago i was having a few problems and i replaced the compressor bought a valve block rebuild kit from Rover Renovations. I have no external leaks but after the car is parked for a while the front rises and sometimes the rear passenger side lowers, so i am presuming i have put the valve block together wrong.

 

[shupack]

Can anyone post a link to rebuilding the valve block. A while ago i was having a few problems and i replaced the compressor bought a valve block rebuild kit from Rover Renovations. I have no external leaks but after the car is parked for a while the front rises and sometimes the rear passenger side lowers, so i am presuming i have put the valve block together wrong.

valve block rebuild instructions

 

[996TURBO]

Hi Dennis,

As you may know i've rebuilt many valve blocks.
One that i rebuilt 6 months ago is causing me some troubles.
Owner is encountering the front springs slow dance.
If read you well, this is due to leaky non return valves?
Can it be something else like worn height sensors?

Thanks

Florent

 

[shupack]

Hi Dennis,

As you may know i've rebuilt many valve blocks.
One that i rebuilt 6 months ago is causing me some troubles.
Owner is encountering the front springs slow dance.
If read you well, this is due to leaky non return valves?
Can it be something else like worn height sensors?

Thanks

Florent

The front end dance is typically leaky non-return valves, it could be a bad sensor though. a session on a Rovacom will confirm a bad sensor. If it's rising with the compressor on, then stops the comp to lower, then comp starts and rises again, open a door to inhibit leveling, wait for the comp to stop and see if it continues to dance.

 

[996TURBO]

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for last tips but valve block had been renewed so it may be bad sensors.
I encountered same thing while using EAS lift box and my valve block has been renewed too.

I do have another question : i did a EAS back conversion recently.
Started with a rig that had lost EAS ECU and one height sensor.
I renewed valve block, installed 4 Arnott Gen 2 airsprings (there's no leak on those because the car ran on MARS for months with no or little loss of air while waiting for the search of laking items)
It may be important but previous garage guys changed drive box on warranty.

Testbooked and height values setted with height blocks. All worked as it should for 30 miles. Until EAS fault appeared and compressor kept running even with engine off. Very strange.
Car was on high height. Seems like a problem of height sensor.

EAS fault diagnosed with T4 was exhaust valve closed. That may explain that the car went high height for no reason.

Resetted EAS ECU.
Changed compressor for a new. I found that the blue airline compressor to valve block was leaking (it's a classic cause of dysfunction). Changed the airline.
Dynamic test of the suspension with Testbook. The car danced like a lowrider. Quick to go up and down.
Everything works ok. I tested drive the car on all height at all speeds. No fault occured.
The car has done 150 miles since this reset.

What would you advice?
I think everything has been checked.
Should i ignore this fault : "exhaust valve closed" since the car could go up and down without problem?

Cheers

Flo

PS : i just checked past messages and found a clue : "if it keeps running you have a sticky compressor relay (#20 in the fuse box), the RR will not be able to lower and you'll get an exh valve stuck shut code. "

I'll changed it quickly

 

[shupack]

Mmmm - auto-level is on all the time and has nothing to do with only leveling for leaks. Read up on the main site - there is a cute story about a RR auto-leveling down on to a cooler left under a RR parked on uneven ground overnight while camping :roll: which is the other prob - auto-leveling seem to try for the lowest common denominator. It chooses the lowest corner and lowers to try to level around that value (but is limited to max correction levels for each session). So, after a night, the RR may be lower - depending on whether all 4 corners remained relatively equal all night (for whatever reason: leak, temp change, or other) - and may or may not be level - depending on whether or not there was sufficient time for enough auto-leveling sessions for the higher corners to 'catch-up' to the lower. The proper way to check for leaks is to remove the EAS delay timer (read up!) and leave the car sitting overnight. That way, the valve block gets no signals, does not try to auto-level (no the lock switch does not inhibit auto-leveling), and only the corner(s) with leaks will drop - assuming a good valve block.

Please take the time to download the RAVE manuals, read up on the EAS, and then go to the main site and read up on the EAS there as well. It'll take you about an hour to do, but it will stop all this silly speculation.

After reading through this thread, here's what I see as some misconceptions and my take:
- on the ride height indicator, a solid light is where your at and a blinking light is where the EAS is trying to go. Any more than a couple of seconds of blinking indicates a prob - usually a worn compressor not providing enough air
- an air spring will not unseat and reseat itself while parked
- I can only imagine that the rapid dropping in your initial post went through the valve block as your EAS is now (semi-) working and leaks don't magically reseal themselves. Whether the cause is electrical or mechanical, you'll have to find out.
- you nearly certainly have a worn compressor.

What I would do in your shoes:
- read-up!
- unplug the EAS timer and leave the car sitting overnight/longer. Check for leaks with soap water at the bad corner
- order a compressor rebuild kit and probably a valve-block rebuild kit from Dennis (shupack)
- repair whatever else leaks (soap water)
- buy an EAS buddy or download the free EAS SW from Storey and check for faults

I'd be willing to speculate that a new compressor seal will temporarily solve most of your probs - you'll be wearing the new seal quickly tho as the compressor compensates for leaks.

Sorry if I seem a little short tempered, I am trying to help but it's frustrating watching all this silly back and forth where a real solution is right here and within your grasp.

 

[SpudH]

Thanks Dennis,

I have a driver from a classic, I'll try that and see how it goes.

On another EAS sticky topic, I had a search but wasn't able to find this info, amazingly in Rave they don't give the order:
What is the order of the solenoids on the valve block?
I suppose starting from the front of the vehicle with the one with the blue leads ('A' in rave I think) and working towards the windscreen.
And while we're at it I what are the order of the air pipes exiting the the valve block.

Thanks,
Cormac

 

[SpudH]

Sorry Dennis,

Got that the wrong way round, the one with the blue leads is closest to the windscreen
Having spent a bit of time on it last night, its a bit obvious which is which :shock: so I now know which one is the right rear, of course as Murphy's law would have it its one of the ones underneath so I'll have to take out the block to check it.
Anyway I suppose a guide wouldn't do any harm so if anyone knows exactly the order of the valve solenoids they might post it here.

Cormac

 

[tomo]

Hi

I have designed and manufactured and installed a bypass cable, to disable the autoleveling "feature" on the P38 Rangies - Its a godsend !!!! Costs about $1.75, takes 20 seconds to install and reduces EAS faults by 90% (assuming you dont have a fault already!!!!)

Much of the EAS valve switching, clicks, clacks, pump running, wheel dancing etc etc are some design gurus idea of a cool feature - alias "crap".

We drive our rangies on average 5% of the day but the EAS is operational 24 hours a day to make the rangie look "cute" - You guessed it I'm a cynical fellow !

The enclosed document provides details for the cable and mugshots

What does it do!
Pretty simple really - It turns the EAS system on when the ignition is on and off when the ignition is off!!!! - (Bit like a thermos flask) The cable picks up +12v power from a spare fuse position in the fuse box and uses that supply, instead of the always on power supply.

Read the docy and you will understand - You can get your garage or sparkie to make you one - PLEASE LABEL THE FUSEBOX and CABLE if you make your own as most garages wont know its there and you will pay em to find it.

 

[Kancler]

can someone explain me how Pressure Relief Valve works, cose im desperate, i just did valve block, bus still i got the same problem, pup works allmoust constantly, its just shut off after that front gose a little bit up, then some minor corectionson hights and compresor kick in again, and all this goes non stop, if ill shut of pup by the program from laptom, every thing is ok, but if all runs on auto, it comes back again, i did reserc and found Pressure Relief Valve failjure can lead to sistem not reach the presure
plzzzz i need advaice, couse im desperate
thanx in advance

 

[Hoges]

tomo...

my delight was short lived when I went to install my cable...

Fuse #35 on MY2000HSE is a 10 amp for aircon and airsuspension.
Fuse #44 is a 30 amp for engine management system ...

back to the drawing board for alternate switched supply...but the idea is sound!
cheers

 

[shupack]

can someone explain me how Pressure Relief Valve works, cose im desperate, i just did valve block, bus still i got the same problem, pup works allmoust constantly, its just shut off after that front gose a little bit up, then some minor corectionson hights and compresor kick in again, and all this goes non stop, if ill shut of pup by the program from laptom, every thing is ok, but if all runs on auto, it comes back again, i did reserc and found Pressure Relief Valve failjure can lead to sistem not reach the presure
plzzzz i need advaice, couse im desperate
thanx in advance

pressure relief pops at about 200 psi, it will be a shotgun blast of air. your symptoms are exactly what happens when the non-return valves leak by (the 3 little spring loaded valves inside the blocks..)

and the previous with a weak compressor, yes, all you need is the piston seal.

 

[atorres1979]

how screwed am i?

so i rebuilt the valve block, and compressor, everything went fine with valve block, but when i was putting the compressor back together one of the bolts holding the end plate of the compressor broke! so now i only got two bolts holding the end plate of compressor together, yesterday when i installed the eas box back into the truck it took a while for the truck to raise but it did, now today i turned on the car and the truck rose just a little then it stopped, i turned off the engine and i really couldnt hear or see any leaks (used soap method), i tried running the compressor just by itself (jumper wire) and it ran for a while but still the truck would not raise, could the stripped bolt have anything to do with it?

another thing, after a while of running the compressor got super hot so i just gave up for today instead of risking anything else that could go run by burning out that thing. One thing i did notice was that i didnt hear a clicking sound from the valve block, anything i should be checking with that?

anybody have any other suggestions?

 

[shupack]

the endplate bolt shouldn't cause you any issues, it's on the suction side of the compressor. it may put extra stress on the other 2 bolts and cause problems, but that will be slow. fix the bolt on your own time...

the compressor will take about 7 minutes to fill the tank, if it's trying to lift AND fill the tank it'll take much longer.

 

[Kancler]

ok, i rebiuld whole block, i have even did new non return valves, all simptoms i descraibed earlier, stayed, but now new aded, even with relay out it goes after some time to hiegest position
ppl im doomed, need any advaice, if is still non return valves, r there any procedure to check them ?

 

[Hoges]

Hi Kancler
have similar issues...truck sometimes rises to max height when parked at standard height, but does not rise when parked in highway or access mode.

Sesnsors:
I swapped the front sensors left to right and the same with the rear ones. Pump still makes what appears to be momentary corrections especially in the first 10 mins or so of driving then seems to settle down ...a bit!

Pump Motor Thrust ring
I removed the "useless" plastic thrust ring from the pump motor (see the "falconworks website)

Pump Piston
I replaced the piston in the pump and it now charges the tank in just a few minutes.

Leaks?
The truck does not drop more than a couple of mm over 4 days when parked...no leaks

Valve Block
I rebuilt the valve block (twice) then replaced it with a new one...in desparation...because the solenoid valves appeared to be shot...now i'm not so sure...
Even with the new valve block, the front end occasionally "dances" ...wriggles like a dog with fleas :lol: then the pump starts etc...

After all this, am still getting what seems to be "random" pump activity ...sometimes having stopped for just a few mins I restart the truck and it needs a boost to the front to raise the level, other times it's OK. It over fills, rises higher than it should then returns to correct height if I turn off the engine...

On very hot days (>38 degC) I had a string of hard faults caused by high pressure signal....

Driver Unit?
I have had suggestions on this forum that the driver unit may be on the way out...am thinking that may be the case....I had a look at the underside of the driver box attached to the valve block...looks heat shocked ...don't know if this is normal. will probably import one from the UK...about half the local price even including the postage :evil:

don't know if this helps...

ps Your English is OK :thumb: ...much better than my Lithuanian!! :shock: :doh: :lol:

 

[shupack]

Interesting, i have similar issues : random activity of a rebuilt compressor.
I do have the gauge kit to track any loss at the air tank.
This thing kicks for no reason at 140 psi to fill to the max instead of waiting for the low psi limit which is i believe 110

every pressure switch is different, I've seen some cycle from 110-120 to others at 140-150psi, it's all in the manufacturing tolerance. If it cycles correctly, don't worry about the exact pressure.

 

[996TURBO]

All right but is it normal that in a process of filling the air tank, the thing kicks in, then off, then in ?
Thermal switch is new.
There's no loss of pression at all at the gauge.
I believe i need a new drive box too.

 

[Jsmooth65]

Hi

I have designed and manufactured and installed a bypass cable, to disable the autoleveling "feature" on the P38 Rangies - Its a godsend !!!! Costs about $1.75, takes 20 seconds to install and reduces EAS faults by 90% (assuming you dont have a fault already!!!!)

Much of the EAS valve switching, clicks, clacks, pump running, wheel dancing etc etc are some design gurus idea of a cool feature - alias "crap".

We drive our rangies on average 5% of the day but the EAS is operational 24 hours a day to make the rangie look "cute" - You guessed it I'm a cynical fellow !

The enclosed document provides details for the cable and mugshots

What does it do!
Pretty simple really - It turns the EAS system on when the ignition is on and off when the ignition is off!!!! - (Bit like a thermos flask) The cable picks up +12v power from a spare fuse position in the fuse box and uses that supply, instead of the always on power supply.

Read the docy and you will understand - If you dont search - EBAY for a "Rangie EAS Bypass Cable" kit - It comes with cable, labels, terminals and install instructions fitted all ready to install. You can get your garage or sparkie to make you one - PLEASE LABEL THE FUSEBOX and CABLE if you make your own as most garages wont know its there and you will pay em to find it!!!!!!!

Big Photos at
http://www.TomoPhoto.P38RREASWakeup.PhotoShare.co.nz


If you make and install your own cable - Donations towards more Rangie innovations will be gladly accepted via paypal ([email protected])
(I have automatic headlights (another wonderful P38 design guru feature ...!) complete with headlights off during starting too !!!! installed on my truck.)

The fuses mentioned in this document apparently don't match Bosch fuseboxes. Anybody got an idea as to which fuse numbers should be substituted?