2005 Navigator air suspension compressor won't start

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MAP01

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Seeking a direction. Been having a bit of issue with my front springs deflating beyond the kneeling position but would come up to ride height fairly rapidly. I replaced all the springs & solenoids with Arrnots about 2 years ago along with new sensors all around. On my way home from work, my rear air springs deflated. Home and parked, i could hear some hissing on the rear driver side. Upon inspection no lines broken or bag pierced) i determined it must be the solenoid leaking. The internet recommend #16 orings were too small in cross section and leaked so purchase a new solenoid. While waiting for it to arrive, i decided to replace the front sensors, no better a time to replace them. Much to my surprise my "Check Suspension" warning came on but this time, new to me, with a distinct beep (have seen the warning at times prior but never with beep). i now find that my compressor will not turn on. Thinking it could be my new sensors causing the issue, I replaced them with my old ones. Yippie, no more beep! ****, still no compressor. With all four corners on their bumpers, i went for a drive hoping that at 25-30 mph the compressor would reset and start - Nothing. With engine running I lightly lifted the rear (read here that doing so should reset the compressor) - again Nothing. After my solenoid arrived, i noticed a bit of condensation in the air line so rather than just replacing the dryer i replaced the entire compressor assembly with a new Dorman (hoping that i just had some bad luck with a failed original) - Nope, not that either. Fuse 111 good. Relay at the compressor good. Borrowed a scan tool, I don't find any suspension errors listed (dash warning still there). I'm at my whit's end with this thing. Anyone have any ideas of what to try next (NO, i'd rather not replace my nearly new air suspension). Cannot drive it this way. Hate to have it towed. I'm confident the bags would hold air long enough to get it checked out further, just haven't determined any viable way to open the wheel solenoids to make that happen either!
Any (most any!) suggestions appreciated. I'd really like to fix this myself, just hate the feeling of defeat!!!! It's a 2005 2wd Navigator i cannot afford to replace! A big "Thanks" to those who reply
 
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MAP01

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Which conversion did you go with? how is the ride vs air springs? Ride height taller?

Thanks
 

whtbronco

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I swapped the air suspension to conventional on mine and have been very pleased. The only thing I lost was load leveling. I went with the 9-way adjustable Rancho QuickLift struts. The front is the same height, the rear about 1" higher. Handling improved, towing improved, ride comfort(soft ride) is improved if I soften the struts, but I like them stiff, setting 9 for me. No way I'd go back to listening to that dang compressor run for 5 minutes at every startup. Rancho says they don't fit, they fit juts fine. I suspect they say that due to the suspension module that either pops an error or you turn off the suspension and you get a message that reports the air suspension turned off.

I intended to buy the module that tells the suspension module everything is fine, but I never did. I just clear the message that pops at every start saying the air suspension is turned off.
 

Jdizzle

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Seeking a direction. Been having a bit of issue with my front springs deflating beyond the kneeling position but would come up to ride height fairly rapidly. I replaced all the springs & solenoids with Arrnots about 2 years ago along with new sensors all around. On my way home from work, my rear air springs deflated. Home and parked, i could hear some hissing on the rear driver side. Upon inspection no lines broken or bag pierced) i determined it must be the solenoid leaking. The internet recommend #16 orings were too small in cross section and leaked so purchase a new solenoid. While waiting for it to arrive, i decided to replace the front sensors, no better a time to replace them. Much to my surprise my "Check Suspension" warning came on but this time, new to me, with a distinct beep (have seen the warning at times prior but never with beep). i now find that my compressor will not turn on. Thinking it could be my new sensors causing the issue, I replaced them with my old ones. Yippie, no more beep! ****, still no compressor. With all four corners on their bumpers, i went for a drive hoping that at 25-30 mph the compressor would reset and start - Nothing. With engine running I lightly lifted the rear (read here that doing so should reset the compressor) - again Nothing. After my solenoid arrived, i noticed a bit of condensation in the air line so rather than just replacing the dryer i replaced the entire compressor assembly with a new Dorman (hoping that i just had some bad luck with a failed original) - Nope, not that either. Fuse 111 good. Relay at the compressor good. Borrowed a scan tool, I don't find any suspension errors listed (dash warning still there). I'm at my whit's end with this thing. Anyone have any ideas of what to try next (NO, i'd rather not replace my nearly new air suspension). Cannot drive it this way. Hate to have it towed. I'm confident the bags would hold air long enough to get it checked out further, just haven't determined any viable way to open the wheel solenoids to make that happen either!
Any (most any!) suggestions appreciated. I'd really like to fix this myself, just hate the feeling of defeat!!!! It's a 2005 2wd Navigator i cannot afford to replace! A big "Thanks" to those who reply
So what did you end up doing?
 
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MAP01

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swapped everything to Arnott which lasted a year of so before it was back on the ground. No leaks but wouldn't air up. compressor comes on for a few minutes but nothing (no lift). planning to swap out to Monroe coil overs. wondering about whether to leave or remove solenoid and sensors Heard of some issues
 

whtbronco

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I have tried both with the solenoids connected and without. It makes no difference as the air suspension must remain turned off either way. I had hoped that by plugging in the solenoids and settings the ride height sensors to a point at which the compressor would not be engaged I could eliminate the need for the air suspension switch to be turned off, not so. You can get a module that fools the system into thinking the air suspension is fine and then you can leave the switch turned on, I just haven't felt like spending $400 on it. So I hit the dang reset switch every time I start my Expedition.


My experience with Monroe over the last 10-15yrs has not been good. Prior to that I thought Monroe was great, more recently the ride is so-so, the handling not as good as OEM and every set has made noise. I switched my wifes car from Monroe to KYB loaded struts and we have both been very pleased. I then put KYB loaded struts on my daughters car and shocks on my son's truck. All vastly improved and no inappropriate noises.

I still run Rancho 9000's on my Expedition and recommend them, despite Monroe buying Rancho. The Rancho struts are another huge step up from Monroe since they are adjustable. However, I do have 1 that squeaks, kind of the norm with anything that Monroe produces. I can get rid of the noise for a week or 2 and then it returns so I just gave up, not a big deal to me. I have used Rancho 9000 shocks and now struts on my trucks for 30yrs and always loved the ability to adjust them. I can have a nice smooth soft ride, or I can have the harsh ride I prefer and excellent handling. I can set them to 9 and towing is better than the air suspension, but it does squat just a bit now of course. As I recall it dropped the rear end about 1" with a 6k pound car trailer behind it. In fact you can see the car in my avatar. My wife took a 1k mile road trip recently and she set them to 3, she said it felt like the old air suspension. When installed I preferred 7 front and 5 rear, 7yrs later I have them at 9 front and 8 rear. Maybe I got used to it and I'm sure they have worn some

In the end I no longer have to listen to that dang compressor run and wait for it to pump up to prevent inner fender liner tire rub. There's pros and cons to the switch, but I am very pleased with it and have never missed the air suspension. I swapped mine in February 2016, 98k miles ago. I'd buy the Rancho's again today if I needed to.
 
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