Air suspension 1998 EB

[clintonsgreene]

I'm new to this forum, but it looked like a pretty knowledgeable group to help with a problem I am having.

I started towing a 21 foot wakeboarding boar recently and the last trip out it appears that air suspension has quit working and I'm riding on the rubber bumpers in the rear - nasty ride, especially towing the boat.

The check suspension light now comes on all the time. I have noticed that compressor is not making noise/running since this took place. Since the light is coming on, I would deduce that the sensor is working. I have checked all the fuses and they appear good. So, my assumption currently is that the compressor is bad. Is that a reasonable assumption? Or is there a relay some place that may have gone bad? is there a quick and dirty way to check to see if the compressor is getting voltage? What would you recommend for an on line parts carrier to buy a new compressor? Ford wants $400+tax and I see them online new $175 rebuilt $125. Thoughts?

Thanks for your input
Clint

 

[smo0othride]

Check out this thread maybe they could help you out since you're not getting responses here.

 

[AMERICAN AIR-1]

The compressors on these vehicles are pretty much junk to begin with. When I was a Lincoln tech, I had to replace a bunch of them under 12,000 miles. This is usually not done until after 4 or 5 years down the road. I have a '99 Expedition that I bought used and thats the first thing I had to do on it.

You are correct, if the "check suspension" message is coming on, the module is "seeing" a low condition which leads me to beleive everything else is o.k.

I would check for power at the compressor(big red wire) within 90 seconds of turning on the ignition. After 90 seconds, if the vehicle isn't at the correct height, the module or "brain" will give up and not even try to make any other adjustments....until the key is turned off, then back on.

What you may find is that you don't have power. If you do not, you'll probably need to replace the compressor relay. When these bigger compressors start going bad, they pull allot of amps, more than that solid state relay was designed to handle. In other words, a relay may get things going again, but the replacement relay WILL die in a short time if the actual cause(compressor) isn't replaced at the same time.

I sell these for $135+$10 shipping to anywhere in the cont. U.S.A. http://www.americanairsuspension.com/4x2e&n-american-eagle.htm

 

[clintonsgreene]

Thanks Eddie, Had I seen either of these posts before today I probably would have purchased from you. I have been driving this around for the last couple weeks and it's a royal pain. I couldn't wait any longer. Sorry!

Is the relay located in or near the fuse box or somewhere else. I tried checking for power but already had the compressor out when doing so and thought that maybe the other wiring had to be connected to allow the voltage to turn on. If it doesn't return to normal after replacing. I'll go after the relay, but uncertain where it's located and haven't been able to find any documentation that tells me where it is, yet.

Thanks again,
Clint

 

[AMERICAN AIR-1]

If you have the compressor disconnected, it will freak the module out and you probably won't have power anyway. The way to check it is to backprobe the connector at the compressor while everything is still connected and to make sure you check it within the 90 second time limit. After this 90 second limit, the module will time-out or give up and won't even try to make an adjustment until after the ignition is turned off, then back on again.

The relay is under the vehicle on the RH side between the bumper and the radiator core support. It is black and aluminum and has small cooling fins. These relays aren't cheap, but are taken out allot of the time by the compressors.

These relays are anywhere from $90-$130 at the dealer. The best price I've found is to e-mail [email protected]

 

[clintonsgreene]

I have now replaced the Compressor and the Relay. Replacing just the compressor, didn't solve the problem and so I replaced the relay and it began functioning. It worked for about 5 days and has ceased to function again. I tested for voltage coming from the relay to the compressor and there isn't any, I took the relay back to Ford assuming it was defective, they exchanged it for a new one and I replaced it again, but still do not have voltage. The input to the relay has 12 volts. There are 2 other wires into the relay. I assume one is a ground and the other is the trigger. Where does the trigger get fed from the Electronics module?

What else should I look at?

Also, is there any adjustments for the front sensor? It doesn't appear so and it seemed to stay quite high which is also interesting that without the compressor working the front shocks still have air and are functioning and the rear aren't. Do I need to look at replacing the shocks too?

 

[stang99x]

Have you checked to see if the little actuator in the rear is working. I forgot the actual name at the moment, but its the little part that works like a shock and set the ride height. If the front is online and the rear isn't, that would have to be your chicken.