Hi guys got home today and front end is.sat on the deck and compressor is giving it stacks so I'm guessing I have a leak in a bag or from a connection somewhere.im.going to check tomorrow but can anyone give me any pointers as to methods? Do i still put it in jack mode?

 

How can I try and pressurise the front with it in jack mode?

 

I think jack mode is only when your lifting the car off of the suspension. When you first start I he car, can you hear the pump trying to work? See the front end attempt to lift?

 

Yes mate the car does move up slowly and the pump is going like mad and diagnostic says it shuts down as it overheats which is leading me to believe that there is a big hole somewhere I don't want to keep operating the pump as I don't want to damage.ive visually checked both struts but cans see any holes or splits . I don't know if I should delve deeper before ordering a pair.does anyone know the route of pipes from pump to front? Is there a distribution block that seperates the front and rear as the rear stays up

 

Re pipe s from the rear boot / trunk to the front ...read somewhere they go to the right first then to the left .
This means if the R leaks it’s takes down the L as air backs up back the busted R .So the L may be ok .
Just unusual for two to go bang simultaneously.......on that info ( if it’s correct ?? Can’t be 100 % sure - sorry ) look at the R one first .

They say do a soap test to see bubbles con the top of the strut .
Ive read it can be just a o ring fitting on a pipe Union .......so don’t buy anything until you know for sure a bag has bust .

As far as access to jack .....can you run it Fwds up a ramp to gain height enough for your normal Jack .

I think jack mode just locks them at a preset L sos not to allow them to hang fully extended and risk a bag tear by over extension of the strut.

Some just change the one busted , Bentley say do them in pairs .Control arm bushes particularly the inner uppers will be easy to inspect with the the strut out .Bentley guide 1 and 1/2 hrs of labour to remove and replace a strut fwiw ?

If they haven’t been done in the last 20/30 thousand miles. .....then they probably will need replacing.
Other joints / bushes all can be accessed and pry barred with the strut in situ , it’s just the upper inners that are hidden until the struts removed .

Additionally there’s threads on here about torquing they upper control arms up when you reassemble .Specific angles with weighted suspension.

good luck and post some pics ...bubble / soap test etc .

 

@Yoghurtshotgun

Hello All,
None of the air lines are shared, it does not feed either side first, then the other, be it front or rear, left or right.

Each strut air bladder has its own air supply from the air distribution valve block located on the compressor itself, which is located on the bottom of the vehicle in the spare tire housing, all the air lines run through the inside of the vehicle wrapped up in the wiring harness and out each corner of the vehicle.

If one side starts to sag or lower considerably, it will take the opposite side with it a bit, so when the system sees it needs to raise the vehicle on both sides, the valve block opens both valves, and because one has a massive leak, both will now fall...

As far as "Jack Mode", it shuts the system down mostly for when using a roadside jack so the vehicles suspension system does not try to compensate for the jack use, and end up with vehicle movement while jacking, btdt on the Audi A8L W12, forgot JM and the cheap OEM jack fell over....

I do agree jack mode is to be used when putting the vehicle on a lift, regardless of whether you use it or not on the said lift, the suspension will still hang, it does not get locked in place, when using JM on the lift, the system will not see that the wheels are hanging thinking that the vehicle is to high, therefore it will not release the air in the struts, so when you lower the vehicle it will not be on the ground height wise.

Johnny

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Hello @TeamJones1962 ,
Correct, it is for when lifting off the ground , tires hanging, BUT, it is also used as a test, if one has a slow leak one would but the vehicle in lift mode (highest setting) and then activate the jack mode and let it sit to see which corner falls/sags first, then that corner is you starting point.

Johnny

 

Good info to know!

 

Thanks for the replies guys .ok it seems the pair are lowering together (no one side quicker than the other) I tried the soap trick on both arms but as they were low already the pump wouldn't kick in as it said level fault.the pump is working hard and doesn't seem to get it to full height it shuts down due to heat before it gets to full height but diagnostic doesn't see any faults even when I activate things singly.i have a feeling something is leaking on the drivers side (UK) as when I vented through diagnostic not slot happened but when I did it on all other corners I'd moved .it's either that or the valve block on the pump .I know the pump is normally covered but it seems noisy I'm also wondering if I've knackered the pump maybe the leak had been there a while,it always sat fine when in the garage

 

Don't spray the arms. Open the hood and spray the TOP of the strut. Get it nice and soapy and if there’s a leak you should see bubbles.

 

Ahhhh 🙈 top tip .I'll have a look tomorrow sick of looking at her now 😂 I love her when she's working but she's a ***** when she goes wrong .my other half says just get rid of it!!! But I can't ha ha

 

Also is it better to get the whole strutt or the bag with the clamps to fit in original arm

 

@Yoghurtshotgun ,
It depends on a few factors,
Mileage on your vehicle now, and if these are original, also will you be doing all the work yourself ?

Johnny

 

Its a 2004 with 88,000 they look original and yea I'll do it myself the job doesn't look too hard I was thinking I'd maybe do control arms etc also whilst I'm there

 

@Yoghurtshotgun ,
At 88k I would do the full strut, of course it's your call depending on how you felt the quality of the ride was prior to leakage.

You can get both front air bladder kites for $1008
or both brand new complete struts for $1854.

Johnny

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