Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 12:01 pm, by: Mark Paddick
It's more likely that the pump is not working properly. The best bet would be to grab the one Damien has and swap. It doesn't take much to get them out. 3 bolts and two air lines from memory. This would give you a definate answer.
Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 05:31 pm, by: Ben Folkes
I think the pump is fine because we pulled it out today and changed a few o-rings, now its pumping ok..do you know how many psi it should be pumping out?Maybe i can test the pressure its making..just need to know a range it should be in. Could there be something else, the "next step" along from the pump that is the problem?
Maybe an auto electrician who knows their way around this problem is the answer!
I just really cant think of what else could be the problem..
Monday, August 08, 2005 - 03:02 pm, by: Ben Folkes
Yeah its definately pumping air out, what valve would that be? Is it possible to check if any air is actually getting pumped into the struts? Is it possible to take the car to a toyota mechanic, do they have a diagnosis system that can pinpoint the exact problem?
Monday, August 08, 2005 - 04:34 pm, by: Damien Smith
The air comes out of a thin hard plastic line which goes into a valve which is mounted just next to the compressor towards the front of the car. In the photo you posted it'd be up to the top right out of the shot.
It's pretty easy to unclip the lines at the valve which go to each front strut and the one that goes to the rear so maybe you can check that air is actually coming out of the valve by undoing one of the lines? If it's already dumped as low as it'll go I can't see any problem with testing it that way.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 09:20 pm, by: Ben Folkes
Just talking to the previous owner of the car, he said that all the airbags were recently replaced brand new..he said that the electrician who did this had to go through some kind of sequence to reset the suspension computer. The pump works, the airbags are new, so could the computer possibly have a problem with it? Is there any way to test this? What is the correct complete suspension computer reset method?
Also, the reason he has for the suspension not working is that the battery was taken out..before this it worked fine.
cheers
David Vaughan TryHard Soarer GT-L (4.0 V8) and is300 (3.0 VVT-i 6)
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 09:45 pm, by: David Vaughan
Check with Neil. He replaced mine and can tell you if any resets were required. He has never mentioned any. The battery story sounds unlikely. So far as I have seen or been told, disconnecting the battery for a period has no relevant effects.
Did he say what he paid to replace the air struts? Curious why he would spend $4,000 (over five at RRP) to perfect the car's suspension and then promptly sell. Nor would I expect it to be a job for an electrician. Just musing here.
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 09:30 am, by: Damien Smith
Removing the battery would have reset the computer. When I still had the airbags in mine I had the battery out on numerous occasions without anything happening to the suspension...
How long does the pump run for? If it only runs for a short time then stops it does sound like the computer is "set" to that height otherwise it'd continually be running to try to raise the suspension.
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 10:21 am, by: Ben Folkes
how long would you say it takes for the bags to be pumped up if the car was sitting on the tyres? I think the pump runs continually until we turn the car off..yeah he said they were $750 each to replace.
David Vaughan TryHard Soarer GT-L (4.0 V8) and is300 (3.0 VVT-i 6)
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 10:48 am, by: David Vaughan
Not helping you Ben, but is that $750 price repeatable? If so, it is the best public offer (rather than strictly mate's rates) I have seen for air struts.
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 11:12 am, by: Ben Folkes
I have no idea, ill find out about the price and if it is repeatable..as you said it could also possibly be mates rates. Give me a few days and ill see what i can find out.
Does anyone know of a manual or something that has a step-by-step guide for troubleshooting the air suspension? Considering the airbag's are new and the pump works, its just lack of knowledge of these systems that is stopping me from getting this problem fixed! Does the soarer bible have anything on this? Cheers
David Vaughan TryHard Soarer GT-L (4.0 V8) and is300 (3.0 VVT-i 6)
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 11:30 am, by: David Vaughan
I believe it does, in Japanese... You could ask Jeff if Kumiko would tackle that section or at what price.
I had a random look through 900 pages of the first Japanese manual it seems as though Section 7-71 around page 610 could be it. I am looking at the pretty pictures, not reading Japanese, so could easily be wrong.
It is a pity you are in a city where Neil isn't, and your car not driveable.
David Vaughan TryHard Soarer GT-L (4.0 V8) and is300 (3.0 VVT-i 6)
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 03:15 pm, by: Neil Griffiths
Ben, You will see that a pipe runs from that filter to the pump itself..If air is coming out of the filter..there is something wrong with the pump. Either grab Damiens or pull the pump head to bits. That filter should have a hose going from it to the Alloy section of the front bumper (Crash pad) It is to stop contaminants getting into the pump.
I would be on the feelings that the pump unit itself is cactus. Easy to swap over pumps than to play around trying to do diagnostics mate.As there is no fault code for the pump.
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 04:34 pm, by: Ben Folkes
Yeah mate we pulled the pump head off, and after doing so, had a fiddle around, it now pumps normally..even so i might give a pump swap a go to rule out at least one factor.
Damien you said you have a spare pump? Hopefully we can organise something..
Friday, August 12, 2005 - 01:17 pm, by: Ben Folkes
Yeah not a problem..
We checked the voltages through the TEMS circuit and found a discrepancy with the solenoid voltage ..its reading 6 volts, shouldnt it be minimum 8 volts per actuator? Could there be a poor connection somewhere causing this problem?