[Bob with the 66]

1998 Frod Crown Vic,

I go out this morning to see my car sitting in the drive with the rear end sitting real low to the tires.

Air ride suspension warning light comes on at the dash.

Where is the pump located on my car and is it easy to change?

Checked the relay and it is good.

Thank you in advance.

[goatnut]

The compressor asm is in front of the left inner fender well under the air cleaner box.
remove air box unbolt compressor from underside and lift out from the top.

[Bob with the 66]

Thanks goat nut,

Found it, now can I test it to see if its good.

I sent you a pm.

Anyone else want to chime in on the testing, the more help the better.

[sleepy]

Hook the wires up to 12 volts and see if it runs. if it does put your finger over the hose hook up and see if it's pumping air.

[Bob with the 66]

12 volts runs the motor and it feels like its pumping air with my finger over the hole.

I'm thinking my pump is good and the problem is coming from some place else.

I did push the ride height level rod (the sensor in the back) all the way up and the pump did not come on, having the key in the "ON" position.

Bags feel like their holding air, at least are holding pressure.

What my next step? Take her out back and shoot her? lol...

[sleepy]

Are there wires running to the RHS or just air lines?
If just air lines take the line from the compressor off on both ends and try to blow threw it. Might be blocked
Then the line to the bags.
If it has wires to it try jumping the wires together and see if the pump runs. If the pump runs crossing the wires the HRS is bad.

[mzbk2l]

Check the harness and connections under the car very carefully. As you'd suspect, the rear axle area is one of the best places on the car to collect salt and slush and start corroding wires.

On my '85 Olds 98, I found so much corrosion in the harness back near the level switch on the rear end that the copper wires were actually corroded away to nothing - inside the insulation - for about 6" going forward from the connection to the switch. I ended up replacing the switch, the connector, and about a foot of the harness with clean parts from a southern car.

I made sure I'd never have the problem again by moving to Arizona.

[Bob with the 66]

Hey guys, any way to get the rear bag soliniods to open up without having to by a new control moldule?

160,000 miles on the car, just trying to get it to sit level, don't have to ride nice. (lol...)

Can't afford to move to Arizona either, lol...

pump is running, I think the bag soliniods are just not opening to let the air fill the bags.

Thanks,

[SIPLOWGUY]

I think they make a kit to put springs in place of those air bags.

[mike nixon]

There's a company in TX that makes a replacement for the airbags as springs.


Mike

[mechanickeith]

If the bags are good & you just want it to " sit level ", bypass everything & Plumb it direct!!! Run the bag air lines to a " T " fitting & run a schrader valve to the T & pump air into it till it sits level. Just like it was done back in the day with air ride shocks!!! I belive you can still get the air shock plumbing kit at NAPA.

[Bob with the 66]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I thought of the same idea, but one problem with it. Each rear bag has a solenoid at the top of it that if not open the bag will not take air.

I have to find someway of opening those solenoids so I then can add air.

It's good to have more than just my head spinning with this one. ;-)

I did get lucky and find a wiring diagram on the internet, but I can't fiqure it out.

I think a computer module controls those valves opening and closing. (it opens them up to lower the ride height after my butt gets out of the car. (lol..) Or it used too.

I don't want to fork out the cost for a new computer module. 160,000 mile transportation special, next week something will go wrong.

Thank you for the help so far,

[mechanickeith]

Bob, Are the solenoids part of the air bags?? or can they be taken off & plumb air lines direct to the bag?? That may be a possibility.

[bastard]

When one of the bags goes bad you will wish you had put springs in it when you see what the air bags cost.
A buddy of mine just swapped to springs on his Lincoln because he said the whole kit with 2 springs 2 shocks and all the hardware was cheaper than buying 1 air bag. if you are really interested I can find out where he got his kit.

[mike nixon]

Take your pick


http://www.strutmasters.com/


http://www.suspension-alternatives.c...nsion-kits.php


http://www.airbags-oem.com/makers.htm

[Bill Eveland]

I would suspect the height sensor or the wiring to it. Even though your moving it around, if the computer doesn't see the voltage change with the height differance it won't open or close the bags at the solenoids. If you can find a good known used sensor, swap it and see if that helps. Also if the computer doesn't see the proper voltage range the sensor is supposed to be in with either full up to full down, it will flag the light on.

[Half-Inch Stud]

I put coil springs (from a junkyard Caprice Taxi) into the ole 95 Lincoln T/C when it's rear bags leaked too often (like the middle of every night..."brrrrrrrrrr" from the front pump.

The new 95 Lincoln T/C still has them air springs & get this: they will leak air when I jack the car up because that will expose the hissing leaks from chaffing&wear-zones in the rubber. But they don't leak when sitting on the tires and ready to drive. That says you might be able to "repair" the leaks by wiping-clean the rubber-chaffing area then coating with Petroleum Jelly.

[Half-Inch Stud]

...such a cleaning may buy you a lot of time, and familiarize you with the rear bags.

[SIPLOWGUY]

A guy at work is doing the spring conversion. I think he said the cost was under $100.

[Bob with the 66]

Just to let all you who helped me, I had to put a new air ride computer module in the car over the weekend.

The back end is back to the correct ride height now.

It wasn't cheap, $242.00 for the module, but at least I don't look like a low rider anymore.(lol...)

Thanks to all that helped me.

Bob,