Ah yes, just when you think you've got it sorted something new comes along....
While on the trail this weekend the dread red suspension warning light came on and I found the front had dropped to the bump stops. Oddly, the rear stayed up. I cleared the codes but had a C1A00 - control module code immediately return. OK no problem - I'm prepared for this. I'll just use the GAP tool to manually override and inflate the front...except in this case although I could command the compressor to come on and tell the computers to open the front valves to let air in the valves weren't opening. A little experimenting soon showed that the rear valves weren't responding either. I could neither raise nor lower anything.
My theory is that the actual control module must be dead or at least not responding to commands either from the EAS or the GAP tool. So when I used the GAP tool to override and force the front to inflate the compressor would come on but without the valves opening (either at the axle valve or the compressor valve) there was no way to actually push air into the struts. The fact that both the front and rear were unresponsive is what makes me think the actual module must be at fault.
I ended up driving it home in stink-bug mode, with the front on the bump stops and the rear in the air. Made for an interesting ride, but at least it wasn't rubbing while underway. Yeah, I'm sure I took some life off the inside shoulders of the front tires but they're scheduled to go away this fall anyway.
I did all the usual checks of the wiring once it was home but found nothing amiss. So off it goes to the dealer...hooray.
I've been sitting on a Green Oval manual inflation kit for almost 2 years and haven't installed it thinking with the GAP tool I could likely self-recover from any probable failure. Of course, I didn't expect the computers to refuse to talk to the valves. So maybe I'll reconsider installing that kit after all.
Actually, I've been discussing things with a buddy from the club and we're toying with the idea of building a stand-alone manual over-ride. It seems the basic mechanicals of the rig are fairly robust. The struts don't often fail; even the compressors don't tend to fail without warning. Air lines or fittings don't often fail. It's sensors or computer related stuff that gives me headaches. Seems like it wouldn't be that hard to basically build a box with a few toggle switches wired to the front, rear, and compressor air valves and the compressor itself. Send 12v to the right valve and the compressor and it'll have to raise - you wouldn't need the computer for anything. Is it really that simple? You'd still need to either pull the fuses or use the GAP tool to enter build mode to keep a fault from dumping the air and putting you right back on the bump stops again, but when you take out all the fancy monitoring systems all you've got is a compressor and some valves. Pretty basic.
Of course being a Land Rover there's likely something I've missed that would stop this idea from actually working. Regardless it's worth some thought.
And before you ask, no, I'm not switching to coils. They simply won't work for my application.
While on the trail this weekend the dread red suspension warning light came on and I found the front had dropped to the bump stops. Oddly, the rear stayed up. I cleared the codes but had a C1A00 - control module code immediately return. OK no problem - I'm prepared for this. I'll just use the GAP tool to manually override and inflate the front...except in this case although I could command the compressor to come on and tell the computers to open the front valves to let air in the valves weren't opening. A little experimenting soon showed that the rear valves weren't responding either. I could neither raise nor lower anything.
My theory is that the actual control module must be dead or at least not responding to commands either from the EAS or the GAP tool. So when I used the GAP tool to override and force the front to inflate the compressor would come on but without the valves opening (either at the axle valve or the compressor valve) there was no way to actually push air into the struts. The fact that both the front and rear were unresponsive is what makes me think the actual module must be at fault.
I ended up driving it home in stink-bug mode, with the front on the bump stops and the rear in the air. Made for an interesting ride, but at least it wasn't rubbing while underway. Yeah, I'm sure I took some life off the inside shoulders of the front tires but they're scheduled to go away this fall anyway.
I did all the usual checks of the wiring once it was home but found nothing amiss. So off it goes to the dealer...hooray.
I've been sitting on a Green Oval manual inflation kit for almost 2 years and haven't installed it thinking with the GAP tool I could likely self-recover from any probable failure. Of course, I didn't expect the computers to refuse to talk to the valves. So maybe I'll reconsider installing that kit after all.
Actually, I've been discussing things with a buddy from the club and we're toying with the idea of building a stand-alone manual over-ride. It seems the basic mechanicals of the rig are fairly robust. The struts don't often fail; even the compressors don't tend to fail without warning. Air lines or fittings don't often fail. It's sensors or computer related stuff that gives me headaches. Seems like it wouldn't be that hard to basically build a box with a few toggle switches wired to the front, rear, and compressor air valves and the compressor itself. Send 12v to the right valve and the compressor and it'll have to raise - you wouldn't need the computer for anything. Is it really that simple? You'd still need to either pull the fuses or use the GAP tool to enter build mode to keep a fault from dumping the air and putting you right back on the bump stops again, but when you take out all the fancy monitoring systems all you've got is a compressor and some valves. Pretty basic.
Of course being a Land Rover there's likely something I've missed that would stop this idea from actually working. Regardless it's worth some thought.
And before you ask, no, I'm not switching to coils. They simply won't work for my application.