Introduction and SLS fault

[Nikk]

Hello everyone, great site, first post! By way of introduction, we have had our TD5 for 4 years now, what a workhorse. We use it to travel to Spain every summer with five children and loads of stuff on the roof rack. It is very good at going off into the mountains and collecting all of our drinking water. I do all the servicing, we will not pay the rates to dealers anymore....

Sadly, she looks puffed out and is sitting on her nearside rear haunch looking all forlorn at the moment!!:(

I have read all the other threads about this and just wanted the experts to look over these extra symptoms.

Once, when parked up, engine off, a compressor noise was heard coming from the offside underneath of the car. Found out this was the compressor for the rear SLS. I thought the system was hydraulic until I read my rave CD. I firmly believe you learn something new every day. For the record my trade is helicopters, not vehicles. Anyway, thought nothing more of it until the next day, puffed out position.

However, when engine started the car righted itself and no problems until I noticed that the car was again returning to the puffed out position when one of my sons was just sitting in the back, engine off.

My question is this, could this be the air spring that everyone keeps referring to or some kind of valve in the compressor control unit. Could anyone please advise and be specific on which valve I need to look at. The rave cd does not give any fault diagnosis. Also, where is the best place, best price, to pick up one of these air springs and how do you replace it??

Thanks in anticipation and look forward to using, what is, a fantastic forum, in the future......:) Nikk.

[Dave-H]

Hi Nik, welcome to the forum.
Yep - sounds like your air "spring" has a slight leak.
Stick a noo 'un on it, easy to do.

[Madoobri]

Hello & welcome to the forums :)

[NomadABC]

Hello, and welcome. From personal experience, it's your spring.

[Nikk]

Thanks for the replies.

It mentions in the rave cd that you need to attach the testbook to depressurise the SLS system. Can this be ignored? Does anyone know a good place to pick up the best priced air spring.

Also does anyone have any tips for changing the air spring in addition to what the rave cd says before I start ripping it apart.??:)

[NomadABC]

My dealer put the car on the lift and used a gearbox jack to lift the back of the vehicle, using the bottom of the tow plate. He then unscrewed to air pipe to the top of the spring. Lots of hissing, but he didn't bother connecting via testbook. According to Rave, it's then just the top and bottom clips that need removing. Mine were a bit rotten, so make sure you have new ones.

Paddocks have springs @ £79.99+. Let us know how you get on.

[Newsreader]

Part Number : RKB101200 AIR SPRING FOR DISCO 2 REAR

£125 from Craddock, and I think someone said £80-ish from Paddocks?

EDIT: LOL it was Nomad ^^^^^^^^ :D

[Neil M]

Just bought one from Paddock, I think the price(£79.99+) was an online special. Looks a doddle to fit. You could check the spring with soapy water if you need confirmation of a leak.

[graham]

Welcome to the forum hope you get sorted ;)

[Nikk]

Hi everyone, been away on teambuilding. Thanks for all the replies. Could not find a leak on the spring, glad I didn't rip it off!! So had another look under the cover of the air compressor unit and on closer inspection noticed that the inlet pipe elbow connection had failed, cracked into little pieces and then somehow melted onto the pump unit. I suspect that debris has gone down the hole to the pump and valves, creating a blockage somewhere and giving the intermittent operation of the air suspension on the offside rear spring. I have removed the air pipes and checked for debris - nothing. Has anyone ever taken the pump unit apart and does anyone know where I can pick up a second hand reconditioned air compressor unit. It is working at the moment but would feel happier with a replacement. Regards, Nikk Lovelock-Jeffels.

[Nikk]

Hi everyone, here is an update, after much deliberation I decided to replace the air spring as opposed to the compressor unit, I figured that the compressor was working overtime due to the leaky spring - just couldn't understand why it only deflated sometimes???? Also no leak found with soapy water. must have been a pin ***** of a hole. Anyway after taking the weight of the car off the airspring by jacking up a little way, the airspring came off very easily and fitted one from Paddocks ( a good price at £79.99 + vat) and identical to the original spec. Now SLS works a treat.:D

Just got to fix the starter motor fault that presented itself to me last night while trying to make a dinner date. I am fore-armed with all the advice from this great forum, just about to go and check all my connections.

Adios amigos. :)

Nikk Lovelock-Jeffels