Is my RR Classic in EAS shutdown?

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kevleaper

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Hi all
I've recently bought a RR Classic with air suspension. It hadn't been running for a while and the previous owner had stripped some of the dash due to wiring issues (turn out it was mice in the heater box). Not much worked when I got it home (no starter, wipers, heater fan, central locking, the list goes on). I've been working my way through the list, but one thing that was working once I got the engine running was the air suspension. However whilst working on the car the air suspension stopped working and the car gradually dropped to the bump stops (fuses/relays seem okay but pump doesn't kick in with engine running) and after reading around I assumed it had gone into hard fault mode probably due to me dicking around fixing various other wiring issues.
I've downloaded the EAS unlock software, made a lead and can connect to the car. The software allows me to run the pump, depressurise the tank/airbags and all looks good with no fault codes showing. But pressing the unlock EAS makes no difference, the car still sits on the bump stops. I'm not sure if the car really has the EAS locked or I'm barking up the wrong tree. Is there anyway of telling the status of the EAS?
Thanks for your time
Kev Leaper
 
kevleaper said:
Hi all
I've recently bought a RR Classic with air suspension. It hadn't been running for a while and the previous owner had stripped some of the dash due to wiring issues (turn out it was mice in the heater box). Not much worked when I got it home (no starter, wipers, heater fan, central locking, the list goes on). I've been working my way through the list, but one thing that was working once I got the engine running was the air suspension. However whilst working on the car the air suspension stopped working and the car gradually dropped to the bump stops (fuses/relays seem okay but pump doesn't kick in with engine running) and after reading around I assumed it had gone into hard fault mode probably due to me dicking around fixing various other wiring issues.
I've downloaded the EAS unlock software, made a lead and can connect to the car. The software allows me to run the pump, depressurise the tank/airbags and all looks good with no fault codes showing. But pressing the unlock EAS makes no difference, the car still sits on the bump stops. I'm not sure if the car really has the EAS locked or I'm barking up the wrong tree. Is there anyway of telling the status of the EAS?
Thanks for your time
Kev Leaper
Click to expand...
I take it you got the Green "Good Idle" on the EAS software. Have you checked the pump to see if it is making any pressure?
I suspect there is a leaking airspring as the car dropped and that has possibly shagged the pump..
 
Thanks for taking the time to reply
Yes got 'Good Green Idle', and pump was working and raising the suspension before I began investigating the other electrics so I think it's safe to assume it can produce a reasonable pressure. Pump runs on EAS unlock test mode, but not when reverted to the car's ECU.
I'd like to know if there's someway of confirming the car's suspension ECU has gone into some kind of 'hard fault mode'.
The EAS unlock software seems to work on the function/heights/depressurise pages and gives sensible FF responses in the RX file and Green Idle, but no fault codes (occasionally it lists every possible fault- 2 pages full - but they're all contradictory - valve stuck open, valve stuck shut etc). I contacted Storey at RSW and he said to ignore them and try altering the single byte speeds but that hasn't identified any real fault codes.
I thought I'd just trigged a hard fault in the ECU and the EAS unlock would clear it but hitting the unlock tab doesn't seem to change anything.

Bugger me it's a complicated system but I'd like to get to the bottom of it.
 
kevleaper said:
Thanks for taking the time to reply
Yes got 'Good Green Idle', and pump was working and raising the suspension before I began investigating the other electrics so I think it's safe to assume it can produce a reasonable pressure. Pump runs on EAS unlock test mode, but not when reverted to the car's ECU.
I'd like to know if there's someway of confirming the car's suspension ECU has gone into some kind of 'hard fault mode'.
The EAS unlock software seems to work on the function/heights/depressurise pages and gives sensible FF responses in the RX file and Green Idle, but no fault codes (occasionally it lists every possible fault- 2 pages full - but they're all contradictory - valve stuck open, valve stuck shut etc). I contacted Storey at RSW and he said to ignore them and try altering the single byte speeds but that hasn't identified any real fault codes.
I thought I'd just trigged a hard fault in the ECU and the EAS unlock would clear it but hitting the unlock tab doesn't seem to change anything.

Bugger me it's a complicated system but I'd like to get to the bottom of it.
Click to expand...
Don't assume the pump is making pressure, the piston ring is plastic and they can fail almost instantly.
If there are no faults recorded, the check the thermal trip in the pump as if it has been feeding a leak as indicated by it dropping then the pump may have overheated and tripped.
Actually, the EAS is very simple once you understand how it works.
 
Okay thanks, I'll check the pump pressure but I'm pretty confident it's making pressure as running it in test mode and then depressurising the tank in the test mode I can hear the air being released. The problem seems to be the pump doesn't even engage when I disconnect the EAS unlock cable and try it just on the car's ECU.
I'll delve deeper tomorrow and see what I can find.
Regards
 
kevleaper said:
Okay thanks, I'll check the pump pressure but I'm pretty confident it's making pressure as running it in test mode and then depressurising the tank in the test mode I can hear the air being released. The problem seems to be the pump doesn't even engage when I disconnect the EAS unlock cable and try it just on the car's ECU.
I'll delve deeper tomorrow and see what I can find.
Regards
Click to expand...
I think you will find that the pump can be forced to run with diagnostics even if the thermal trip has failed which will prevent it running normally.
 
Thanks for that, will do.
I kind of assumed I'd triggered a EAS inhibit fault in the ECU (not sure of the correct term) while I was investigating the myriad of electrical problems the car has due to mice. It looks like little sods had been using the blower fan like a hamster wheel and whilst dizzy had chewed various sections of the loom thinking it was food.
But now I've found out RSW software doesn't show any stored faults and the raise/lower buttons aren't showing any warning lights so I think the ECU lockout was an incorrect assumption.
I'll update once I've made some progress (if it ever stops raining).
Cheers
 
Just a quick update, fitted two new front airbags (old ones were badly cracked) and rigged up a way of inflating them via 4 Schrader valves and some 6mm T pieces and tube from eBay. I figured if I solved any pneumatic problems first and then worked out why the pump doesn't work once I know the system is airtight. Bags inflated okay, can't see any leaks using soapy water and car seems to remain level, but I'll check it over the weekend. Next job will be to investigate why the compressor doesn't kick in. Hopes and car are |raised at the moment.
 
kevleaper said:
Just a quick update, fitted two new front airbags (old ones were badly cracked) and rigged up a way of inflating them via 4 Schrader valves and some 6mm T pieces and tube from eBay. I figured if I solved any pneumatic problems first and then worked out why the pump doesn't work once I know the system is airtight. Bags inflated okay, can't see any leaks using soapy water and car seems to remain level, but I'll check it over the weekend. Next job will be to investigate why the compressor doesn't kick in. Hopes and car are |raised at the moment.
Click to expand...
As said before, compressor feeding leaks has probably overheated and the thermal trip has failed, it's possibly knackered as well so an overhaul kit with a new piston ring and liner needed.
 
Having pumped the air suspension up manually via the schrader valves the system does leak a little, but it seems to drop evenly over all four corners around 15mm over 24hrs. Not ideal, but I've decided to leave it at that for now while I worked on other wiring/recommissioning issues.
I'd finally got it to the stage that I could test drive it, first time in over ten years and guess what, the compressor kicked in and the suspension raised. Not sure why it wouldn't before but maybe the EAS unlock had done the job or possibly one of the door switches was acting up? I didn't get far though as the gearbox won't shift out of 1st gear (reverse is okay). While working on the engine I'd found the kickdown cable had seized so I detached it from the throttle linkage but now suspect it might be stuck open at the gearbox end, causing the gearbox to hang onto first gear. I'm hoping it's that because after all this work I don't think I could face a gearbox swap.
 
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