Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10367
You are clearly well suited to these landrovers
12th May 2020 10:51 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Re: Update on sinking issue
Prette wrote:
Hi all, this will most likely, be a long post.
Thanks all for all the help and guidance. I watched the video above on how to service the dissecant thing, I found it not much easier than the valve block (at least to my rusty and seized screws D3 - I sheared 3 screws in various places and broke the wheel wrench on a seized nut )
Anyways, got the second-hand valve block, as I mentioned before and started my journey Sunday morning like this.
Click image to enlarge
Raised the suspension to off-road, jacked up the car, put the new axles stands on and started to think the least annoying way to remove that .
It turned out to be from outside the left rear arch, as you can see from this pic.
I removed the electrical connector and put it down. I have bought some short spanners on offer (€1,50) when I was buying the axles stands. I unscrew the bottom connection (air inlet) slowly until it whistles. Left there some 15 min then I was impatient and remove the connector completely. For my surprise, the valve was still whistling (not the pipe, the valve ) I made a video on that. The valve was leaking a lot.
With the inlet pipe out, you can slide the valve upwards and twist to see the two outlets in the rear. By sensing the nut, I unscrew the top one (out let to the rear left suspension). Again, I unscrew a little and wait another 10 minutes (at this point everything had leaked already through the valve anyway
With the top pipe off, turned the valve to see the bottom one (going to the rear right suspension)
From there you can see the nut and unscrew it easily.
To refit it was a bit more complicated as the nuts do not really turn easy on a "cold and windy" day. But the two rear nut entered fairly easy on their place. A bit fiddly but not as difficult as I thought.
To fit the connectors, as long as you place them straight and hand tight easily they will probably be ok (not cross threaded) (if it is hard to turn or tilted STOP, go back and do it again) only after some easy turns by finger I used the spanner to tighten them.
Once the two outlet pipes are connected, you can slide the valve block in place and as before, finger screw the inlet (bottom) pipe. then tight with the spanner. For all this, I only used a spanner 12 and a LOT OF PATIENCE.
The whole process took about 3-4h with some 30-45min waiting air to come out. Some beer sips some shouts and hand warming, more beer sips, thinking and more swearing and more beer
And after some days.... VOILA the D3 is still high up !!!! All sorted.
Click image to enlarge
My repair kit arrived today, I will do the front valve someday in the future.
After taking my valve off, I opened it to see the state it was inside. It turned out that it was better than I thought
AND I am not sure it is reparable. See the arrow, it is a big scratch in the center housing. Perhaps that is why it was leaking so badly.
If you guys want to see the video of the whistling, I can post it later. Or any specific details on how I did, drop a message and will try to help as much as I can.
Hi
Also really pleased for u that it’s back up and running
Hope suggesting about the short spanners made life abit easier on that rear valve block
for future reference Will put some links up ref vacuum and connectors
13th May 2020 3:38 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hope the following items helps to make life easier , have included links
I used this hand vacuum pump to test valve blocks , so they can be tested beforehand to ensure it’s not letting by and also after you’ve rebuilt it with new seals
Hand vacuum pump, also enclosed link for a pushfit connector to make life easier , when using these plse make sure the end of the pipe is cut square and there are no gouges , scores etc on the plastic pipe
With the vacuum pump , use some of the clear plastic pipe that comes with the kit , need some 6mm nylon pipe to go into the end of the clear pipe so u can push the pipe into the connector
( can also be used , ie, to test the pipe from the reservoir valve block to the front valve block for any leaks etc )
6mm brass pushfit connector , Need a few wraps of PTFE , don’t get the gas tape PTFE as thats a lot thicker
( Size Of fitting , 6mm x M10x1 Metric Thread 80 BAR HP Brass Push Fit Straight Stud )
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1923
quick update
Managed to get back to the car.
Raised it to offroad height last night and removed fuse 26 to prevent self-leveling. This morning the front had dropped 8cm lower than the rear, (which I assume remained in offroad height).
I'll order the seal set for the fronts, but can I ask if anyone can explain why both sides of the front dropped by equal amounts? Is the front suspension linked in some way? I had expected the car to be down at one corner, so either the fronts are somehow joined or I have two bad valve blocks!
(No faults on the car).
Thanks. PAGODA
1st Jun 2020 7:01 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hi
Enclosed a pic of my front valve block after I had used some soapy water
The pipes are
Green LH strut
Top LH pipe goes to the RH strut
LH bottom pipe with the white mark is ur inlet from the reservoir valve
For the front to drop u may have a leak on that LH bottom inlet pipe ( white mark on it ) on the front valve block, or valve block is letting by , ( if that’s the case it needs to leak out one of those pipes )
Personally I would remove ur front RH liner, ( for LHD , ur passenger side ) and bubble test the connections on that front valve block
Also bubble test the outlet pipe on ur reservoir valve block , ( NO. 8 ) and top of ur front struts , doubt there leaking but always best to check
An easy way to think of it is, u have one pipe that comes from u compressor into ur reservoir valve block, then out of that to ur front valve block
Then the other 2 x pipes on ur front valve block go to each front strut
Hope that helps and haven’t over complicated things by writing an essay
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Last edited by gstuart on 1st Jun 2020 8:20 pm. Edited 4 times in total
1st Jun 2020 8:01 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Sorry forgot the reservoir valve block, bubble test number 8 , which goes to ur front valve block
Click image to enlarge
1st Jun 2020 8:09 pm
James W
Member Since: 27 Mar 2008
Location: Wirral, UK
Posts: 3067
pagoda wrote:
Managed to get back to the car.
Raised it to offroad height last night and removed fuse 26 to prevent self-leveling. This morning the front had dropped 8cm lower than the rear, (which I assume remained in offroad height).
I'll order the seal set for the fronts, but can I ask if anyone can explain why both sides of the front dropped by equal amounts? Is the front suspension linked in some way? I had expected the car to be down at one corner, so either the fronts are somehow joined or I have two bad valve blocks!
(No faults on the car).
Thanks.
I've probably got part of this wrong but there is only once valve block and yes it does 'connect' the two fronts in some states in order to simulate a solid axle, and to help provide the overall lift when riding over obstacles that you would otherwise lose. So one leaking valve block could make both sides at the front drop down.
Happy to be corrrected and i'll update my post!D4 XS, gone, much loved, never forgotten
2018 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography - Gone to someone with less sense and more time to enjoy it
2016 Toyota Hilux Invincible - Liberating experience
1st Jun 2020 8:56 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hiya
Indeed , pressing the DSC button opens the cross linking solenoid on the valve blocks ( front and rear) allowing air to pass between the struts left and right to simulate a live beam axle , so as one goes up the other on the other side will go down
Also found this if it may be of any use to ur goodself
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1923
Brilliant, guys - and gstuart thank you so much. The info is hugely useful and I'm extremely grateful. Ordering the parts right now then pulling the car apart at the weekend. Hoepfully new seals will sort it. The compressor is quite new and despite the 100K miles on a 2006 car, it's immaculate. No rust. Never done anything but the school run until I got it 4 years ago. It's a brilliant car and I much prefer it to the 5 or 6 Disco 3s and 4s I've had. Love the engine.PAGODA
1st Jun 2020 11:56 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13657
Hi
Glad it helped , alas when I bought my D3 the suspension had been seriously neglected and took some time to sort it out, had more leaks that a colander, lol
Hope it’s a simple fix
Ps, very jealous as see u have the V8
2nd Jun 2020 8:54 am
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10367
"pressing the DSC button opens the cross linking solenoid on the valve blocks ( front and rear)"
I thought off road height opened the cross valve. (whether it remains open with fuse out, hopefully not)
Don't see why the DSC button would.
2nd Jun 2020 12:19 pm
Fatneck73
Member Since: 03 Dec 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 88
Hi all.
May i add to this as suffering from OSF sinking, sometimes overnight, other times it takes a few days.
Im no mechanic so alot of this is actually hard to follow but this post seems pretty awesome and is the best one so far re this.
My quick question is...as its seems to mostly only affect my OSF (altho the NSR does lower a bit)...do i need to do the ‘remove fuse’ test?
Cheers,
3rd Jan 2021 6:11 pm
Fatneck73
Member Since: 03 Dec 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 88
Removed fuse 26 last night....hasnt lowered at all. Typical!
4th Jan 2021 12:28 pm
AACSC
Member Since: 22 Mar 2014
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 67
Locating an air leak
I have recently experienced a suspension drop overnight which proved very difficult to pin down.
having identified which suspension strut was the culprit I purchased a Schraeder fitting ( available and suitable for the 6mm pipe) I was able to positively identify where the leak was taking place by connecting the schraeder fitting to the pipe , removed from the valve block , and pressurizing with a foot pump and monitoring the of the pressure over an hour or two. If you identify a pressure drop you can then access the top of the strut and connect a short piece of 6mm pipe , apply some pressure with a foot pump to determine whether the strut air bag is sound.
In my case the air was leaking from the connector on the top of the LH strut which is difficult to see and access. I replaced the 6mm pipe to the valve block with a brass connector and sealer and now no leak
AACSCGraduate of the FDC ( Fred Dibnah College)
4th Jan 2021 1:23 pm
Fatneck73
Member Since: 03 Dec 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 88
So update - wen i remove fuse 26...susp stays up. I put the fuse back in and its stayed up x48hrs but in the last hour, has started to sink at front. Car i parked very slightly uphill (front higher). Any suggestions?
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