Hi all, fitted extensions to my front bags on 58 Continental rag top, pushed some air in & had slight leak at one bag, resolved that, then let compressor run & wires were gettin hot so unplugged & restarted a little while later but no air seemed to be going to the tank & when I pressed inflate ( four button control switch ) the bags DEFLATED!! Pressed the deflate button & same. Car is now stranded on friends ramp with me clueless!! Any suggestions please?? The first pic has an arrow:- when complications began I tried loosening & tightening this> Excuse my ignorance but this car had this system fitted before my importing into England & I've no instructions & had no joy as yet from RIDETECH, Cheers, Steve
Sounds like the dump valve is wired to both sides of the switch. I'd check out the wiring to all the switches...it's easy to mix up. I'd also check the ground to the compressor...make sure you're running the correct gauge hot wire for that model and that the ground is the same gauge. Bryan
I agree with RUSK. Also if your wires are getting hot while your compressor is running, you might have too small of guage wires.
Hi Brian, the only wires I've touched ( since last working well ) are the main elec cables going into the compressor itself. IF I'd put these on the wrong way initially, would that have dumped the air? If so is it just a case of correcting & waiting for tank to fill? If not that, perhaps I've disturbed something smewhere else unknowingly but nothing has gahnged in the switch area. Cheers, Steve
Hi Falcon63 ( apologies to Bryan for mispelling of name ). Yes the wire gauge is something I planned to look at when this developed. Thanks, Steve
as far as your wires getting hot i have seen waaaayyy too many people wire compressors like they are wireing a light - big no no. compressors draw a lot of amps and require a much bigger guage wire. i like to use 0 or 2 guage just to be on the safe side. it may be overkill but why temp fate. i like to use power wires for amplifiers because it bends nicely(monster cable sells nice ones) i have seen too many dumb kids with lowrider trucks start fires with the wires. dont want to see a nice classic get burned up...who cares about those s10's though
Also, if anyone has a Wiring diagram for this system I'd VERY much appreciate an emialing of it. I have taken a similar one from ridetech but not quite same as mine. Cheers.
I wouldn't think so. Any chance you can give us a diagram of the setup? Are you running two valves per bag allowing them to work independently? What kind of switches? Bryan
Hi Bryan, yes two valves per switch, all I have done is disconnect two front bags at bags, replace once extensions fitted & in process disconnect same feeds from bottom of compressor to give me more length to ease re-fitting to bags, other than that nothing changed.....unless disturbed or something got too hot. At a loss my friend. Here is a pic of nearest current switches available ....& also some more pics for you PHILLYCHOP. Cheers. Steve
Wow...that Licoln is BITCHIN It could be a crossed wire or something to that effect...there should be a wire from the top post of that switch to either the fill or dump valve, the post on the bottom goes to the opposite valve for that bag, and the middle post is hot from the battery, fuse-block, relay, etc. All 4 switches should work this way if you have an 8-valve system. It's tedious, but easy to check. It's also possible that the fittings are messed up...the valves have an in and out and I've seen 'em installed backwards...when aired up, they instantly leak out (which would make them sound like dump valves). This thread has some good info too: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124967 Hope that helps. Bryan
this isn't likely given how MOST valves work, BUT if your tank truly was empty, it's possible that opening the fill valves would in effect dump the bags into the tank... did you hear the same sound of air rushing out of the dump valves when you hit the "up" or "fill" switch initially?
JMN444 you got it in one, I knew wasn't lot of air in tank & quite poss was empty & yes noise was same and yes EVERYTHING worked correct before I simply put extension tops to the front two bags. Cheers, Steve. p.s Thanks Bryan, I think she's a looker.....in an UGLY way!
p.s JMN444 if this is indeed what happened, is it something that will correct itself if I leave the compressor running long enought to fill the tank again? Thanks, Steve
well, the sound being the same actually doesn't jive with my theory... should have been quieter going into the tank than the normal dump sound, but it's still possible. did it dump slower than normal? do you have a psi gauge on the tank? get one if not, that will answer a lot of questions about whether the compressor is doing its job or not. don't just let it run unless you have a pressure switch to kill it, it will burn it up if you let it push too much psi into the tank for a long time.
No it was quieter but similar sound & yes was slower. No gauge on tank but has always cut off before via prssure switch i guess.
What do you call that color? Not usually a fan of pinks or salmons because they remind me of the cheesy customs with betty boop art work painted on the trunks. But it looks real bitchin' on your Lincoln! That thing sure is low!
This link will take you to the Air Ride forum. Air Ride tech watch this forum an answer questions. http://www.ridetech.com/forum/tt.asp?appid=0
Hi Chris, take no notice of ex limey A32flathead, he loves my UGLY car really.....tho his description isn't far wrong is it! It's factory original colour of Matador red tho I'm not convinced when i had the paint mixed that they didnt add a little too much orange but I like it, like Flathead I tend to call it baked bean orange. here's an un adjusted pic to show true colour & thank you all for the compliments & pointers, yes got the thumbbnail in the end lgh1157 many thanks & will go check ridetch forum thanks 61cad. Off to work on her later will post results later, cheers all.
Good evenin all, thankyou for all your advice, stripped the compressor down in the end only to find the rubber piston ring had taken hold & bent up!! I straightend it enough to get some air bag in the tank & raise the car but need to get another piston rubber & sleeve if possible or at worst a new compressor I guess. Here's two pics of the compressor & it's label if anyone can help. Have a great weekend,.............. oh and I broke the air filter port at the end that screws in steve
Thanks for the clarification! Regardless of whether its USS Heinz Ketchup Red or Baked Bean Orange, I dig it!
Thank you Chris, me too, I love it now i've got it back on 14"wheels & prefer the 61 hubcaps I have on it, instead of the horrid 58s & the colour sure is eyecatching in the RARE English sunshine!!! Have a great day all.
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