Allroad suspension

[murdochcg]

My Allroad suspension is rumbling away good style but nothing is happening in the vertical direction as the air pump seals are all done. I understand this is to be expecteded between 80-90k. Audi quote £11/1200 for a new pump fitted.

Is there a cheaper alternative part that does the same job.........I would appreciate any assistance in this regard as I don't need this kind of repair bill. Cheers guys!

Colin

[bagpipingandy]

My Allroad suspension is rumbling away good style but nothing is happening in the vertical direction as the air pump seals are all done. I understand this is to be expecteded between 80-90k. Audi quote £11/1200 for a new pump fitted.

Is there a cheaper alternative part that does the same job.........I would appreciate any assistance in this regard as I don't need this kind of repair bill. Cheers guys!

Colin

Hi Colin,

there are other options other than audi,

Snugglebum (Lee) on this forum purchased a replacement compressor as a backup from ebay £430 including shipping from Germany http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Kompressor-Aud...QQcmdZViewItem there are a few for sale from this guy, Lee has not fitted it but seems happy double check all part numbers!! when the cash is right i will buy one as a spare!!

or Arnott do a replacement but it is refurbished see link:
http://www.arnottindustries.com/part...17_pid124.html

you would still have to fit these yourself or have someone fot them for you, the e-bay one if a genuine part will be a straight swap, the arnott one does needs a wiring modification. i have removed my compressor for some repair work and it is straight forward and not too complex to do.

however is your compressor definately bust?, how did you establish the seals are done? have you had fault codes read on it? there could be many reasons it doesn't go up or down!! is the fault light on in the dash! lots of things to check before replacing it.

also just read you message further you suggest the compressor is rumbaling away but no movement, the valves are a seperate module (I Think) and purchased seperately from the compressor (again I think) i have a module next to the compressor which has all the airlines go into for each wheel i assume this controls where the air goes so it may no be a compressor which is required.

Any one any experience of this other module with the airlines??

Andy

[DrWho]

Hi,

You are right about the valve unit or valve chest as it is known at audi being separate. I was quoted £170 plus fitting by dealer for the chest.

I have also bought compressor off ebay as had leaking airbag and split pipe which were replaced by dealer for £1238 but the car now struggles to adjust in auto as expected.

You say compressor replacement is fairly simple but I cant get independants to touch it as they are concerned about software calibration.

But i am tempted to lift it, disconnect battery, replace compressor, then reconnect battery. Then the computer should be none the wiser. I imagine it will the send demand to compressor until sensors on suspension tell it it's at the required height.

What do you think?

[DrWho]

Also,

If you can hear the compressor rumbling inside the car, i have heard that this is not expected and a noisy compressor is a sign of a wear. I also have this problem.

[Foley]

if you live near midlands i would recomend http://www.justvwaudi.co.uk/ the chap in charge Gary knows his stuff, and servicing costs are very good

[bagpipingandy]

Hi,

You are right about the valve unit or valve chest as it is known at audi being separate. I was quoted £170 plus fitting by dealer for the chest.

I have also bought compressor off ebay as had leaking airbag and split pipe which were replaced by dealer for £1238 but the car now struggles to adjust in auto as expected.

You say compressor replacement is fairly simple but I cant get independants to touch it as they are concerned about software calibration.

But i am tempted to lift it, disconnect battery, replace compressor, then reconnect battery. Then the computer should be none the wiser. I imagine it will the send demand to compressor until sensors on suspension tell it it's at the required height.

What do you think?

Hi Dr WHo,

I am unfamilliar, as yet, what a failing compressor symptoms will be, i assume as you say it tries to lift the car but eventually gives in, you really need VAG COM plugged in which can test the pressure in the system to see if the compressor can actually create up to the 100PSI required, as even a leak in the system could make it look like a failing compressor,
how long would you suggest your compressor runs before giving in?

Vag Com will also tell you if it is the heat sensor is faulty on the compressor, used to stop it overheating. however on reading your message further you say you already have a new compressor so at least swapping it over would prove if the compressor is working or not.
To swap it there is a main airline and a few multiplugs if you have a genuine one it will be a straight swap, disconnect the battery as you suggest and on connection again the compressor will pressurise the system until level, (unless you have a faulty level switch!!)

it will not need calibration after this is only required for adjusting corner heights or replacing with new level switches.

NOTE: before you disconnect the compressor the wheels may have to be off the ground, not on ramps as the system may leak with the main airline disconnected, the compressor feeds a storage tanks which then goes to the valves but as precaution, as you will be underneath it, I would advise to place the car on 4 axle stands, unless anyone can advise differently, also to jack the car up you are supposed to press and hold both up and down level buttons for at least 5 seconds, that puts the car in jack up mode, disabaling any leveling procedure.

hope this helps and does not put you off!!


regards

Andy

[DrWho]

Cheers chaps. Think i will jack it up onto axle stands, disconnect battery and then do the swap.

I would be interested in using VAG COM following this to check for any other issues. Is it available to buy/download for laptop use or only available via a main dealer?

I was surprised to hear from awesome gti in manchester that they are not able to do these checks. They have had the car before and diagnosed a leaking secondary waterpump saving me a considerable amout over my main dealer who wanted to change both head gaskets. So i would recommend them for being genuine fault finders.

[DrWho]

In addition. To answer your question. It takes about a minute to fail. I have noticed this when I have had the car on level 1 and passengers have boarded. Due to their extra weight pushing the car below normal it causes the warning light to flash and then goes solid after about 1 minute. I had it at low level in manual to try and reduce the amount of work on the compressor.

The dealer did try to swap the compressor first as their diagnostic tool (VAG COM I assume) indicated this as the problem. But as the car was dropping to the floor I wanted the air bags/lines checked first. And two leaks were in fact found which when repaired solved the problem. For a while that is. Now I think the compressor has given up the ghost as there is no dropping just issues with auto lowering and raising.

[bagpipingandy]

Cheers chaps. Think i will jack it up onto axle stands, disconnect battery and then do the swap.

I would be interested in using VAG COM following this to check for any other issues. Is it available to buy/download for laptop use or only available via a main dealer?

I was surprised to hear from awesome gti in manchester that they are not able to do these checks. They have had the car before and diagnosed a leaking secondary waterpump saving me a considerable amout over my main dealer who wanted to change both head gaskets. So i would recommend them for being genuine fault finders.

Hi Drwho,

yes Vag com allows a thourough diagnostic of all the audi systems including the Air suspension, from the valves operating correctly to preassures in all air bags. and many other things. it is available to buy from many distrobuters, not the main dealers.

To perform thourough checks i think you need a fully licenced version i paid around £250 from ilexa in the UK, ross tech is the manufacturer of the software and all info can be found on the website.
http://www.ross-tech.com/

Note VAG com is now called VCDS.

there are other versions for much less but i have no 1st hand experience of their capability and functionality

Andy