Disconnecting air suspension pump

[james8whippy]

Hey Guys,

Replaced the rear bags last week and now typically the pump has finally given up... well kind of its sounding pretty rough and performing weak and can't even inflate the bags fully.

So I've bought a Piston ring rebuild kit from eBay and am trying to fit it at the moment.

As I have the LPG tank the pump has been moved to the right hand cupboard so nice and easy to get to only problem is I can't work how to disconnect the air pipes and the electrics.

I have disconnected 3 square plugs no problem I just can't work out how the Red and Blue pipes come off also the main electric cable as it looks like its attached inside.

Can anyone give me any tips or point to a how to etc.?

Thanks!!
James 

[Greydog]

I haven't looked at mine but but most industrial pneumatic small bore systems are a push fit. There should be a raised ring around the top of the fitting push it down and pull the pipe at the same time.

Good Luck

[james8whippy]

Thanks Greydog! I Think I've worked out where I am going wrong now.... Judging from this ebay photo it looks like the pipes/wires stay connected to the pump and you can disconnect further down the wires/pipes.


My wires/pipes disappear under my LPG tank so thats going to be a delight to get too!  ::)

[shadrack]

in your picture where the far left shows the red and blue pipes going into a black connector, these are normally (lift the boot floor up) and look in far right corner from standing at the back they should be there maybe covered by plastic/ trim pieces unless yours have been totally re locted then just follow the pipes from the compressor

[james8whippy]

Thanks Shad I think I know the trim you mean. I need to take out the sliding floor as the sliding bars get in the way. Lets hope the LPG installer left the connector there and not under the tank.

Has anyone ever been successful with changing the piston rings? I hope so because BM quoted me just shy of a grand including fitting for a new pump lol! If this fails I will get a second hand pump I think!

[shadrack]

your spot on, if you have the sliding floor its under the rails, my lpg x5 still had the connector there as its above the tank for the drivers side airbag, so you might be lucky.

£1000 for a compressor,  a brand new range rover sport compressor is £430 for oem one, i may be wrong but i think they are same/similar to the x5

[shadrack]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E70-X5-NE ... 2582986449

[shadrack]

sorry thats e70 but you get my jist they are available far less than 1k

[james8whippy]

Yeah I get the jist

I did laugh when they said its £698+vat + hours fitting theres no way in hell I would pay that as you say they are on eBay for half that!

I just hope my £20 piston fix works then I will be a very happy man

[amacman]

You may need this repair kit, note the odd shape O-ring for older compressors only available from this seller ( i6auto )
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-X5-5-7-SE ... 232b78bd77

This video shows how to remove the air lines and the author does waffle on a bit .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmQ8XqPy4B8

[amacman]

The odd shape O-ring is available separately if you have purchased a repair kit elsewhere .
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WABCO-Air-Sus ... 2580a523ac

[james8whippy]

Thanks for the info Amac! Typical I wish I knew that before buying this kit lol:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281178475673?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

My car is a 2002 so that means the O ring I bought isn't going to fit..... Is it worth me buying the old generation O ring then separately do you think or I guess I wont know for sure until I strip it down?

Cheers
James

[amacman]

The first link I posted with the full kit states in the listing that compressors after 2004 use the standard O-ring but he includes the odd shape just in case you need it .

The second link with only the odd shape O-ring states this was generally used on compressors before 2002 .

The seal fits many different cars .

So I guess you could buy the odd shape just in case or contact the seller for specific info or wait and see what your compressor has fitted .

[james8whippy]

Thanks mate I'll try and get the pump out tonight and see which one mine has. Knowing my luck it will be the old shaped one!

[james8whippy]

So I changed the piston ring this evening. Wasn't even that hard to be honest. The bore wasn't scored at all and My O ring was the old shaped style so the one in my kit was useless but the existing one looked fine so I just took the chance and left it. Put it all back together and tested it............... And it's still weak. It sounds a lot healthier but still hardly any pressure coming from it, I took the pipes off to feel the pressure, I think if I was to put a balloon on it it would struggle to inflate that yet alone the airbags.

So now I need either a second hand pump or If anyone knows where I can get a brand new one cheap that would be great

The stickers on it show:

Wabco 443 020 011 1
Temic 1 082 099
GP76A60
A - 28 0144 23.08.2002
Made In Germany


WABCO137
Order nr: 415 403 520 2

Cheers
James