Hi guys. I know, here I go with the same old song and dance. Another deployment, another few problems firing up my old '99 DII after it has sat for a year in the storage lot.

Good news is it started up real nice Chipmunks only ate part of the soundproofing under the hood.

Bad news is that the bellows won't fill up and it's sitting on the stops (rear of course).

I've read many of the posts relating to this and just thought I'd throw out what's going on. I have the rave info but think this one is better suited to the experience of fellow LR handlers.

Here are my symptoms:

1 - truck rear sitting on the stops
2 - compressor comes on but sounds more rough than I remember
3 - rear of truck does not move AT ALL while the compressor is running
4 - eventually the compressor turns off. Then periodically comes back on for 10-15 seconds

Facts:
Original compressor at 190k miles
Both bellows replaced 5k miles ago (prior to being stored while I was in Iraq)
Lines (that I can see) are intact and don't show symptoms of rotting, etc.
Dash still looks like a Christmas tree. Has for years. No new warning lights however.
Underside looks rustier from sitting so long.
Zues fasteners for compressor box were rusted (one of them broke off when I removed it).

What are your thoughts? What sort of things could have gone wrong while it was in storage?
Shannon

 

I would check the hoses and the bags to make sure something didn't eat them.

 

I assume it was stored in the wonderful 1000% humidity of Great Northern Michigan outside?
My first look would be for mouse nest in the compressor housing, or spider nest, bee nest, etc.
Then look for a clogged air line.
I dont know how brittle the air lines are, if you can remove them from the air bags and kick the compressor on, do you feel air coming out?
It could be dry rot on the SLS bags and they are leaking.

 

Mike, I checked and the bags look well. They are pretty new. I just installed them about 1.5 years ago prior to my trip to Iraq. While looking into the recommendations the two of you made I now know the following:

- Compressor comes on intermittently

I disconnected the little chassis height sensor arm and also discovered:

- the compressor does not always trigger when the height is adjusted in small increments.

I then reconnected the height sensor arm. Other data from todays trip about the compressor:

- it comes on sometimes without any reason (i had the tire off, jackstands under, no apparent movement)
- it comes on occassionally and runs for a second or two, then shuts off, then comes back on. Unknown reason.

I disconnected a feed line from the compressor and learned:

- the system is holding air. When I disconnected the line the body dropped visibly along with the obvious sound of escaping air. I reconnected it. The truck DID NOT return to it's previously low position. It stayed LOWER. All the while I was there it did not return to the previous (sagging) position...when I let some air out it just got lower and never refilled even though the compressor did come on intermittently.
- the lines are all pliable and not dry rotted.
- exterior components of compressor compartment (i.e. zeus fittings) are rusty.

Given the new data what do you guys think? A bad compressor? A bad ECU? A crappy owner/mechanic? If you choose option three just remember to think of me each time an Army helicopter flies over...I might have worked on it

 

Given the information, do not start throwing parts at it assuming you want to keep it, find a shop that has a scanner, with Rover software and get the codes read, then get back to us.