# Where does air come into the ar suspension? ( My ar goes for a swim story)



## ErockBar1 (Apr 12, 2005)

A few days ago we had a Noreaster come thruogh CT. It brought extremely high tides with it. The road I take to my duaghters preschool cuts across a marsh that connects to a river that empties into Long Island sound. During moon tides the road will ocasionally get a couple of inches of water over it. Which makes for fun splashing though it with ar. 
Well on this day with the storm surge the water was significantly higher. As I turned the corner to this street I could see all the cars of the other parents turning around to take the high road to school. 
So I pulled up and eye balled the water level. It was high...but not so high that it would hit the air intake.
So I hit the suspension up to go into 4X4 mode and I started to head into the water. The great part was I went past one of the other mothers in her allroad knock off a Saab Cross Country who had started to go thruogh the water them backed up to turn around. 
The ar took to the water like a lab chasing a stick. As I got about half way across the water was a bit deeper than I thought but I was commited was not going to stop for fear that if I did the bow wave....yes BOW WAVE would splash back and get some water into the air intake. So I slowed down a little bit to lessen my wake and pressed on. My duaghter got a little scared but I reassured her we would make it...to tell you the truth in the back of my mind I was thinking I might have made a bad move. I guess you think that way when your car is surrounded by water and the tops of the cat tails. But we were almost through so I pressed on. I tell ya it's very funny to hear your cars exhaust sound when its under water!!!! 
We got to the part where the road started to rise up and soon we high and dry pulling into the lot at school. As I was getting my daughter out of the car other the mothers who had went around we just pulling up looking very shocked that we made it. 
After I had taken my daughter into class I gave the car a quick once over making sure everything looked and sounded in order. I good gauge of how deep the water was there was a peice of cat tail stuck in bottem of my grill just under the four rings!!! So put your car up in high setting and you see how deep the water was. 
Now to my qustion. When I got back into the car the suspension warning light was on







I though great I did it now...but I was able to put it through all the hieght settings with no issues and once I was driving it lowered it self at the right speeds so the suspension was working fine. So I drove on it a couple days and today the warning light is out. Is it possible I could have suck in some water to the air lines? because the I can't recall if the car was all the way up when I first head into the water. Now after a couple of days of driving and raising and lowering the suspenion the water (if any) had worked its wat out hence canceling the light.?
My regret right now is that I didn't take any pictures. 
This car is great


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

I remember reading something once, when I was searching to buy an Allroad, about how deep of water they can forge, and it was a pretty respectable number. I thought it was like 20", but if you were in setting 4, and water was up to the grille that has to be well over 2 feet of water. Maybe 3 feet plus? I wonder if the Allroads intake draws air in from a higher location then the A6 2.7T?
Did any water get in under the doors?


_Modified by G60 Carat at 10:26 AM 10-31-2008_


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## pendulum (Apr 29, 2001)

*Re: (G60 Carat)*

i have no idea, that is a good question (where does the air come from). i'm guessing somewhere near the compressor.
great story though, wish you could have taken pictures!


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## ErockBar1 (Apr 12, 2005)

*Re: (G60 Carat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *G60 Carat* »_I remember reading something once, when I was searching to buy an Allroad, about how deep of water they can forge, and it was a pretty respectable number. I thought it was like 20", but if you were in setting 4, and water was up to the grille that has to be well over 2 feet of water. Maybe 3 feet plus? I wonder if the Allroads intake draws air in from a higher location then the A6 2.7T?
Did any water get in under the doors?

_Modified by G60 Carat at 10:26 AM 10-31-2008_

No water came in the doors thankfully.


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

*Re: (BabyFoodYellowGTI)*


_Quote, originally posted by *BabyFoodYellowGTI* »_i have no idea, that is a good question (where does the air come from). i'm guessing somewhere near the compressor.
great story though, wish you could have taken pictures!









I would honestly guess the rear cabin area right by the compressor. Pulling air into the system from outside leads to more moisture issue's then it's worth. Plus in places like Canada, you would risk freezing of the pump (-40 some winters)


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## vr6ninja (Mar 20, 2007)

*Re: (G60 Carat)*

I had the same question myself, and when I took the compressor out to lubricate/clean it I figured it out.
It takes the air from inside the car as to make sure it's clean air. If you open the trunk, pull up the floor and look in the back of the spare wheel area there's a black round thingy. It's on the sidewall and has a spongy material (the filter), sandwiched between two pieces of plastic.
I'm not sure how well this is sealed but if it's not the best seal to the compressor there's probably some possibility of water getting into the system.


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## ErockBar1 (Apr 12, 2005)

*Re: (vr6ninja)*

Oh so thats where...god detective work. Just to update the light has been off for two more days so I guess whatever tripped the light it's worked itself out.


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## vr6ninja (Mar 20, 2007)

*Re: (ErockBar1)*

Mine came on once along with another light which I can't remember at the moment. When I turned the car off and back on at a red light they both went away and I've never seen them again.


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## ErockBar1 (Apr 12, 2005)

*Re: (vr6ninja)*

Gotta love the whacky warning lights the ECU throws in VWs and Audis.......wonder if the porsche guys go through this as well..


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## vr6ninja (Mar 20, 2007)

*Re: (ErockBar1)*

He he gotta love those gremlins, you've got my curiosity peaked since Porsche is known for just improving on the last model instead of the traditional starting from scratch every couple of years.
I've been trying to figure out since I cleaned/oiled my compressor is when it goes out would it be possible to put an aftermarket one in? More specifically Viair, it'd be great to have something that would fill the tank a little faster. If only I could figure out the pressure rating on the system.


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## ErockBar1 (Apr 12, 2005)

*Re: (vr6ninja)*

I would be hilarious if somew one could rig up a insane set up and enter a low rider hopping contest


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## pendulum (Apr 29, 2001)

*Re: (vr6ninja)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vr6ninja* »_He he gotta love those gremlins, you've got my curiosity peaked since Porsche is known for just improving on the last model instead of the traditional starting from scratch every couple of years.
I've been trying to figure out since I cleaned/oiled my compressor is when it goes out would it be possible to put an aftermarket one in? More specifically Viair, it'd be great to have something that would fill the tank a little faster. If only I could figure out the pressure rating on the system.

i've been barking up that tree for awhile... i had talked to Brendon (diive4sho) about possibly upgrading some parts to make the system more robust & last longer... unfortunately i was told you can't really do that with the stock plumbing (lines are too thin). otherwise i would have done this by now.








anyway Brandon's working on an aftermarket allroad air system.... see thread here:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3671483
http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
free Baak2Basics bump!










_Modified by BabyFoodYellowGTI at 3:11 PM 11-3-2008_


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