# A couple problems with my air ride install



## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Well I just got done installing the rears are on 2000 gti, fronts coming in Monday. And i ran into a couple of problems. 

First and most importantly, on my passenger side bag the valve on the end of the manifold is letting air out when I air up the car. Like lots of air. Their asco valves and there's 4 in a line. All connected properly and the left side was working fine. Switches a valve from the front manifold and still having the same problem. Not sure what's causing this air to kick out threw that valve. 

Secondly I had very thing connected and besides that air leak everything was working correctly until this morning. I walked out and tried pressing the left side and nothing happens. No ticking from the valves or anything and the car will only air out on the passengers side so far. Not as low as last night. Could the cold have something to do with this?


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## keeganhartman (Jan 24, 2005)

If it's cold out there could be icing issues but with a new set-up that's unlikely. I would check your connections for the solenoids. If they aren't clicking they usually have no power. Are your valves new? What do you mean that you tried switching out the valve from the front?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

they were cold. let car run for a while and now their working. so that issue is solved, let car warm up.

back to my other issue, i only put my rears in so i took a solenoid/valve from the other side thats not together yet, my front manifold, and put it on the side that i thought the valve was bad. but still doing the same thing, about 25% of the air is going to the bag and 75% is pouring out the nipple where the air comes out when you air out. but the drivers side is working fine.


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## Simplicity (Nov 6, 2007)

Your dump valve is not closing..... Something is stuck in it.

New or used?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Used


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Switched the inner "up" valve with one from outter "down" and now it's sticking open as soon as I press the button. Figuring its frozen? Leaving car running let em warm up, will air brake aintifreeze help this maybe? Or are they dirty?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Switched the inner "up" valve with one from outter "down" and now it's sticking open as soon as I press the button. Figuring its frozen? Leaving car running let em warm up, will air brake aintifreeze help this maybe? Or are they dirty?


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## iceboxx5 (Nov 3, 2009)

There should be a direction arrow on the valve casing for the flow,The valve might be on back words or you have a leak.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

frozen valves. played with it for a while and left the car running. ended up working fine. i am going to go through and redo all the connections and spray all the valves with carb cleaner. is that a good way to clean them?


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## fasttt600 (Apr 12, 2007)

Add air brake anti freeze to your tank.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Doin that and adding water traps 👍


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

New dilemma. Took all the valves apart and cleaned them an reaped all the connections, but that valve is still leaking and letting a good portion of the air out. When the gauge for the right rear bag says above 50 the air stops leaking out and it airs up normal. What's going on now?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Probably just a valve on its way out?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

i was on bag riders and reading dump and fill valves. why is my fill valve dumping through the dump valve and out the nipple instead of filling my bag all the way and not letting air out?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

So I switched the tubing to each bag, it's definitely something in the valve leaking. Pass side stayed aired up driver side went down over night. Before the switch it was the opposite. What I don't understand is which valve is bad? The outter letting the inner dump, or the inner doing the dumping.


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## reynolds9000 (Oct 16, 2003)

I'd just buy a rebuild kit for all the valves and then not have to scratch your head as to which one it is. Since they're used and you're already having problems, it would be worth it for the peace of mind.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Should I just replace the side that seems to be not working? Both of them? I'm going to switch wiring around today an see what happens


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

So, today I switched out both valves on the bad side with ones from the "good" side. Things got worse. The bag is constantly airing up so the full valve is stuck open. How hard is it to rebuild these valves? Will rebuild kits make them like new?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Ordering an air bagit manifold. Buddy says good things about them


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## Built2Drive (Jan 15, 2010)

You're going to order from airbagit.com? FACEPALM. I'll pray you don't get screwed over and your parts work and last. I've known many mini truckers who've ventured to try their parts with little success. 
I'm not sure if I read what valve's your running. If a diaphragm is ripped or not sealing it'll allow air to pass. A picture would help to see how your set up actually is.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

It's pretty much 4 rigged asco valves with fittings. It sucks. I did manage to piece together a side the holds air. And now my system is working good. But now I need 4 more valves, or rebuild kits? And that's gonna cost me just about as much as the air bagit mani. My buddy said he talked to the owner of air bagit in person and they warrant all of their products. The mani is about 300. Fair price, and I'm broke.


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## blueb316v (Nov 16, 2002)

I Have some airlift valve blocks for sale $250


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## Built2Drive (Jan 15, 2010)

yeabmx said:


> It's pretty much 4 rigged asco valves with fittings. It sucks. I did manage to piece together a side the holds air. And now my system is working good. But now I need 4 more valves, or rebuild kits? And that's gonna cost me just about as much as the air bagit mani. My buddy said he talked to the owner of air bagit in person and they warrant all of their products. The mani is about 300. Fair price, and I'm broke.


If you have all the fittings to run those, why not look into some SMC valves? You can get them from say GaugeMagazine.com 4 3/8" valves are $120 plus shipping. They are probably the most used valve in the Mini Truck world. I ran them on my old truck for 6 years straight with zero problems, never even cleaned them. Installed them on a few of my friends rides and they never had any problems.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Explain the airlift blocks more? Is it 2 way 4 way? How many valves?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Should I just pretty much rebuild my manifolds from bagriders, just order 4 new valves and wait out my set that's holding up until I have to replace them. I think that's why I'm going to do. 👍


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## Built2Drive (Jan 15, 2010)

The airlift valves I've seen are a manifold style. Its a big block that has 2 fill, 2 dump. There are 2 spots for gauge line, a fill port and exhaust port as well as the 2 ports going to the bag. You'd need 2 valves for FBSS or just 1 for FB. Only thing I've seen is during winter if you're not running airline antifreeze, they take a bit longer to warm up, as its a big chunk of aluminum. 

If you have the asco manifold block you can check this out so you can take apart yours and maybe find the problem, http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f125/asco-manifold-valve-facts-and-info-290044/

If you have the asco individual valves you can use this to get an idea of cleaning and inspecting (this use's an SMC valve but may be similar for you)
http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f125/smc-valve-cleaning-how-to-237585/

Since you already have them, taking them apart and looking for the problem is Free, then choose how to spend your money.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

I think I figured out how to clean mine, but now with the cold weather and poop loads of snow, I haven't got to test them. Debating on saving up and buying the accuair switch speed controller and accuair vu4 manifold.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Worked on it yesterday. I've officially got bags, but I've got a leaky fitting in the reAr. I used compression fittings for the front lines because I didn't have any ptc fittings and I'm unsure of how well those are working. Gonna spray everything down after work


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## Built2Drive (Jan 15, 2010)

Make sure you're using an actual air line cutter. You want a nice straight, "squared" cut. Parker makes a nice air line cutter. Not like a friend of mine who tried to use side cutters or eyeball it. He had leaks since the cut wasn't squared up. (even). 

Glad you got your valves fixed. What did you find?


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Well one was messed up on the solenoid part where the spring moves up and down. Spring wasn't moving at all. And the rest just needed a good cleaning. Right now the fronts are t'd running off two valves, one up one down. But the speed isn't bad. Much slower than rear but still nice. Compression fitting was junk. Just changed out one with an old junk fitting I had that's actually holding air. Won't have to keep airing up now on ride home. 

Are ptc fittings no good? A buddy of mine said their just for convenience, not a good way to go. But so far im leaning towards them over anything else.


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## Built2Drive (Jan 15, 2010)

A quality PTC is good. I would look for Parker or SMC fittings. I personally ran D.O.T Compression fittings on all of my set ups, but have used PTC on friends vehicles. If you're going to run PTC fittings, just look into getting a good air line cutter ($15), like a Parker so you get straight cuts like this,


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

My dad has a cutter that's for PVC piping I think, would that work? Ordered some PTC fittings from eBay. I ordered some the other day some 1/8 ones and they work very well. So I figure ill Give the 3/8s ones a shot.


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## Built2Drive (Jan 15, 2010)

Those could work for cutting, just make sure the blade is sharp and that the line isn't on any kind of an angle.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Will do. Can't wait to get my new fittings. I've definitely got a problem, lost about 15-20 psi rear and it was aired out in the front. And my compressors start every morning.


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## Simplicity (Nov 6, 2007)

Now you are loosing tank pressure.


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## yeabmx (Feb 8, 2011)

Gonna get some soapy water and spray everything down. Right rear bag still holds pressure 100% tho.


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