| Re: I Need Advice about Air Bag System Leaks [message #159824 is a reply to message #159806] |
Thu, 09 February 2012 23:01   |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma:
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If you have a 1976 GMC with the compressor inside in the rear then you have an ELECTRO-LEVEL I AIR SYSTEM. You do NOT have the power valves that leak that someone mentioned in previous posting. The power valves would be located in place of the toggle switches that you have on you dash near you right knee.
Please take Dan up on him offer to look at your coach. He is just west of Sikeston.
Go here for a good presentation on the air system:
http://gmcws.org/Tech/dsimmons/air_suspension/air-suspension-system.html
Print it out and take it to whomever you are using to fix your problems. Tell them to look at the Electro level I section.
The air system has basically tree isolated sections at rest with the power off. The air pressure for the left bag, the air pressure for the right bag, and the stored air pressure in the tank. These are not connected together when the power is off.
I would trouble shoot each at these three separately with the power off. If the bags themselves are not leaking, then almost all of the time the problems with the bag staying up are with the hose connections. The original connections were plastic and now leak 30 years later. Replacement brass connections are around $3.00 each. They are simple to replace and there are about 12 of them total. When I replaced all of mine years ago they were about $1.50 each and it took care of all of my air leakage problems.
Granted there are other things that can leak but the fittings are where I would start.
If it is taking 15 minutes to pump up the bags then your pump is tired. You can rebuild or replace the pump but I would not bother with that until I got the leaks fixed. With the leaks gone the pump will seldom need to run.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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