ABC issues

Craiglxviii

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Hi guys.

I'm having some issues since the pump change and could do with some pointers please. I've just bought an iCarsoft i980 to allow me to clear and read codes and values.

On turning the engine on I will usually get a red "drive carefully" with system pressure reading 4 bar. There is also an audible clicking sound coming from the left rear of the engine, passenger footwell area. After a minute or so system pressure rises to 95 bar, warning turns to white "visit workshop". Another minute or so, the clicking noise stops as system pressure climbs to 175, the warning disappears and pressure stays there while driving. Over bumpy roads the pressure varies between 165-180 bar.

I also had the ABS lamp light with an ESP & BAS warning come up, but no fault code stored. That happened once only and disappeared after 20-30 seconds.

What concerns me more is the "Stop! Car too low!" Warning that I got earlier, along with the squeak of tyre rubber on wheel well. I bumped the car up on the level adjust and that went away.

Looking at the strut level values, it seems as though front left and rear right are sitting higher than the other corners.

System voltage is reading 14.80V.

Any thoughts please chaps and chapesses?
 
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I will try to go into this later in the day.
 

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That's sort of where the valve block lives - is the clicking sound more evident if you listen outside behind the NS foglight area?
 
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Craiglxviii

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More evident with the bonnet up yes.

Having driven around over the weekend with the i980 plugged in and checking values "on the drive" I can confirm that the ABC warnings come on when system pressure drops.

I've also had the Ride Height warning (STOP! CAR TOO LOW!) come on again, and operating the ride height adjust button made this go away. I noticed that doing this as a test while stationary, the front went up smoothly, almost no sensation, then a pause and a squeak and the back went up. So this to me sounds like sticking valves, if I understand their operation correctly.

How hard is it to calibrate the travel sensors, and will this need STAR?

NB Fluid is new, has done around 250-300 miles from its first change and is already looking a bit mucky, so I'll run another tank of fuel through and get some Pentosin in for another change. I have a spare filter sat ready.
 
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Craiglxviii

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I have my son down with me a couple of days, will check soon.
 
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Craiglxviii

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Thanks Malcolm, no rush. Hope all is good with you.
 

alexanderfoti

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I have had sticking valves do the same as yours. I was raising and lowering the car when using toll booths the last time I went to Italy.

On 2 occasions, when lowering the car back down (with the buttons) it dropped the front right corner at speed.

Raising the car on the button worked instantly after getting the car too low warning.

After that, it started dropping on the front when being parked.

Did a fluid filter, flush and filter again and it hasn't done it since. I assume something was stuck in the control valves causing by dropping issue.

The pump pressure does not sound good though. Does it go from 4 bar gradually up to 170+ or does it jump very quickly?
 
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Craiglxviii

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Hi Alex.

The pump pressure can start at "N/A", 4 bar, 90 bar or 175 bar- I've seen it do all of them on different occasions over the last few days.

If starting at 4 bar it can sit there for a few minutes or more, then it will climb at around 2 bar/ second (I presume the i980 refreshes every second- its about that long) to 90 bar, can sit there again for a few minutes, or longer, or much less, then shoot up to 175 bar where it will stay.

The pump is a reconditioned unit from Germany so should be "brand new"- I don't think it's the pump that's the problem though. I can't see a mechanically driven radial piston pump putting out 4 bar then going to 175 with no other issues- it'll either work or it wont... I understand that there is a master solenoid operated valve that controls fluid flow from the pump, then a valve to each of the 4 struts. If the master valve is sticking almost closed, I can see the pressure downstream of it being low. Does that sound feasible?
 
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alexanderfoti

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Hi Alex.

The pump pressure can start at "N/A", 4 bar, 90 bar or 175 bar- I've seen it do all of them on different occasions over the last few days.

If starting at 4 bar it can sit there for a few minutes or more, then it will climb at around 2 bar/ second (I presume the i980 refreshes every second- its about that long) to 90 bar, can sit there again for a few minutes, or longer, or much less, then shoot up to 175 bar where it will stay.

The pump is a reconditioned unit from Germany so should be "brand new"- I don't think it's the pump that's the problem though. I can't see a mechanically driven radial piston pump putting out 4 bar then going to 175 with no other issues... I understand that there is a master solenoid operated valve that controls fluid flow from the pump, then a valve to each of the 4 struts. If the master valve is sticking almost closed, I can see the pressure downstream of it being low. Does that sound feasible?

Yes, before you wrote it, I was going to say it sounds like your "suction valve" is sticking. Next time you can try giving it a tap if you can reach it, its stuck to the side of the pump with the electrical connector on it.
 
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Craiglxviii

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Ah hah. This is the valve that.... Right. This is the valve that had to be swapped from the old pump to the new one- otherwise it's another €150 please sir. Maybe some crud is stuck in there. Could also account for the front struts not raising up too.............. so would you suggest a fluid flush again soon might sort the problems out?
 

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Ah hah. This is the valve that.... Right. This is the valve that had to be swapped from the old pump to the new one- otherwise it's another €150 please sir. Maybe some crud is stuck in there. Could also account for the front struts not raising up too.............. so would you suggest a fluid flush again soon might sort the problems out?

Im not sure if that valve actually sits in the fluid flow or if it just presses something inside the pump.

Another flush cant hurt! (apart from the wallet).

That would explain it, if a flush doesn't sort then I would swap out that valve (if you can find one).
 
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Craiglxviii

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Hmm. Can they be rebuilt I wonder? I'm not mad keen on digging bits out of the engine bay..... driveway mechanic only me.
 

alexanderfoti

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Hmm. Can they be rebuilt I wonder? I'm not mad keen on digging bits out of the engine bay..... driveway mechanic only me.

Possibly. I have never had one apart. It can only be sticking internally I think.
 

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Can you actually hear what side the clinking comes from.
 
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Craiglxviii

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Hi Malcolm, yes with the hood open, the clicking sound is coming from the right hand side of the engine at the back, by the bulkhead. Sat in the car it comes from the passenger footwell. I conclude that it must be the valve block as I think it's located there on the 215.
 

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OK the only thing there is the valve block for the front wheels, its in just behind the bottom of the rear section of the wheel arch liner.

There pressure relief valve sits there 400, but hard to say on this as is this the cause or the result of a fault. Does the car sink or drop before or after trying to start up.

d1fe47cf3f86bd06b47b475df87723b7.png
 
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Craiglxviii

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Malcolm,

no sit or drop that I can detect. What I noticed yesterday (will try again shortly) is that on pressing the ride height increase button, only the rear was going up, the front stayed still. I know that all four corners went up before the pump change. I suspect some dislodged crud has got stuck somewhere valvey.
 

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Malcolm,

no sit or drop that I can detect. What I noticed yesterday (will try again shortly) is that on pressing the ride height increase button, only the rear was going up, the front stayed still. I know that all four corners went up before the pump change. I suspect some dislodged crud has got stuck somewhere valvey.

OK then all pointing towards this front block
 
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Craiglxviii

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Can someone please tell me what the following codes mean?

P152500
P15254b
P152600
P152618
 
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