How to know when you need shocks?

Actually just a quick reply here, the load levelling will kick on even with the key off one these. I can sit on the rear bumper of my '92 Custom Cruiser and after a second the compressor hums to life and the rear rises.

Mine all still works....but it's just SO SOFT I'm planning to updated it soon.

 

The system in my 96 roadmaster wagon also worked with ingition off. What I learned was the fuse that powers the load leveling system also power the under hood light. When the light was out the fuse was blown (if I was in question about the system not working). While that system is very cool it is also versy costly to repair. The suggestions given here for replacing it with something else is your best and most economical bet.

 

Amazing....the underhood light in my Roady stopped working two years ago. I never though about it, but it was around the time I pulled the air pump relay. I replaced the bulb on that light twice and then gave up, figured the socket was bad. Hahaha! You learn something new every day!

 

What I did since I dissconnected the compressor system (didn't work anyway) I replaced the 15A fuse with a 5A one to cover the light. Now the light works and I know there is nothing else on that curcuit.

 

My hood light doesn't work either

Maybe the fuse is out for the compressor, and that's why the auto-leveling suspension doesn't appear to be working. Tomorrow afternoon, I plan on checking it out further. I'll keep you posted on what I find. I really haven't had the chance to look closely yet.

I'm just curious, if someone were to take a car like this to any old repair shop, what's the chance they'd be able to figure it out, and more importantly suggest the best option for remedy?

I think they'd do something, but as with the previous post about putting in too stiff shocks, there's a chance they could actually make the situation worse.

That's why this forum is great - it gives me a chance to hear from the true experts.

If I find out that my auto-leveling air system is in need of repair, I'll probably take the advice on the moog spring /gas-adjust shock combination. That sounded really good. Since I have only minimal mechanical experience, I'll find a shop to do the work, but I'll get the parts first myself. Maybe I can print the thread for shop.

Good plan?

 

Ok here is a photo of the fuse box and it's location under the hood of a 94-96 roadmaster wagon.



this next photo show the fuse location of the auto leveling compressor and the hood light.



You will most likely find that fuse is blown. I would try a new one of the same value first. Then get some weight in the back to activate the system. If you hear the pump go on and the back end goes up. You will most likely need to check lines and your air shocks for leakage. But until you find the leak pull the fuse out so you don't overheat and burn out the pump. If you instll the fuse and add weight and the fuse blows the pump is already shot and they are big bucks to replace (if you can even find one). Then I reccomend you go to the driverside front wheel well and remove the plastic covers that hide the pump assembly.




I have already removed the pump long time ago but here is a photo of the pump and the plug that will need to be unplugged so the fuse stops blowing. Once this is done I installed a 10 A fuse but you could probably go 5 A for just a hood light and that would work fine.

 

Thanks for the great pics and advice

I'll check it out tomorrow. Thanks again

 

You need a factory service manual if you don't have one already Roadmaster, it explains the function of all the systems and has very easy to follow troubleshooting charts.
The electronic level control compressor is under the left side of the car forward of the rear axle on a wagon.
I see those compressors all the time on cars at the pull-a-parts around here. They're 22 bucks and another buck for the 30 day warranty.
The compressor can't run forever and burn up, it's limited to seven minutes running time in case of problems and after that the ignition has to be turned on for it to work again.
The compressor will keep cycling on and off if there's a leak and it takes less than seven minutes to fill, that will run down the battery eventually.

 

The '94-'96 LT1 wagons have the compressor in front of the front left wheel as DanR63 explained.... Nicely, I might add. '91-'93 TBI wagons have the comp. just in front of the rear axle.

Don't put too much on the tag on the dash, it doesn't mean anything, my '94 RMW dash plaque says DYNARIDE, but has the HD suspension. It seems that most '94s got DYNARIDE plaques, while '95-'96 wagons got the Grand Touring plaque. Check your SPID label in your driver side tailgate jam, that has all the codes you will need to find what your car is equipped with.

I would think that by your description your shocks should be replaced, especially if they are still original equipment. Your car is low mileage, but time (16 years) will degrade your shocks. The brand of shocks you run is your preference, It all depends on how you want it to ride, and what you intend to do with the car. I have factory springs on my V92 (HD suspension) equipped tow pack wagon, with Bilstien shocks, and Airlift bags. this is best set up imo for a still Buick like comfy ride, but no more swaying on road irregularities. Cargo coils are nice if your hauling stuff all the time, but it sits too high unloaded in my opinion. I ditched the load level system on my car, after a few sets (Gabriel, AC Delco) of replacement air shock, they just didn't last on any of my B body wagons.

Mike

 

HD suspension

My '94 has the V92 code so it must have the heavy duty suspension. Does this mean it's not Dynaride?

Still haven't gotten a chance to check out my system yet - ended up working all day. I do love this car. I bought it to use as a second vehicle and for occasional road trips, but it has become may daily driver. I need to scale back, since I don't want to run up the mileage. For the first 18 years she put on only 65K (less than 3500 per year). In the last month, I've done 3,000 myself. I don't want to wear it out - I should really save for road trips, but I can't help myself- I just love to drive this car.

 

We love our 96 as well. Original owners ours has 253,000 and climbing every day!!! They where meant to be driven just take good care of it and it will take care of you.

 

Bad math

I did the annual average mileage calculation in my head. It's actually just over 3600 miles per year, but you get the point.

How do you drive a car so little?

The story I got was that it was an elderly couple from Texas that had the car for the first 16 years. They drove it to new Berne N.C. to be near their son who is career military and stationed there. After a year or two, the son told them they were too old to drive and had them sell the car. The son and parents attended the same church and were freinds of the guy I bought the car from. The second owner told me they were quite a couple. He was an oilman his whole life who still wore coveralls everyday and was about 6'5 and she was only about 5' tall. The 2nd owner said she could barely see over the steering wheel but loved that roadmaster. Sounds like he bought it as kind of a favor, and since his wife never really liked the style of the car (too dated) so it didn't get much use. He told me every week in church, the old woman would ask about the car, telling him about how much she loved it, and he would have to agree that it was a great car even though he wasn't driving it. He couldn't bring himself to sell it, even though he wasn't using it because she was always asking about it. He ended up offering it for sale only after they had both died. I guess the oilman had died about a year before her. I think of this couple often even though I didn't know them. I feel obliged to treat the car they loved so much with a lot of respect. I'm so glad I got it and learned some of the history. It motivates me to do the best I can with it and keep it around as long as possible out of respect.

 

How do you add photos to the message ?

Pardon my apparent incompetence, but I'd like to add a few pics directly to my messages. I don't see any obvious way to do it. Part of the problem might be that I'm using an iPad - there are a lot of little things about these things that are very different than a regular computer - especially file management etc.

I'd really like to know how to insert the picks right into the text like in the message from DanR63 above showing the fuse box.

Thanks

 

Continuing the auto-leveling saga

Sure enough, as described by DanR63 above, the 25 amp fuse controlling the compressor was blown. I replaced it, put some weight in the back and I could immediately hear what I guess was the compressor start up. The car never lifted and when I turned off the engine I could still hear the compressor running. It seemed as if it was just going to keep running, so I pulled the fuse.

Now what?

Probably an air leak somewhere right? Also, the underhood lightbulb was blown before replacing the fuse. I don't have a replacement, so I don't know if that circuit is working.

 

First off the pump/compressor is working! (That is good) Finding a leak is not such a bad thing if you have the time. The cost of a set of airshocks/airlines is far less than the compressor set up. First i would jack the car up from the back and get it safley up on jack stands. Put the fuse back in activate the system and get undeneath and check the airsocks for leaks (bring a sprayer bottle full of dishsoap water and spray the fittings/lines/shocks). If nothing out back remove the fuse (so the unit don't burn out) and go into the front where I had shown you in the photo and remove the covers. Now check the units rubber lines for cracks and failures. If you can't see them go ahead and replace the fuse and do the spraybottle there as well. as for the hood light remove the bulb and use a test light or a volt meter across the contacts with the fuse in and if the light works or a voltage 10v or higher shows up on the meter the curcit is good go buy a bulb .

Photos posting: I use a service like "Tiny pics image hosting" I bring up tiny pics hit browse find the photo (resize it for message boards) and upload. It will ask you you type in a code word. Once done I copy/ paste the link for message board onto the site and the photo will display after you submit you post. Someguys like to use supermotors or photobucket to do the same thing.