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Algoma · 08-02-2008, 12:48 PM

Having just discovered the "air suspension drain" I thought I would check to see if I had any water in there. As soon as I opened the valve, oil started coming out so I closed it very quickly. My suspension seems to inflate and deflate properly so do I have a problem?

Algoma · 08-02-2008, 12:48 PM

Having just discovered the "air suspension drain" I thought I would check to see if I had any water in there. As soon as I opened the valve, oil started coming out so I closed it very quickly. My suspension seems to inflate and deflate properly so do I have a problem?

Wil Rathke · 08-03-2008, 07:52 AM

I have never drained a noticeable amount of water or oil from either my '99 or '05 coaches. Since you say you "just discovered the drain", I think you have an accumulation. The compressor is of course lubricated by engine oil and could pump some oil along with water into the tank. When I drain the tank on the air compressor in my workshop a water/oil mix drains out which is brown. I think I would drain the tank into a container in order to get a feel for the amount of liquid in the tank. You will have to open the valve slowly to be able to catch the liquid. Then check again after a day of driving or some mileage amount. Hope this helps.

jperry29 · 08-03-2008, 08:01 AM

If you really do have 10 years of accumulation I would not be surprised that there is some oil. But as in the previous post I would catch it and see just how much.

I too get an oily water when I drain my air suspension on my truck. But the oil is a tiny fraction of the water. If there is a lot of oil, say a quart or so, then you may be having a problem with some blow-by on your compressor.

Mike & Mike · 08-03-2008, 08:26 AM

Hi John,

From my truck driving days, I remember that if I didn't drain the air tanks (that were for the air brakes) for a few days, the first thing that came out was a milky oily substance. This was followed by water that was slightly contaminated with the milky-oily stuff, then air. When you had clean air coming out, your air tanks were "drained".

Note that compressors tend to make this stuff in the process of compressing the air. What you're seeing isn't unusual, but you'd prefer not to have any of it in your system.

We've got a 2004 and it's got an air dryer which purges some little puffs of air from time to time as you are driving or idling the rig. This purges the oily and watery stuff so the air system contains only air. You may or may not have that air dryer in your 1998.

Assuming that the value you're working with is the correct valve, you should drain the oily stuff, then the water. To eliminate a mess, you could probably drain it into some kind of bottle or jar or milk carton. As you have probably guessed, you should do this draining more frequently. If done daily when traveling, you'll only get a fraction of a second of any oily or watery stuff, then nice clean air.

Good Luck!

Jeff and Cheryl · 08-03-2008, 09:57 AM

Algoma,

On our '99 it has the air dryer. DW referrs to it as the coach is [moderator edit] again

Hope this is of some help.

Algoma · 08-03-2008, 11:52 AM

Thanks guys for giving me the courage to proceed. I was worried I was accidentally draining the engine. In the end I had about a quart of oil in the container before I started getting air sputter. Now I know to keep an eye on this. I guess I must have the air dryer Jeff as it keeps f--ting somewhere at the rear.
My only excuse is that this is my first air suspension vehicle and I have only owned it for 9 months. Needless to say my Alpine manual makes no mention of draining this.