Manually inflating air bags - Leaking front manifold?

[customfab]

1997 CC Allure. It appears that my air leveling system has a leak at the front drive manifold.

My front driver side air bag does not inflate. I just hear the constant hissing of air from that side of the coach. I crawled underneath it and felt air shooting out of what I believe is a manifold body. Two air lines on top and single air line on bottom which runs to the bag. Same thing on the front passenger side (not leaking). The air is actually being expelled from two areas on the manifold BODY but NOT the hoses or threaded ports. Sorry, I'm new to air leveling system. Describing as best as I can with limited terminology.

In the meantime, is there a way to manually inflate my front driver air bag so I can drive on the road? Right now, that air bag has no air so driver front tire doesn't have much clearance to wheel well.

[customfab]

Hi Guys/Gal,

I have more information to provide. I crawled under the coach and also took pictures so I can better understand the system and make sure "manifold" is the correct description. I believe the correct term is actually a dump valve.

So I started the coach and crawled underneath to observe it. The driver side air bag does actually inflate. Well...partially. I appears that once the bag reaches a certain level of pressure that the manifold / dump valve begins to dump air. I previously called this a leak but now I am not sure. Regardless, the bag can't inflate entirely as it reaches some steady state and the air just continually dumped out of the valve body.

What is strange is that my passenger side does not behave this way. No air is dumping or being released from this valve. And of course, the ride height on the driver side is too low.

Please see pictures. This is what I am describing as the manifold / dump valve on the driver side. My finger is pointing to the leaks or location the air is being dumped (sorry pic needs to be rotated). Air is released from two locations on the valve body (not just one).

And if anyone can suggest a quick fix to manually fill the bag then I'm all ears.







Devin

[KIX]

Could be the ride height valve is either out of adjustment or is faulty

[customfab]

So on manual inflation, I'm getting close.

I put the HWH leveling system in manual mode and was able to get plenty of pressure and lift into the driver side air bag. Easily lifted it 7-8 inches from top of wheel.

When I put it into Travel mode, front driver is ~3 inches of clearance, rear drive is about 3 inches, rear pass is 4.5 inches, front pass is 4.5 inches. I'm assuming 4.5 inches is where I should shoot for self-adjusted travel mode?

I've read about pulling a 7.5A fuse to eliminate functionality of the HWH leveling system and essentially keep the air bag pressure static or fixed.

I can't seem to locate this fuse? Per Owner's manual, the 12V schematic shows the 7.5A to be the CB radio. I don't see anything pertaining to the HWH. Help?

[TQ60]

It is out of adjustment and or bad.

Ours is older and different but functiin may be same.

Ours has an internal lever attached to the control rod that activates schreader valves (same as tire valves) with one that fills bag and one that empties.

Ours had one that the empty was off just about a third of a turn so it would rise up but when it got to ride height the valve thought it was high.

Shut off engine and it would dump all air until it lowered just enough to close the one valve but given it was also trying to rise it would drop a bit and be airless.

Yours may be doing same.

Ours can be adjusted in place with great care...had to remove to learn and it was rear...learned valve must have been first part installed as hard to get too....

Yours looks somewhat easy to get to.

Remove and use compressed air to test and adjust.

It should act like a light switch...apply air to where bag goes then move control to have air exit only one hole at a time.

[customfab]

Found this on another forum for others with older model CCs for location of HWH control box:

"What year Allure? They are located in different locations depending on model year. FYI, if you have a panel in front to the passenger seat, remove it and it is probably there. These years are in the '90s to the mid 2000s."

Looking forward to feedback on the "dump valve" failure or maybe an adjustment?

[dons2346]

What you are pointing to is the ride height valve. If you can get the coach to ride height manually, then you can pull the fuse before you put it into drive and the coach will stay where you put it. Don't quote me on this but in the driver's side outside fuse panel, you can find a 7 1/2 amp fuse and I think it is labeled "step". Pull that and it will stay at ride height when you put it in gear.

Behind the panel in front of the passenger is the control for the HWH system. Do the same as above inflating the bags and there is another 7 1/2 amp fuse on the inside of the control box that can be pulled and you will stay at ride height.

Sounds like you do have a bad ride height valve.

[customfab]

So I believe my 97 Allure has the HWH 600 series installed. I've seen references to the 610 series but I have no hydraulic jacks and the 610 touch pad is slightly different. Either that or maybe the 500 series. Can anyone confirm?

What's strange to me is that HWH diagrams show only a single height control valve for the front. I have two - driver side and passenger side.

Found parts here but not sure of the correct part number.

Ridwell Products


I did found the HWH brain / control board within the dash. Passenger side. Removed the large panel (~20" x 36") cover and 6 wood screws. Pulled the 7.5A fuse so it no longer dumps air. Deactivated the travel solenoids apparently. So the manual height adjustment remains constant once coach is put in drive. Remains set.

So I tried to call HWH to gain more insight as I'm not sure if the height control valve dumps air from two locations on the body or not. I'm thinking not. Anyway, I was informed tech support was 4-6 weeks behind!! They literally informed me that I would probably see a return call in a month. Oh well.

So it appears that I'll be self-diagnosing with your help.

The HWH manual for the 500 and 600 series state to replace the travel solenoid if the coach is not returning to proper travel height. If this doesn't correct the problem, they state to replace the height control valve.

I'd like to avoid replacing parts when maybe the valve itself is good. Anyone seen the HCV dumping air on one side? Solution was adjustment?

[pumper9x9]

Couple of Questions:
1) when you park and try and level the coach with the air bags does that work?
2) If it does level does it stay level all night?
If your answer was yes to both those questions I suspect it's your front air valve is at fault. There is a temporary fix for that that will get you to the shop.

First find out where the fuse is that controls the air bags.
2nd manually adjust the ride height with while in the park position so it's about where it should be.
3rd then pull the fuse and put it in gear take off the parking brake and see if it stays up. If it does it's probably your front air height valve.
Good Luck

[customfab]

Originally Posted by pumper9x9

Couple of Questions:
1) when you park and try and level the coach with the air bags does that work?
2) If it does level does it stay level all night?
If your answer was yes to both those questions I suspect it's your front air valve is at fault. There is a temporary fix for that that will get you to the shop.

First find out where the fuse is that controls the air bags.
2nd manually adjust the ride height with while in the park position so it's about where it should be.
3rd then pull the fuse and put it in gear take off the parking brake and see if it stays up. If it does it's probably your front air height valve.
Good Luck

Pumper,

1) When I park and try to level with RV with HWH auto leveling, it will not level unless the parking surface is already near level.

2) I don't notice anything changing over night. So I just manually leveled the coach which works. Left it over night or for several days, no changes. Holds pressure pretty well.

Yes, already covered your manual leveling procedure. Now I'm simply trying to figure out if my HCV is faulty (air is being dispelled from two areas on the valve body....thinking it is cracked) OR maybe the lever is not properly adjusted.

I will probably end up replacing it. Just hate to replace parts without identifying the root cause.

What's strange is that all documentation shows a single from height control valve in the front. My Allure has a HCV frame rail mounted close to each of the 4 air bags.

[deandec]

My solution was to tap it with a hammer just prior to leaving the driveway for a trip.

The fix has lasted now for 4 years.....

[TQ60]

If first you do not succede then get a bigger hammer...

[pumper9x9]

I have a 2002 and they only have have 3 valves one for the front and two for the rear, go figure.

[deandec]

Originally Posted by TQ60

If first you do not succede then get a bigger hammer...