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IdahoBen · 10-19-2021, 08:10 PM

I'm posting this here partly for documentation of my troubleshooting steps, partly for input, and, hopefully soon, documentation of a resolution that others will find useful.

I have a 4 year old motorhome with a Lippert Level Up 4 point hydraulic leveling system. Today I experienced my 1st problem with it. We broke down camp today, brought in the slide (not hydraulic) and raised the jacks. No issues with any of that. However, after the jacks were retracted every every 15 seconds the LCI control panel would show jacks down, run the pump for 3-5 seconds, and shut off, rinse/lather/repeat. Upon further inspection the passenger side front jack would drift down, and cause the "jacks down" alarm, which would run the pump to retract it, repeatedly. I called Lippert about half a dozen times for different troubleshooting steps:

Check for leaks: found none, inspecting each jack, line, and valve on the pump manifold. No drips on the ground either.
Disconnect the pressure sensor solenoid and see if the jack still leaks down. For me, the pressure sensor solenoid is blue/gold. I disconnect the wiring harness from it (yellow/black wire), and over a few mins the front passenger side jack slowly extends down about 3" (pump doesn't/will not cycle since the sensor is disconnect). Result (according to Lippert) The pressure sensor solenoid is good and not giving a false reading.
Do a bypass test: front jacks are tied together for retract, and rear jacks are tied together for retract. The test is to disconnect the extend hose (black), hit "retract all" and see if any fluid comes out of the extend port on the jack. I tested each front jack, independently, and neither had a bypass leak. This means the jacks are good, also see 1st check to double confirm no leaks.
Lippert then says put a 3000 psi gauge on the return port of the pump and test the pump/replace the pump assembly. I don't have a 3000 psi gauge (on board or at home base). This is where I threw a wrench into their troubleshooting steps. If the pump is the issue wouldn't ALL of the jacks not extend and/or retract? If the retract has an issue, which ALL 4 JACKS tie into the exact same return port on the pump assembly, wouldn't multiple jacks leak/drift down?

Lots of google'ing, reviewing the diagrams from their documentation, and a little bit of gear head know how has led me to suspect:

The valve that controls the drifting jack is leaking internally
The manual control of that valve (allen head), for that jack,partially open

Where I'm at right now:

I have a replacement hydac cartridge valve being overnighted. Lippert PN 177094 available from multiple online resellers for several $ less than ordering direct from Lippert, even with overnight shipping.
I have taken a 5/32" allen wrench and tightened/closed that valve (counter clockwise) and checked all of the others. To my surprise that valve had about 1/3 to 1/4 of a turn before being closed.

Tomorrow we will break down camp again and I should know the results within the next day or 2.

HarryStone · 10-19-2021, 10:13 PM

If that valve was open at all, it will allow it to 'bypass', that is, allow fluid past. That would account for your jack dropping, and the low pressure alarm. All the valves should be fully one way or the other. I, too, have the same issue with the jacks down alarm, but mine is a leaking pressure switch, all over the ground.

IdahoBen · 10-20-2021, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryStone

If that valve was open at all, it will allow it to 'bypass', that is, allow fluid past. That would account for your jack dropping, and the low pressure alarm. All the valves should be fully one way or the other. I, too, have the same issue with the jacks down alarm, but mine is a leaking pressure switch, all over the ground.

I'm hoping that's all it is, and I wind up with a spare valve on board. Will know more later today when we break camp.

edge68474 · 10-20-2021, 08:51 AM

IdahoBen · 10-21-2021, 09:42 AM

Tightening the valve fixed the drifting jack! Meanwhile we're still boondocking in the same spot waiting on the part delivery. It looks like it SHOULD get here today, which would be perfect as there's rain, wind, and cold coming in tomorrow....and I'd prefer not to get stuck in the mud...and we're getting low on fresh water.

HarryStone · 10-25-2021, 06:20 PM

Good to hear.

IdahoBen · 10-26-2021, 08:53 AM

Update... apparently this experience isn't over. The allen wrench/valve tightening seemed to work for about a day. So this time I went ahead and swapped out the valve. It appears to still have the same results.... HOWEVER, after some more reading it appears I may have an air bubble in the line since I just R&R'd the valve for the jack that likes to drift down and did not cycle that jack several times (full extend/full retract).

We're currently camping and have the jacks extended. 3 days of extension/support and that jack seems to be performing great. I'll cycle the jacks several times when we break camp later this week and see if the valve helped.

Potential next steps, R&R the solenoid that goes over the valve and put some seafoam trans additive into the reservoir.

IdahoBen · 10-30-2021, 11:16 AM

Good news! After changing just the valve, and cycling the jacks a few time (extend/retract) we just drove over 300 miles w/o the pump cycling once! $130 fix for a situation where Lippert was telling me to either replace the jack ($600) or the pump ($2100).