1988 TC Air Ride Not Working

[DerekTheGreat]

This past weekend Ash and I had fun meeting up with other panther fans and found out for sure our Townies' air ride systems aren't working. I've got an '88 and she has an '89. Everything is there and appears to be hooked up, (I didn't check near the diff to see if the level sensor is there or not.) but with the key on and weight added to either car (like three people in the trunk haha) nothing happened. Relays and stuff went clickity clack but no noise from the compressors or anything. What should we check?

[TecNickal]

I'd start by testing the air pump and apply power and grond to it. See if it runs

[DerekTheGreat]

That's what I was thinking. IIRC there are four wires going into it, which one should I juice, assuming one wire is black and that is ground.

[mercurygm88]

When we were testing mine we used the red as hot and the black as negative which would seem pretty normal. However the compressor would only run for a few seconds which is what originally led me to believe that my compressor was shot. I'm not sure if the other two wires green and possibly orange are for the vent solenoid thats located at the compressor end or what they do. Heck I may have just had a bad connection with my test leads. Have you actually been underneath there to confirm that the rear shocks are air shock and that someone hasn't replaced them with normal shocks? I'm wondering if thats what they did and they just removed the fuse and or relay for the air compressor. The only reason I found out that my compressor wasn't shot is because I got under the car thinking that if I removed the ride height sensor and set it to level then just zip tied it to the frame the car would think it was level and my "air suspension" light would go away. Just for shits and giggles I had someone turn the key on while I was under there and when I pushed the height sensor together the solenoids opened and the compressor kicked on, so I decided what the hell might as well put the bags back in. I would imagine that the box Town Cars also have a similar sensor under there that you could do the same with, though I also think it would have kicked on Saturday with all the weight that was on the back of that car.

[DerekTheGreat]

Thanks Kyle, I'll look into the wiring. I've been under the cars but never had my face near where the sensor is supposed to be, like right above the center section of the diff right? Both our cars retain their bags and have lines going to them and they must hold air as the cars ride level without extra weight.

[mercurygm88]

Thanks Kyle, I'll look into the wiring. I've been under the cars but never had my face near where the sensor is supposed to be, like right above the center section of the diff right? Both our cars retain their bags and have lines going to them and they must hold air as the cars ride level without extra weight.

I'm guessing it's off to one side of the diff at least thats where it's at on mine, it goes from the driver side of the watts link up to a spot on the frame. Considering that the box Town Cars don't have a watts link and I believe most even lack a sway bar, I'm guessing it goes from the frame to the axle tube most likely on the drivers side as well. I can't imagine they'd have moved it, it should be a simple telescoping switch can't miss mine thats for sure.

I understand that it is possible if you hit a big enough bump for the suspension to drop far enough that the sensor can pull apart, and you should be able to simply disconnect one end and pop it back together. So if you and Ashley have been jumping your Town Cars this may be the issue.

[DerekTheGreat]

I'll figure that out head first I suppose! I'll be posting back with a verdict, going to be busy until the middle or end of the week though but dammit, I'll have this figured out nonetheless!

[gadget73]

If you look at the compressor connector, you should see two wires that go into the motor, and two wires that go over to the cylinder head area. The two into the motor are to make air. the two into the head are the vent solenoid. See if you get power to the wires going to the motor when the relay kicks. May well be the relay or the fuse link to the relay. If the system was malfunctioning for a long time, its entirely likely that the motor just ran and ran until it, the relay, or the fuse link gave up. Other than that, the auto-level rig on the boxes is dirt simple. The magic part in the back are simple air shocks. If yours doesn't have them, or they are not able to hold air, it won't work. Common aftermarket air shocks can be mated up as long as you have the little $14 brass T adapter to connect the factory line to the two smaller lines out to the shocks. If the relay operates, the module and height sensor are probably OK and the issue will be the pump or the power circuit to the pump, which does include the relay itself. If you get the pump running but it doesn't actually move the car up, that may be the compressor is pooched, but more likely its air leaking somewhere at a connection. The fitting at the top of the drier and the O-ring between the drier and the compressor head are good spots for that, assuming the shocks themselves are not original. If they are, its pretty much a guarantee they have been shot for a long time.

[DerekTheGreat]

Thanks for the wisdom gadget!
As soon as it stops raining (CCR is playing in the background) I'll test the wires for juice. If the relays are working correctly do they always supply juice or only when called for? Only heard clicking when the key was flipped on but nothing when weght was added. Those bags have got to be the original ones on both cars. Ride height is always level unless stuff is put in trunk, does that mean they aren't leaking? (I've never seen a saggy TC though, Mk. VII's a plenty.)

[AshleyTheGreat]

All in the name of air ride testing..

[DerekTheGreat]

Lol as Vic and I found out, its quite comfy back there. Some cup holders and a cooler and you're all set!

[87gtVIC]

And you have Kyle slaving, pushing you guys around....You have it made.

[mercurygm88]

And you have Kyle slaving, pushing you guys around....You have it made.

I had to push my '88 by myself once, I'd rather not do it again. And don't be getting any ideas either Dave. I've already got Thain thinking about having me crucified at ScottFest this year for wanting to put a Modular in a box, I don't need to be pushing heavy cars too.

[gadget73]

Thanks for the wisdom gadget!
As soon as it stops raining (CCR is playing in the background) I'll test the wires for juice. If the relays are working correctly do they always supply juice or only when called for? Only heard clicking when the key was flipped on but nothing when weght was added. Those bags have got to be the original ones on both cars. Ride height is always level unless stuff is put in trunk, does that mean they aren't leaking? (I've never seen a saggy TC though, Mk. VII's a plenty.)

One side of the relay should have a constant + on the fat wire, the other fat wire is + only when the relay is pulled. Not sure about the skinny wires, its pretty typical for Ford to switch the ground on to turn the relay on but I'm not sure whether the air suspension one is switched + or switched - to power it.

If its level, that means the coil springs are good. These cars don't have full on air ride. They have coil springs like anything else with air shocks to level it out. Unless the springs are dead, you can have completely bombed out shocks and it will still sit level. The Mark VII does not have coil springs, they are strictly air ride on all 4 corners. When one of those leaks, it just sits down on the bump stop on whichever side(s) it leaks on. Round Towncars have air springs in the back. When those fail, it sits all the way down in the back.

[DerekTheGreat]

And you have Kyle slaving, pushing you guys around....You have it made.

LoL, it was a good time, only things missing were cold brews.

I had to push my '88 by myself once, I'd rather not do it again. And don't be getting any ideas either Dave. I've already got Thain thinking about having me crucified at ScottFest this year for wanting to put a Modular in a box, I don't need to be pushing heavy cars too.

I had to push my '85 once too, I stopped making fun of the LoPo after that lol.

One side of the relay should have a constant + on the fat wire, the other fat wire is + only when the relay is pulled. Not sure about the skinny wires, its pretty typical for Ford to switch the ground on to turn the relay on but I'm not sure whether the air suspension one is switched + or switched - to power it.

If its level, that means the coil springs are good. These cars don't have full on air ride. They have coil springs like anything else with air shocks to level it out. Unless the springs are dead, you can have completely bombed out shocks and it will still sit level. The Mark VII does not have coil springs, they are strictly air ride on all 4 corners. When one of those leaks, it just sits down on the bump stop on whichever side(s) it leaks on. Round Towncars have air springs in the back. When those fail, it sits all the way down in the back.

Oh ok, that's what I was thinking. My old man would say, "nothing rides better than air" and his old Mark VII rode very nicely. If '86 Continentals weren't so ugly I might want one over my TC as they have all the fancy warning lights & bags at all four corners too + ABS but very ugly and roundy. Earlier years were better but CFI greatness reigns...