No, as I have said before, if the car has ANY bounce when sitting with the engine off, then your accumulators are finally at the end of their life. You MUST replace them (both front and rear) to end the light warning and to make the car ride as it did when new. The reason your fluid was low was because the fluid replaced the nitrogen that was in the accumulators. Once that is depleted the fluid fills them up and you have no pressure in the system, which in turn causes the pump to work all the time ,thus will cause many other failures, including possible damage to the struts. Replace the accumulators and change your filter and have a Rodeo done, then you should have no more issues, for now. The wheels have nothing to do with anything. It shouldn't cost you more than 600-900 depending on your location of the country and if you can find a mechanic who has a Rodeo system. Once you have done this you will be up and running again!
Thanks for the prompt reply.
I've booked the car into my mechanic early next month for a rodeo test (damn Easter long weekend ). He wants to try that first before replacing the accumulators and then a fluid flush. I'll post the results after it is done!
Vehicle: Lots of collector cars from the 50's to present
Location: Palm Springs
Posts: 283
There is not such thing as a RODEO test it is either a RODEO procedure or your going to have him put it on the Star system and let the system tell you what is wrong with the suspension itself. You can do a self test like I said, the bounce test is the only answer to an accumulator starting to fail, remember if there are NO leaks in the system and it is needing fluid its obvious that the accumulators are depleting.
I've booked the car into my mechanic early next month for a rodeo test (damn Easter long weekend ). He wants to try that first before replacing the accumulators and then a fluid flush. I'll post the results after it is done!
CL600 is right, if your mechanic want to do a rodeo for free then it is OK. Otherwise you will end up paying for 2 rodeo , which is a waste
There is not such thing as a RODEO test it is either a RODEO procedure or your going to have him put it on the Star system and let the system tell you what is wrong with the suspension itself. You can do a self test like I said, the bounce test is the only answer to an accumulator starting to fail, remember if there are NO leaks in the system and it is needing fluid its obvious that the accumulators are depleting.
Can you explain the bounce test to us? This is the first I've heard of this.
Vehicle: Lots of collector cars from the 50's to present
Location: Palm Springs
Posts: 283
It is very simple. Go to the front of the car and then push hard on the BUMPER ONLY if the car moves then your accumulator on the front is depleting. If it doesn't move your good. Then go to the rear of the car and do the same. If the car moves it too is depleting. If it doesn't move, your good. The suspension is to be HARD without any movement AT ALL. That is why there is so much pressure in the system. If the accumulators are loosing nitrogen then the system is has low pressure. This is entirely different from a drop in the front or rear or left or right. That has to do with the blocks. The car will never drop if the blocks are good. You know after the car settles after turning it off and you come back an it is sometimes almost on the ground or on one side either front or rear or both. That is the blocks allowing the system to bleed back. This bounce test is only to test the pressure in the system. Remember you want no bounce or jounce, which it is actually referred too.
Ok I already changed the rear accumulator and the pulsation damper myself. I ordered the front accumulator. Is the front easy to change like the rear look like it is deep in the engine bay. I can t see it from under the car. Is there any DIY guide for it. Thanks
Vehicle: Lots of collector cars from the 50's to present
Location: Palm Springs
Posts: 283
They are pretty simple to get to. Man I don't know if Id attempt it but if you already did the rear the front is a mirror of the rear so you know what you are doing. How do you EVER get it Rodeo on your own or do you take it to the shop?
Vehicle: Lots of collector cars from the 50's to present
Location: Palm Springs
Posts: 283
Well, if you didn't Rodeo and the light didn't come on then I guess your fine. I would think that the car will not ride correctly without bleeding the system. Its like replacing your master cylinder on your brakes and not bleeding them. If you have air in the system then you will have problems I would think. The light will either stay on or it will intermittently come on. Also, I wouldn't try and drive it hard around a curve without bleeding the system. Id RODEO the car once you have replaced all the Accumulators and that way you wont damage the struts.
Well I've been running the car for a few days following my mechanic performing an ABC flush, filter changer, Star diagnostic and Rodeo.
He indicated that he cleared some codes (he didn't specify what), that there were no leaks in the system, and a visual inspection of the accumulators showed nothing (although a visual inspection will not tell you much, as he confirmed).
I've noticed that I no longer have the ABC flashing AS MUCH as I used to. In fact, it now only happens on sharps drops in the road surface once im doing over 100km/h and when the ABC is set to sport mode. Unfortunately roads in Western Australia aren't the best unless they are new tarmac. Otherwise, I've performed the self test and the car no longer bounces, and I have to use significant force to push the car down on any corner (so much so that I'm afraid of denting the panels!)
So I've driven it hard on ocassion and I haven't had any problems. The fluid level hasn't dropped. So I can only hope the flush and new filters have solved the problem...
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). He wants to try that first before replacing the accumulators and then a fluid flush. I'll post the results after it is done!
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