94 Active - heard a bang/snap and now I'm ridding on my springs

[tkd_q45]

Was driving home tonight and heard a bang/snap noise from under the hood. Not loud, just loud enough to hear. Active light came on and then I was ridding on springs only.

I'm wondering if I should just go to Jerry Tucker and go non active?

[DAEDALUS]

Things are going from bad to worse! Hopefully they can only get better. Have you tried emailing Texasoil? I know he's a pretty busy guy, but it is probably your betst bet. A Consult reading for an hour's labor cost might be worth it as well.Would be a shame to go non-active. I'm guessing if you took it to Jerry the cost would be around $2k.

[tkd_q45]

When it rains it pours! Just went to the dentist this morning and he tells me I need a root canal! What next? Jerry Tuckers sight quotes $2500 for full conversion. At this point it may be the best way to go. I really hate to give up on my Active but I simply cannot afford the problems. I thougt given the good service history, it would not be much on an issue.

[texasoil]

First thing is to find out why the active system shut down (that was the 'bang' you heard--the 'fail-safe valve' slaming closed--which dumps all the pressure. Could be as simple as blown fuse or low oil. Probably nothing major--seldom is. Run the self diagnostics first to see what it is. I have a reasonable stock of good used stuff.

Email me if you do not have the self diagnostic info. This test will find everything electrical that could be wrong.

[tkd_q45]

Texas - thanks for the input. I'll try and take a look later tonight. Don't think my fluid is low. I think there's something up with controler for the front struts. Another observation is that when I shut off the engine, the rear settles down but the front jumps up and stays up. It will lower itself back down when the engine is back on. After coming home tonight, this (jump up on shut down) is still happening.

Also there is this particular stretch of hwy I drive every morning. Typical expansion jointed concrete, but for some reason, this particular stretch makes the front end of my Q jump up, stay up for a second or two, then drop down.

[3Q Jay]

Tom-sorry to hear it. Since Keith is watching--i won't have anything useful to add. but I'm curious about the 'pop': is it like the snap of a solenoid off/on near the end of a 20mph right turn? [at least i think that's normal on the active]?

you are more than welcome to drive my car and get more reference data. Let me know if there is anything i can do to help you save your active.-Jay

[tkd_q45]

Thanks Jay. You are down in OC right? Are you ever out in Glendale in the middle of the day? What's your weekend availablity like?

The sound did sound like a snap - almost as if something broke off. I've always had some "crunchy" noises from my front left side - pressure seems to intemittently go on and off. When I'm pressurized - no problem, but when not, you do hear a grinding sound when going over bumbs/unweighting the front end.

[maxnix]

Has to be no more expensive to restore a semi-working active than to convert it.

[tkd_q45]

Well if you have the time to DIY I'm sure that is the case. But I do not have the time (not to mention the expertise as I am not a DIY God like many amoungst us here).

It's hard (in Los Angles no less!) to find someone who understands this system. $2500 (parts & labor via Jerry Tucker donw in San Diego) to convert back to standard. But once that's done I don't have to worry about it anymore (beyond the typical bushings/alignment/upper links & tension rods). Please realize that this car came with a great service hisotry and I did not count on these problems cropping up (at least so soon).

[Aussie Q45a]

Be real sad if you removed the ACTIVE out of your Q. Be kind of like casterating your prize Bull.......as a Q45A owner you have a serious responsibility to keep your ACTIVE .....Active.Good Luck

[tkd_q45]

Better to casterate my car than to have my car casterate me!

I do appreciate you scentiment. It was bad planing/bad luck on my part.

[3Q Jay]

Tom-I plan to be up by LAX Friday midday, but Glendale is usually not on my itenerary. Weekends can work,too.lmk-don't give up, yet!

Jay

[texasoil]

Please realize--the cause of the deactivation is most likely very minor and cheap to remedy. In 9 years of ownership, over 100K miles on 2 'well-used-90K when bought) actives--not a single minute of down time other than initial recharging (and just recharged strut accums on wife's--done in '90) Yest there ARE some horror stories out there--but VERY rare, and all gone by now. I can 'fix' most everything now, including 'tuning' the individual valves to compensate for increased clearances due to wear from debris/no oil changes.

[DAEDALUS]

tkd we're all begging you to keep it active! Need to borrow some tools? Did you get my message? I'll need some info from you. I'll be out of town Fri thru Sun. Maybe we can hook up next week.

[3Q Jay]

Keith- Here's a wild thought for you...what if we paid your airfare to come to socal and do some diagnostics/active tweaks for us? I know mines prolly 90-95%, but just feels slightly off....

[Aussie Q45a]

G'Day tkdPlease listen to Texasoil I recon it is a hell of a lot cheaper and much quicker to rechare your accum's than to replace your ACTIVE with coilovers. If I lived in the USA I would have used Texasoil services. However , as I live in Australia and am a DIYer, I decided to tackle the job myself and was amazed at (with NICO help) just how easy it was. If you get your accum's recharged from Texasoil he will give you/your mechanic detailed instructions. Maybe if you get your Mechanic to contact Texasoil, they can cordinate the changeover for you if you don't have the time or ability. Your Q is going to be off the road anyway and I recon that if you liase with Texasoil you will be back on the road a lot quicker even if you just have your strut accum's recharged by Texasoil.My only problem is trying to figure what pressure nitrogen to pump into the accum's. Your lucky that Texasoil will do all that for you Good Luck Aussie

[maxnix]

Keith- Here's a wild thought for you...what if we paid your airfare to come to socal and do some diagnostics/active tweaks for us?

Naaah, make him drive his SL600. It would be so Rodeo Drive!

[tkd_q45]

Update: I did not drive my car for 3 days. Took it to work yesterday and it pretty much worked as it ususally does - not perfectly, but not ridding on just springs. Active light was off.

[texasoil]

told you it was minor. I just thought about it and she submitted to my suggestions.

A trip to LA is not out of the cards. It will have to be in the fall though. I am having major surgery Aug 30--prostate removal--all you guys over 40 be sure and get a painless PSA blood test. It looks like we caught mine early enough to be 'contained' in the prostate and 100% curable by removal. ***** of an operation though-3-4hours!. Radiation (directed focused beams, then radioactive paladium seeds implanted are best it seems for 10 yr 'cure'--but--did you get it all? Best chance for saving the 'get stiff' nerves is surgery. Watched my grandpappy die from it--horrible bone pain--not a way to go.Over 70% of this cancer NOT found by PSA testing is 'incurable gone too far', while 70% found by PSA is 'curable' rather than 'treatable and controlable -for 5 years.

[Aussie Q45a]

Texas, what do you think the problem was, and do you think tkd_q45 should do a "FLUSH AND BLEED" just as a general maintenance proceedure???

Sorry to hear you need prostrate surgery. My PSA came back yesterday and luckily it's OK. My Brother had the operation a few months ago and he's great (not getting up 10 times at night to take a piss) now. Was back at work digging trenches within 8 weeks. Good Luck.Aussie