I'm stuck on the bump stops with 40 miles to go. Can anyone help until I get home please? I'm off to the hotel now.
Bypass didn't work, compressor is dead
Hoppy
I assume by bypass you mean a wire link between orange and black wires to bypass the thermal switch? Gordon is in Glasgow (and David Hallworth too) so hopefully one or other will be able to help you.
Now I know why I keep a kicker in the glove box, just in case !
How long are you up there hoppy, I could stick the kicker in the post if you need.
Hi Chris,
I'm only here until tomorrow then a "slammed" drive home to Cheshire.
Will I need the EAS kicker to bring it back to life? If so I'll happily take you up on your kind offer to borrow it.
I have a spare EAS at home but not sure if the driver unit is good or not.
Gordon yes I did try that but I only had a paper clip, time to make a proper jumper cable for the glove box!
If the compressor isn't running, there's no pressure so a kicker won't do anything. It'll clear a soft or hard fault but if it isn't a software problem then you need to work out what the problem is. Check fuse 40 first as that feeds power to the pump. If you put a jumper in place of the relay (RL20, yellow relay next to the maxi fuses) and the pump runs then the ECU isn't telling it to turn on, most likely caused by the thermal switch has popped, or the relay has burnt out. Try swapping the relay with one of the others (windscreen heater is a good one to swap with as unlikely to be needed), that will rule out the relay. As said, shorting the orange and black wires will bypass the thermal switch if that is the problem. The ECU detects that the thermal switch is open and doesn't try to turn the pump on. Putting a jumper between those two wires will fool the ECU into thinking it is closed and cause it to start. If it doesn't run, then it is likely that the pump itself has burnt out although pretty rare. Ground the black wire and put power on the green and it should run
Just read the first post again, if you've got a Nanocom you don't need a kicker. Just use the Nano to clear any faults. Even if the pump isn't running you can force it to run to fill the reservoir, clear the faults and it should come back to life.
Don't tell me the Nano isn't in the car?????
I could pop round with my EAS cable if it helps? You can then get the thing off the deck, and unplug the EAS relay to stop any further dicking about.
That would do the job the same as a Nano. Manually run the pump (assuming it runs) to build some pressure, clear the faults and send it to standard height.
Big thanks to Gordon for coming with his spare compressor to give Rommel some mouth to mouth. It's now off the bump stops at motorway level so my teeth will be fine for my run back to Cheshire tomorrow. Thank you mate!
My pump hasn't siezed but the connector pins have done good job of welding themselves together. I would have thought that a fuse would have blown somewhere first but it doesn't seem that way. Has anyone seen this before?
I'm due to drive to Limoges next Friday so I'd like to fix it. I do have a spare EAS but I obviously don't want this to happen again
Click this link to see the damage => (https://photos.app.goo.gl/EiiH68xoURtDieXMA)
I'll ask Gordon to post the pictures
Gilbertd wrote:
Just read the first post again, if you've got a Nanocom you don't need a kicker. Just use the Nano to clear any faults. Even if the pump isn't running you can force it to run to fill the reservoir, clear the faults and it should come back to life.
Don't tell me the Nano isn't in the car?????
It is indeed! It cleared the faults but nothing will run the compressor
Try running power directly to the pump, if you can get it up you can drive, I did about 30 miles on the bump stops once, never again, shook the s#*= out of me, lol
It wouldn't with a connection, or rather lack of connection, like that, no power to the pump. I've not seen that personally but I have seen other people post similar pictures over on the other side. The pump draws a fair amount of current so if the connection is a bit iffy, there will be resistance there which will get hot. The hotter it gets the greater the resistance so will get even hotter still until you've got so much resistance that it can't pass sufficient current to run the pump. A bit of a bodge but even chopping the plugs off and using a big choc block would give a decent connection and sort it out.
I'm now putting together a P38 emergency box for travels after this, lesson learned that's for sure.
I'll get to it once I get home and report back
Driving on bump stops should be the very last resort after exhausting every available alternative! I don't think I've ever been shaken around that much in my life.
Whatever the max speed the dashboard suggests in that situation is a lie. It should be much lower!
After being caught out like this and having to drive on the bump stops I've now fitted a manual filling kit to my car.
It has four schrader fillers on a panel mounted on the inside of slam panel next to the air filter.
I have fitted isolator valves to the EAS outputs which then run down to "T" joints from the fillers.
If I have a problem I isolate the out put lines and fill from a 12v tyre compressor which I keep in the boot.
Before driving I unplug the compressor so that it doesn't run and then all I get is the dash alarm.
Rather that than ever having to drive on the bump stops again.
I keep a couple of metres of nylon pipe, a pipe joiner and 4 of the Schrader valve fillers in a poly bag in the boot as my emergency get me home kit. There's also a tyre compressor there anyway so I could manually pump it if needed. Never had to use it but it's there just in case. There's also a serpentine belt, a couple of bits of various sized coolant hose, hose clips, electrical and binding wire, PVC tape, tie wraps, assorted sized nuts and bolts and anything else that looks like it might come in useful. This lives in the wheel well next to the LPG tank along with my warning triangle I need for travel in Europe.
The spare wheel/well has a tow rope with numerous "D" shackles, serpentine belt, high vis waistcoat's, 12v compressor and to go with my get you home EAS kit a second (just in case, spare) EAS compressor. Also a accident pack with throw away camera, tape measure, etc.
The boot holds my plastic box with a gallon of water, small screen wash, gloves, plastic sheet (old shower curtain) for lying on and a couple of ratchet straps.
My Nanocom resides in the glovebox along with some spare fuses and bulbs also my Green Flag card is in my wallet.
All just to make my journeys a more enjoyable (I WILL GET HOME !!) experience......LOL !!
I didn't mention the rest I carry, latex gloves, hand (and anything else) wiping rags, jump leads, tow rope and shackles, two gallons of water, litre of brake fluid, litre of ATF, spare bulbs and fuses and a couple of ratchet straps. Two Hi Viz vests live under the seat, as required in Europe (it has to be accessible from within the car) while the fire extinguisher and first aid kit are also in the boot. When I do my long distance continental journeys there's also a spare starter and alternator. As you can't bump start an auto, if your starter dies in the middle of nowhere, even if the rest of the car is perfect, you aren't going anywhere and with the reliance on electricity, a dead alternator will stop you too. Then there is my tool box with everything except the workshop only tools and, finally, a 3 tonne trolley jack.
I'm feeling a little under prepared here.
All I keep in the car is coolant, oil, a screw driver and an RAC card lol.
Ha ha, don't know about being under prepared, for me it's being a retired mechanic and not wanting to have to resort to being recovered or repaired by someone else.
Like Gilbertd I do tend to take parts with me when we tour the UK with the caravan but then the parts spare alternator etc are carried in the van.
I also have been known to check where the nearest L-Rover spares places near where we intend visiting are.......... bit nerdy I know LOL