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Author Topic: HELP: 1999 V6 24V self-levelling system fault  (Read 7714 times)
José V. Gavilá
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Posts: 97


1999 Espace 3.0 V6 24V


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« on: November 01, 2010, 11:21:06 am »

Hi all,

After some time of happy motoring with my beloved Espace  Wink , now I have a trouble with the rear-axle self-levelling system. If you know it, when you open the door first time or when you load more or less weight on the car, pump runs briefly and the rear of the Espace goes up or down, depending on an increase or decrease of weight. I guess all the 24V from that period have it, right?

Ok, this is the way it used to work. But now, if I left the car for just an hour or so, on returning I find it completely down so it takes quite a lot to raise to normal height. And then, if I do a long trip, I even get a beep and a 'Service' message on display and the levelling system icon lits. I need to stop, open the door and then car raises again.

Obviously, there seems to be some leakage on the system so it can't keep the pressure without the pump running from time to time.

My question is... has someone been on this already?. Is it expensive to fix  Cry ?. Could it be a DIY job or best left to a Renault service?

Thanks for all!

JOSE
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JOSE V. GAVILA
La Canyada (Valencia)
SPAIN

http://jvgavila.com
Anders Dinsen
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« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2010, 08:15:08 pm »

Hi Jose. Good to see you here again Smiley
Yes it sounds like you have a leak somewhere. I know of one case here in Denmark, where it ended up costing him a minor fortune trying to get Renault to fix it, but the trouble is that I have never seen the parts available from elsewhere. But a good start would be to try to find out where the leak is. I think there is a service manual for the system in the vault:
http://www.matrasport.dk/Cars/Espace/vault/JE/

/Anders
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1982 Talbot Matra Murena 2.2 prep 142
2017 BMW i3 "Charged Professional" 94Ah

Used to own:
2001 Renault Matra Grand Espace "The Race" V6 24v
1997 Renault Matra Espace 2.0 8V
1987 Renault Matra Espace J11 2.2
José V. Gavilá
Full Member
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Posts: 97


1999 Espace 3.0 V6 24V


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« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2010, 10:12:20 pm »

Hi Anders,

Hi Jose. Good to see you here again Smiley
Yes it sounds like you have a leak somewhere. I know of one case here in Denmark, where it ended up costing him a minor fortune trying to get Renault to fix it, but the trouble is that I have never seen the parts available from elsewhere. But a good start would be to try to find out where the leak is. I think there is a service manual for the system in the vault:
http://www.matrasport.dk/Cars/Espace/vault/JE/

/Anders

Thanks for your comment. Well, I thought of an internal leak in one of the pneumatic actuators, similar to what happens in the Citroen XM when suspension struts leak internally and car, when parked, lowers in short time. But I have really no clue. Only info I have is from the French RTA manual. So at least I know how system works and have a block diagram, but not much else.

I have checked in the vault files and have only found a document with a single page. Is there any other document?. I can't locate it  Undecided

Best regards,

JOSE
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JOSE V. GAVILA
La Canyada (Valencia)
SPAIN

http://jvgavila.com
jack daniels
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« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2010, 07:31:19 pm »

The fist step for pnumatic leak finding  is to purchase a can of leak finder and spray around all the joints and fittings and possible leak sources.
It will create visible bubbles at any leak spot. Choose a can that comes with a long plastic tube or hose to get at the hard to reach places.

  Do it when the car is elevated so that the pressure in the system is as high as possible.

There is an airfilter dehumidifier beside the compressor, is that OK?
There's a 3 way fitting with a valve where the left and right sides are T'd together. Check that valve with leak finder. It may be a shrader valve which is replacable. The fittings that are screwed into the front sides of the airsprings look like a typical leak spot.  The tube/hose where it sits in the plastic retainer can also get worn.

If you find no external leakage at all, then you could disconnect the tube/hose from one airspring  and plug the fittingfrom the compressor. Pressurize the system and wait and see if it leaks less than before. Then test the other side by itself. It would be a help to attach a pressure gauge or transducer to the test fitting to see pressure falls a bit quicker.

the compressor may have a non-return valve on the output so that air wont leak back out thru the compressor.

« Last Edit: November 02, 2010, 07:49:31 pm by jack daniels » Logged

Espace, Grand (magnifique, formidable, grandiose, considérable, noble, ample) III  
2002   JE02   F4R  DP0   2.0L 16v auto
José V. Gavilá
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Posts: 97


1999 Espace 3.0 V6 24V


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« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2010, 07:22:37 pm »

Hello!

Sorry for delay answering this message...

The fist step for pnumatic leak finding  is to purchase a can of leak finder and spray around all the joints and fittings and possible leak sources.
It will create visible bubbles at any leak spot. Choose a can that comes with a long plastic tube or hose to get at the hard to reach places.

  Do it when the car is elevated so that the pressure in the system is as high as possible.

There is an airfilter dehumidifier beside the compressor, is that OK?
There's a 3 way fitting with a valve where the left and right sides are T'd together. Check that valve with leak finder. It may be a shrader valve which is replacable. The fittings that are screwed into the front sides of the airsprings look like a typical leak spot.  The tube/hose where it sits in the plastic retainer can also get worn.

If you find no external leakage at all, then you could disconnect the tube/hose from one airspring  and plug the fittingfrom the compressor. Pressurize the system and wait and see if it leaks less than before. Then test the other side by itself. It would be a help to attach a pressure gauge or transducer to the test fitting to see pressure falls a bit quicker.

the compressor may have a non-return valve on the output so that air wont leak back out thru the compressor.



Well, I was able to hear the hissing noise of the leak when car was about half the maximum height (I found it while hand-washing it Grin). It was obvious by the noise it was an external leak but, curiously enough, noise was almost the same at both sides of the Espace (when sitting close to the rear wheels)

I have no way to get below the car (with a reasonable free height), so I decided to take it to Renault  Shocked

Well, as I had insisted that they kept me informed, next day they called me and I went to look at the problem. Car was on the elevator, with pneumatic circuit under pressure and, in both airsprings, there were leaks, clearly visible with leak finder as you suggested. So both were shot (anyway, I would have changed both, but it is curious that they exhibit exactly same condition). BTW; units are Pirelli made.

Then it came the price... each is about 245€ plus VAT (18% in Spain now). Then you need to add 0.8 hours for each one to replace... so grandtotal is about 664€. Not as bad as I thought but not cheap either!

My Espace is now 11 years old but has only clocked 121.000km. So I hope it will last some more years so this investment is not trashed.

Best regards,

JOSE
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JOSE V. GAVILA
La Canyada (Valencia)
SPAIN

http://jvgavila.com
jack daniels
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« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2010, 09:00:23 pm »

645 euro dosn't sound too bad. Changing 2 coil springs and shock absorbers at a dealer would probably have cost about the same. The running costs with your pnematic system may even be lower since it's lasted untill now. My rear shocks lasted only 80,000km.
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Espace, Grand (magnifique, formidable, grandiose, considérable, noble, ample) III  
2002   JE02   F4R  DP0   2.0L 16v auto
José V. Gavilá
Full Member
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Posts: 97


1999 Espace 3.0 V6 24V


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« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2010, 07:35:15 pm »

645 euro dosn't sound too bad. Changing 2 coil springs and shock absorbers at a dealer would probably have cost about the same. The running costs with your pnematic system may even be lower since it's lasted untill now. My rear shocks lasted only 80,000km.

Well, besides the price... parts are not available on stock so there is a long wait ahead  Sad

Now I am driving my Citroen XM. Not bad either  Grin

Regards,

JOSE
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JOSE V. GAVILA
La Canyada (Valencia)
SPAIN

http://jvgavila.com
espace.jp
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1997Espace 2002Avantime 2002kangoo


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« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2011, 02:39:49 am »

Hi. I'm in Japan

I have espace V6 1997year model
But Espace was not sold in Japan
Parts are purchased from Spain

My espace  have a trouble with pnumatic leak.

I orderd Pneumatic splings
But the parts has not arrived yet 

 Best regards

Kawasaki


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José V. Gavilá
Full Member
***
Posts: 97


1999 Espace 3.0 V6 24V


WWW
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2011, 08:02:24 am »

Hi Kawasaki,

Hi. I'm in Japan

I have espace V6 1997year model
But Espace was not sold in Japan
Parts are purchased from Spain

My espace  have a trouble with pnumatic leak.

I orderd Pneumatic splings
But the parts has not arrived yet 

 Best regards

Kawasaki



I got them finally... after about three months!. But they were recently manufactured (dated 10/2010). BTW, parts are made by Pirelli.

So, be patient  Wink!

Regards,

JOSE
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JOSE V. GAVILA
La Canyada (Valencia)
SPAIN

http://jvgavila.com
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