If you've heard the rumble under the hood of your Volkswagen Touareg, it's most likely the compressor. In this case, he needs a major overhaul, if possible, or a complete replacement. If the cylinder is not too worn out and the situation is not running, it will be enough to carry out repairs. Be prepared to replace all defective parts: guide bushings, seals, switching relays, and so on. For these purposes, you will definitely need a repair kit, without which repairs are impossible. You can cope with this on your own if you have the proper experience, or you can entrust the implementation to specialists, the cost of such a service will not hit your pocket hard.
Otherwise, when the compressor cannot be repaired and even the repair kit cannot help you, the compressor must be replaced. At the same time, keep in mind that the cost of a new part will cost you a round sum, so you can limit yourself to a used spare part. This will save you money by performing minor repairs and installing the product. A feature of this equipment is the need to replace the control relay when replacing the compressor itself.
When repairing or replacing the compressor, as well as regardless of its condition, the switching relay must be replaced every five years. After all, it is the failure of this element that most often leads to engine combustion.
If possible, replace the compressor with a more efficient one. This will avoid problems with overheating of the closing relay and, as a result, will increase the service life of the unit.
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Vibration in the cabin or how to repair the air suspension on Volkswagen Touareg ? We will consider this topic today in this section. The question is relevant, since an SUV is quite popular among the category of people with an above-average income level.
The car was released back in the early 2000s, during this period it experienced only one restyling, which indirectly indicates the perfection of the car.
In addition, this is a child of the German giant concern Volkswagen, there is no point in talking about its products, since one word “German” is enough and the quality is not discussed. It would seem that there is nothing to complain about the drivers of the Touareg? Yes, perhaps not for anything. It turns out that everything is far from the case, we will consider the sins of the concern below.
Therefore, those who were going to buy a car of this brand were warned about such diseases and recommended not to purchase a 2003 model year. Throwing a stain on the German in the running system of the pumping cylinder, due to the strong wear of the rubber seal. But even despite the repeated improvement of the mechanism, it was not possible to completely eradicate it.
Although in fact the suspension in the car is simply amazing, it inherited from the Volkswagen Phaeton, the truth was modified a little for its weight. Without leaving the salon, you can safely change the ground clearance from 160 to 300 mm. ground clearance. The ride is soft and smooth, like a ship on the waves. The suspension has three modes: standard, soft and hard.
The start of the engine is marked by arbitrary lifting of the front or rear of the body;
The back of the car drops when the engine is off;
Systematic arbitrary change in ground clearance;
Drawdown of one of the racks, no matter which one;
The service mode in the electronic control unit blocks access to data on wheel alignment in the car.
Average service life of the pneumocylinder reaches 100,000 km. mileage, the figure may vary depending on the operating conditions of the vehicle. The next reason for failure is often a chemical reagent, which is sprinkled on roads in winter against icy conditions. It simply eats away at the rubber vacuum, causing air to leak over time.
Recently, would-be drivers have been using a compressor installed in a car to inflate tires, but it is actually designed by the manufacturer to inflate air into the suspension system. Frequent use leads to the fact that the fittings quickly wear out and begin to poison the air in the opposite direction. The car just lies on its belly, so much so that more than one tow truck will not crawl.
The ground clearance will be less than 5.0cm ... in such situations, mobile jacks are used, with which the entire car is evenly lifted, wooden blocks are placed under the support points and the pneumatic system is replaced. There are simply no other options for resuscitation and delivery to a car service.
The way out of such an unfortunate situation is as follows: change the brains of the driver and read the operating instructions for the car, or very often change the fittings, working proactively. What option will each owner of such a legendary SUV choose to repair the air suspension on a Volkswagen Touareg, I do not know.
With proper maintenance and moderate driving style, the number of such problems can be reduced to a negligible minimum.
There are situations when the air compressor, peacefully rattling by the engine in the corner of the garage, starts to malfunction, or even turns off altogether. And at this moment, as luck would have it, there is a need for it. Do not be afraid, after studying theoretical information, repairing a compressor with your own hands will not seem like something unattainable.
The main purpose of air compressor units is to create a continuous, uniform jet of compressed air.The dense gas stream is then driven by various pneumatic tools. These can be airbrushes, tire inflation guns, wrenches, cutting machines, pneumatic chisels, nailers, and more. In the minimum configuration, the compressor unit is equipped with a supercharger (an engine that creates an air flow) and a receiver (a container for storing compressed gas).
Compressors with a piston system electric motor have found the greatest application in car repair shops. In the supercharger crankcase, the transfer rod moves along the axis back and forth, giving the oscillatory moment to the reciprocating movement of the piston with O-rings. The bypass valve system located in the cylinder head works in such a way that when the piston moves downward, air is taken from the inlet pipe, and upward - it is returned to the outlet pipe.
The gas flow is directed to the receiver, where it is compacted. Due to its design, the blower produces an uneven air stream. Which is not applicable to spray gun use. A kind of condenser (receiver) saves the situation, which smooths out the pressure pulsations, giving out a uniform flow at the outlet.
A more complex design of the compressor unit implies the attachment of additional equipment designed to provide automatic operation, dehumidification and humidification. And if in the case of a simple execution it is easy to localize a malfunction, then the complication of the equipment execution complicates the search. The following are the most common faults and remedies for the most common piston-type compressed gas systems.
To make it easier to find the problem, all defects can be classified by the nature of the malfunction:
Compressor unit blower does not start
Compressor motor hums but does not pump air or fills air reservoir too slowly
At start-up, the thermal protection circuit breaker is triggered or the mains fuse is blown out.
When the blower is turned off, the pressure in the compressed air tank drops
Thermal protection circuit breaker periodically trips
Exhaust air contains a lot of moisture
Engine vibrates violently
Compressor runs intermittently
Air flow is consumed below normal
Let's consider all the causes of the problems and how to fix them.
If the engine does not start and does not hum, then the supply voltage is not applied to it. First of all, using an indicator screwdriver, check the presence of "zero" and "phase", as well as the reliability of the plug-to-socket connection. In case of poor contact, measures are taken for a tighter fit. If there is 220 V at the input of the circuit, the fuses of the compressor unit look.
Failed ones are replaced by passive protection devices of the same rating as defective ones. In no case are hot-melt inserts designed for a higher electric current allowed. If the fuse blows again, you should find out the cause of the failure - probably a short circuit at the input of the circuit.
The second reason why the unit does not start is that the pressure control relay in the receiver is faulty or the level settings are out of order. To check, gas is released from the cylinder and the supercharger is tested. If the engine is running, the relay is reset. Otherwise, the defective part is replaced.
Also, the engine will not start when the thermal overload circuit breaker is triggered. This device turns off the power supply circuit of the winding of the electrical device in case of overheating of the piston system, fraught with seizure of the motor. Let the blower cool down for at least 15 minutes. After this time has elapsed, restart it.
With an underestimated mains voltage, the electric motor does not master the scrolling of the axis, while it will hum.With this malfunction, first of all, we check the voltage level in the network using a multimeter (it must be at least 220 V).
If the voltage is normal, then the pressure in the receiver is probably too high, and the piston does not overpower the pushing of air. In this case, manufacturers recommend setting the “AUTO-OFF” automatic switch to the “OFF” position for 15 seconds and then moving it to the “AUTO” position. If this does not help, then the pressure control switch in the receiver is faulty or the bypass (check) valve is clogged.
You can try to eliminate the last drawback by removing the cylinder head and cleaning the channels. Replace the defective relay or send it to a specialized center for repair.
Compressor start-up is accompanied by blown fuse or activation of automatic thermal protection
VIDEO This malfunction occurs if the installed fuse is below the recommended rated power or the supply network is overloaded. In the first case, we check the compliance of the permissible currents, in the second, we disconnect part of the consumers from the electric main.
A more serious cause of the malfunction is incorrect operation of the voltage relay or breakdown of the bypass valve. We bypass the relay contacts according to the scheme, if the engine is running, then the actuator is faulty. In this case, it is more advisable to contact an official service center for technical support or replace the relay yourself.
A drop in compressed air pressure indicates that there is a leak somewhere in the system. Risk areas are: high pressure air line, piston head check valve or receiver outlet cock. We check the entire pipeline with a soapy solution for air leaks. We wrap the detected defects with sealing tape.
The drain cock may leak if not properly closed or defective. If it is closed all the way, and the soapy solution is bubbling on the spout, then we change this part. When screwing in a new one, do not forget to wind up the fum tape on the thread.
In the case of tightness of the air line and the exhaust valve, we conclude that the compressor control valve is not working correctly. For further work, be sure to bleed all the compressed air from the receiver! Next, we continue to repair the compressor with our own hands, disassembling the cylinder head.
If there is dirt or mechanical damage to the bypass valve, we clean it and try to fix the defects. If the malfunction is not eliminated, then we replace the control valve.
This defect occurs when the power supply voltage is too low, the air flow is poor, or the room temperature is too high. We measure the voltage in the network using a multimeter; it must be at least the lower limit of the range recommended by the manufacturer.
Poor air flow into the discharge system is due to a clogged inlet filter. The filter should be replaced or washed according to the unit's maintenance manual. The piston engine is air-cooled and often overheats when in a poorly ventilated area. The problem is solved by moving the compressor unit to a room with good ventilation.
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This situation occurs under the following conditions:
Large accumulation of moisture in the receiver
Air intake filter dirty
The humidity in the room of the compressor unit is increased
Moisture in the output stream of compressed air is fought by the following methods:
Drain excess fluid from the cylinder regularly
Clean or replace the filter element
Move the compressor unit to a room with drier air or install additional filter-moisture separators
In general, piston engines are prone to high vibration.But, if the previously relatively quiet compressor unit begins to rumble, there is a high probability that the engine mounting screws are loosened or the material of the vibration cushions is worn out. This malfunction is eliminated by pulling all fasteners in a circle and replacing the polymer vibration isolators.
Interruptions in the operation of the engine can be caused by incorrect operation of the pressure control switch or too intensive extraction of compressed air.
Excessive gas consumption occurs due to a discrepancy between the compressor capacity and the power consumption. Therefore, before buying a new pneumatic tool, carefully study its characteristics and air consumption per unit of time.
Consumers should not take more than 70% of the compressor capacity. If the power of the blower with a margin overlaps the requests of the pneumatic tools, then the pressure switch is faulty. We either repair it or replace it with a new one.
This malfunction occurs as a result of a gas leak in the high pressure system or a clogged air intake filter. Air leakage can be minimized by pulling all butt joints and wrapping them with sealing tape.
Sometimes it happens that when draining condensate from the receiver, they forget to completely close the drain valve, which also leads to a gas leak. This problem is easy to solve - by tightly closing the valve. If the dust filter is clogged, clean it or, even better, replace it with a new one.
VIDEO Most of the above malfunctions can be avoided by correctly carrying out the first start-up and running-in of the mechanisms, as well as performing regular routine maintenance.
In order for the device to function properly for a long time, the recommended maintenance should be started at the initial stages of operation. Experts recommend the following actions from the date of purchase:
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Timely observance of these simple requirements will keep the mechanism in good condition. Such a time-consuming procedure as repairing a compressor with your own hands will be required extremely rarely. Proper grounding will avoid problems with the electrical part of the device. Regular replacement of oil and cleaning filters will prevent premature wear of rubbing parts.
If your air suspension compressor flatly refuses to work and by a happy coincidence you have a few hours of free time, then I suggest you get out the dusty tools and give your compressor a new life. And now we will consider how to do this as quickly and efficiently as possible.
So, the defective compressor is lying on the table, you are already angry and tired (it is not so easy to remove the compressor from the car, especially without breaking anything), but still full of determination? Wonderful! Let's start then.
What we definitely need:
Torx T30 key. I strongly recommend using a high-quality wrench with a good wrench - you can break a lot of poor-quality ones, but you still can't achieve the goal, because the bolts we need sit on thread glue and, moreover, often "sour"
Slotted screwdriver
Soap solution
Rags or cotton wool
You may also need a drill, a thin drill (3-4 mm), side cutters, a file, a 10mm head and many other useful tools, depending on the condition of your compressor.
Before repairing, it is advisable to wash the air suspension compressor well in order to prevent dirt from entering the pneumatic system, which can make all our work in vain. For washing, you can use soapy water and a stiff brush, such as an old toothbrush. It is highly undesirable to use a wire brush or pressure washer. It is also best to set organic solvents aside to avoid damaging the plastic and rubber parts of the pneumatic fittings.
Next, we begin to disassemble.The first step is to remove the cylinder assembly with the dryer block and dump valve. To do this, we are trying to unscrew the two T30 bolts that we mentioned earlier.
After the bolts are unscrewed, we remove the temperature sensor and put it aside. On some air suspension compressors, for example on the VW Touareg and Range Rover Vogue, in order to remove the temperature sensor, it is necessary to additionally unscrew the fixing bolt on the back of the cylinder. After that, we can remove the cylinder and look inside.
Inside we see a piston on which the piston ring is worn. The piston itself rotates on the connecting rod. We are interested in three things here.
The first is the ease of rotation of the rotor of the electric motor. To do this, we try, by pulling or pushing on the piston, to scroll it. The rotor should rotate easily and without biting. If it rotates heavily and unevenly, or does not rotate at all, then with a greater degree of probability we can say that the cause of the compressor malfunction was the melting of the rotor windings, which led to its sticking. In this case, we recommend replacing the compressor with a new one.
Next, we check the condition of the bearing on which the piston is rotating. It is checked by staggering the piston along the axis of rotation of the bearing. If the backlash is 1-2 mm in each direction, then everything is in order with the bearing, if the backlash is greater, then it is recommended to replace the bearing.
To replace it, it is necessary to drill out rivets on the end flange, remove it and unscrew the bolt securing the bearing. Note that the thread of this bolt is LEFT! Then it is necessary to remove the piston and bearing assembly. The bearing must be pressed out of the piston. To do this, you must use a specialized puller. DO NOT use a hammer, etc. to press out the bearing. The piston is aluminum and can crack easily. Then we carefully press in the new bearing.
The next thing we pay attention to is the cleanliness inside the cavity in which the piston moves. If there is a slight plaque on the inner walls, then we have nothing to worry about. To remove it, use a soapy solution. In extreme cases, weak organic solvents (such as gasoline) may be used, but never allow the solvent to come into contact with the plastic or rubber parts of the compressor.
If we find a large amount of dirt (and this dirt is not a debris from the cylinder and piston ring), or, even worse, this dirt is oily, then everything is a little worse. The only way this dirt could get inside is the air supply lines. They must be carefully checked and, if necessary, repaired or replaced.
The last thing we are interested in is the state of the piston ring and cylinder walls. If we are going to install the air suspension compressor repair kit, then this item can be skipped. If we hope for a miracle (and miracles happen), then it is necessary to carefully examine the cylinder walls for the absence of scratches and wear. Small scratches are allowed on the cylinder walls, which are not perceptible by touching with a finger. If the cylinder has deep scratches or grooves (especially deep in the cylinder where maximum compression is to be achieved), the cylinder must be replaced. If the cylinder has no signs of wear, then we next check the condition of the piston ring.
If the cylinder does not have scratches, then most likely you will not find them on the piston ring either. Use a vernier caliper to check the condition of the ring. The ring width should be 4.75 mm. Wear up to 0.05 mm is allowed, and then it is recommended to replace it.
If during the check it turned out that the engine, cylinder and piston ring are in order, then either we disassembled the compressor in vain, or for its further verification we need a specialized stand where we can accurately determine the correct operation of the electric motor and the air discharge system, as well as the places of possible leaks air. To do this, we recommend that you contact a specialist (for example, us) or replace the compressor with a new one (in case you are sure that it is faulty).
If we do not replace the desiccant unit with a new one, then it is also recommended to recycle it. We will consider the features of the bulkhead of the dryer block in another article.
Compressor assembly is carried out in reverse order. All worn out and broken parts are replaced with new ones whenever possible. If the quick-release couplings were damaged during the repair, they must also be replaced! All pneumatic tubes must be fully inserted into the connections.
When installing the piston ring, pay attention to the correct installation. There is only one position on the piston in which it will work correctly.
Video (click to play).
Please also note that unnecessary details MUST NOT be left behind.