There are several tests you can do from under the car.
1) Check for fluid in the tank under the hood. No fluid can lead to no leaks. Then check to see that the top of the rear fender wells are near or slightly above the top of the tire tops. This is just a check to see if it is actually lifting the car so that the car is not riding on the rubber bumpers.
2) Get the rear wheels up on ramps and slide under. Find the leveling valve and see if you can "manhandle" it a bit either up or down. (But I believe down is the direction you will want to move it.) If there is any fluid lifting the rams up then they should drop a little bit. If this happens then the rams are capable of traveling and are likely not stuck.
3) Disconnect the link rod on the valve lever and lower the car ALL THE WAY DOWN so that there is no pressure in the lines/accumulators/rams. You will see two hoses at one end of the accumulators. IIRC the one with the banjo bolt needs to be removed so that a suitably sized blunt rod can be inserted into that threaded hole that the banjo bolt came out of.
Here is a clue - if only an ounce or so of fluid drips out (of the accumulator) then the diaphragm inside is probably good. If an accumulator sized amount of fluid comes out, then the diaphragm is probably bad and is resting at the rear of the inside of the accumulator.
The rod must be of small enough diameter to fit the hole and long enough to not fall into the accumulator. gently insert the rod into the banjo bolt hole and see how far in it goes. If it only goes in an inch or so the accumulators are likely good. If it goes all the way into the accumulator and touches the other end of the inside, then the accumulators are shot. You are trying to feel the position of the diaphragm inside the accumulator. If it is intact then it will be close to the bolt opening with pressure behind it. If it is broken then it will have deflated and be against the far end of the inside of the accumulator body.
The diaphragm has pressurized nitrogen behind it, and will move to allow the rams to travel short distances up and down. This is essential for a ride that is not rock hard. Too much movement and the valve will adjust the level. But for small or short lived movements of the rams, the accumulators take up the movement.
Hope this helps.
Bogy.
On Friday, December 27, 2013 11:01 AM, Lawrence Rhodes <primobassoon@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
COMPLETE MISUNDERSTANDING of the system. OK my ride is rock hard. Maybe I only need the accumulators. I didn't realize the shocks are hooked to the accumulators. Is there a way to check/method etc... to trouble shoot the system? I just got the wrong shocks. I saw the whole system and now I understand how it works. I didn't realize the accumulators didn't hold up the rear end. It is the shocks that do that. Is it possible only one of the accumulators is bad or one shock bad and both accumulators or both shocks and both accumulators...It's mind boggling. HELP... I understand this. If the shocks are dry with no leaking it's the accumulators. If so do I replace both or try to test each accumulator. Lawrence Rhodes....
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