Ride height

[GTOken]

I notice on my 02 Deville that rear of the car sits a little high. When I get in and start the car I can hear the pump raising it. Is there some way to adjust the height of the rear of the car?

[BodybyFisher]

Check the trunk of your car for the RPO sticker does your car have the F45 suspension or not?

There are two diffierent diagnostics With and Without the F45 suspension

[GTOken]

Check the trunk of your car for the RPO sticker does your car have the F45 suspension or not?

There are two diffierent diagnostics With and Without the F45 suspension

I dont see the sticker in the trunk. But, the trunk is pretty much fully covered with that insulation stuff. Will I need to take off the insulation? or would the sticker be somewhere else? The original window sticker does list "Electronic Level Control" (FWIW).

[JimD]

Bottom surface of spare tire cover.

[GTOken]

No "F45" listed.

[Texas Jim]

No "F45" listed.

Is FE3 listed??

[GTOken]

No FE3. I have FE1,FE9, and FV3. I have no idea what those are.

[JimD]

FE1 = Suspension System Soft Ride.

The other two have nothing to do with suspension.

Is the rear significantly higher than the front? Or is the difference more like just noticeable?

[JimD]

....Is there some way to adjust the height of the rear of the car?

Back to the original question. It is quite simple to lower the rear (very slightly) but not a very elegant fix. Raising the rear involves a lot more effort.

At the LR suspension, there is a suspension position sensor attached to the chassis and connected to the control arm with a small diameter connecting rod. To lower the rear, make that connecting rod just a little bit shorter by putting a slight bend in the rod. You might have to unsnap the ball joints and remove the rod to get a smooth curved bend. Removing and installing the connecting rod is very easy.

Drive the car for a day or two to see if the "new" level is closer to what you want. Repeat as needed.

[GTOken]

FE1 = Suspension System Soft Ride.

The other two have nothing to do with suspension.

Is the rear significantly higher than the front? Or is the difference more like just noticeable?

The car is just not sitting level. The back seems like it as air shocks that are inflated too much (like back in the 70's, LOL). Its probably not much but I just don't like it. I will try a slight bend in the rod you mentioned.

As far as I know, the front has no ride height system. So lowering the rear is what I will try.

Thanks.

[MrKeepaCaddy]

FE1 = Suspension System Soft Ride.

The other two have nothing to do with suspension.

Is the rear significantly higher than the front? Or is the difference more like just noticeable?

The car is just not sitting level. The back seems like it as air shocks that are inflated too much (like back in the 70's, LOL). Its probably not much but I just don't like it. I will try a slight bend in the rod you mentioned.

As far as I know, the front has no ride height system. So lowering the rear is what I will try.

Thanks.

70's are classics, so it's not funny. Not to mention the fact that none of us are having the ride height issues. Since joining this site, all I've noticed is undercover hate comments from people who more than likely have nothing to begin with as usual. It seems whatever you people don't have, it's crap. Get a life. I'm sure you and your clan will eventually bar me from this site at some point, but I aint trippin. I wanted to help build your site, but instead of embracing a new member, yall click up like females. This is a wack forum to begin with so I am out anyway. Everyone here seems to ask more questions than help anyhow. How can yall call yourselves cadillac lovers when you pick and choose owners to respect. Yall a bunch of bums. Yeah, I said it and and no *smurf* here nor internet thug. Just a grown *smurf* man, being honest. Maybe oneday, yall will figure it out once you stop being followers.

[JimD]

70's are classics, so it's not funny. Not to mention the fact that none of us are having the ride height issues. Since joining this site, all I've noticed is undercover hate comments from people who more than likely have nothing to begin with as usual. It seems whatever you people don't have, it's crap. Get a life. I'm sure you and your clan will eventually bar me from this site at some point, but I aint trippin. I wanted to help build your site, but instead of embracing a new member, yall click up like females. This is a wack forum to begin with so I am out anyway. Everyone here seems to ask more questions than help anyhow. How can yall call yourselves cadillac lovers when you pick and choose owners to respect. Yall a bunch of bums. Yeah, I said it and and no *smurf* here nor internet thug. Just a grown *smurf* man, being honest. Maybe oneday, yall will figure it out once you stop being followers.

Feel better now??

[BodybyFisher]

FE1 = Suspension System Soft Ride.

The other two have nothing to do with suspension.

Is the rear significantly higher than the front? Or is the difference more like just noticeable?

The car is just not sitting level. The back seems like it as air shocks that are inflated too much (like back in the 70's, LOL). Its probably not much but I just don't like it. I will try a slight bend in the rod you mentioned.

As far as I know, the front has no ride height system. So lowering the rear is what I will try.

Thanks.

70's are classics, so it's not funny. Not to mention the fact that none of us are having the ride height issues. Since joining this site, all I've noticed is undercover hate comments from people who more than likely have nothing to begin with as usual. It seems whatever you people don't have, it's crap. Get a life. I'm sure you and your clan will eventually bar me from this site at some point, but I aint trippin. I wanted to help build your site, but instead of embracing a new member, yall click up like females. This is a wack forum to begin with so I am out anyway. Everyone here seems to ask more questions than help anyhow. How can yall call yourselves cadillac lovers when you pick and choose owners to respect. Yall a bunch of bums. Yeah, I said it and and no *smurf* here nor internet thug. Just a grown *smurf* man, being honest. Maybe oneday, yall will figure it out once you stop being followers.

Exactly where in this thread do you get this idea from? I dont see ANY undercover HATE comments in this thread. If you dont have anything to contribute please dont pollute other peoples threads. If you have something we can help you with just ask in your own thread

As a matter of fact in this post, I commented on your post, that I liked the video

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=40762&st=0&p=199534&fromsearch=1entry199534

[GTOken]

FE1 = Suspension System Soft Ride.

The other two have nothing to do with suspension.

Is the rear significantly higher than the front? Or is the difference more like just noticeable?

The car is just not sitting level. The back seems like it as air shocks that are inflated too much (like back in the 70's, LOL). Its probably not much but I just don't like it. I will try a slight bend in the rod you mentioned.

As far as I know, the front has no ride height system. So lowering the rear is what I will try.

Thanks.

70's are classics, so it's not funny. Not to mention the fact that none of us are having the ride height issues. Since joining this site, all I've noticed is undercover hate comments from people who more than likely have nothing to begin with as usual. It seems whatever you people don't have, it's crap. Get a life. I'm sure you and your clan will eventually bar me from this site at some point, but I aint trippin. I wanted to help build your site, but instead of embracing a new member, yall click up like females. This is a wack forum to begin with so I am out anyway. Everyone here seems to ask more questions than help anyhow. How can yall call yourselves cadillac lovers when you pick and choose owners to respect. Yall a bunch of bums. Yeah, I said it and and no *smurf* here nor internet thug. Just a grown *smurf* man, being honest. Maybe oneday, yall will figure it out once you stop being followers.

Dude you got some serious issues, and they are not car related.

[Texas Jim]

70's are classics, so it's not funny.

I think he was referring to the fad that was sorta popular in the early 70's of people INTENTIONALLY jacking the rear of the car up to absurd heights...

Not to mention the fact that none of us are having the ride height issues.

That is patently untrue...

There have been several members in the last few months that have had rear height issues.

Most of them got help and resolved the issue.

Since joining this site, all I've noticed is undercover hate comments from people who more than likely have nothing to begin with as usual.

You don't notice very much ... do you ??

It seems whatever you people don't have, it's crap. Get a life.

I'm sure you and your clan will eventually bar me from this site at some point, but I aint trippin.

I wanted to help build your site, but instead of embracing a new member, yall click up like females.

This is a wack forum to begin with so I am out anyway.

Since we are all "WACKS"... as you put it...

Maybe that is best for everyone concerned...

Everyone here seems to ask more questions than help anyhow.

How can yall call yourselves cadillac lovers when you pick and choose owners to respect.

There are a dedicated group of regulars that are on the forum.

They answer a myriad of question from new users, day after day... month after month, year after year... and do it for no pay and no reason, other than to help out other people that have a problem.

They take time out of their lives, that they can never get back, just to help others.

How can anyone be "MORE" of a Cadillac lover.... than to help out other Cadillac owners.

ANSWER:.....They do it because they REALLY ARE Cadillac lovers.

Yall a bunch of bums. Yeah, I said it and and no *smurf* here nor internet thug. Just a grown *smurf* man, being honest. Maybe oneday, yall will figure it out once you stop being followers.

Later....

Have a Merry Christmas...

[BodybyFisher]

I hope you can read this, this is the 2002 "REAR HIGH - Without F45" diagnostic chart, you might be best to change the resolution on your Internet Explorer to greater than 100% to read it or save it to your computer and read it that way.

If you cant read it send me a PM with an email address and Ill try to do a better job for you

(can't you just feel the HATE in my post )

[Texas Jim]

Mike... Mike... Mike...

Don't be such a hater... SHOW THE LOVE....

[GTOken]

I hope you can read this, this is the 2002 "REAR HIGH - Without F45" diagnostic chart, you might be best to change the resolution on your Internet Explorer to greater than 100% to read it or save it to your computer and read it that way.

If you cant read it send me a PM with an email address and Ill try to do a better job for you

(can't you just feel the HATE in my post )

I got it. Interesting that there is a diagnostic for this problem that I am the only one that ever had this issue. BTW, I think Ive changed my mind... now I plan to jack the rear as high as it will possibly go so I can stick some N50-15's on this bad mamma jamma. J/K. Thanks for the help. I will attempt this mod when I get back home.

[hjb981]

Just a few more thougths...

Before you bend the sensor control arm (unless it is already done, in which case I am sure it can be adjusted back if needed), make sure that it is not a stuck release valve in the compressor. The compressor unit not only pumps air into the airbags on the shocks to increase height, but it also vents air to lower ride height. Each time the car is started, the compressor goes on for a few seconds (or more if needed), and then the release valve opens briefly. If the release valve is stuck closed, the car will go a little bit higher each time it is started, until it reaches a maximum (when the compressor is not able to increase the pressure anymore). This happened on my '97 DeVille a year ago after I got a rebuilt compressor from Suncore, as well as new rear shocks from Arnott. The rebuilt compressor had a stuck release valve, so my car went from being a rear-end low-rider (leaky shocks and leaky compressor) to a rear-end high-rider (good shocks and stuck-closed release valve on compressor). Arnott also make brand-new compressors, but I read opinions that they are noisier, which is the reason I went with a rebuilt original one from Suncore. Once I confirmed the problem with my rebuilt compressor, Suncore were very good about providing me a replacement, but this ONLY worked because I had receipts to prove that my airshocks were changed before or together with the compressor. They absolutely demand that in their warranty (which is clearly stated in the warranty terms). If you do end up replacing the compressor, you should be aware of these warranty terms, since you clearly don't have leaky rear airshocks (and hence don't need to replace them), since this would void the warranty for this particular compressor. Anyways, the replacement I got shipped worked, and still does. One more word of caution when it comes to compressor replacement: make sure to also replace the air dryer with a fresh one -- otherwise, you may get corrosion inside of the compressor. The dryer is not expensive, and can be bought separately from Suncore if you get a different compressor. Of course, all of these components can also be bought new, but at a substantially higher cost.

Some previous posts, related to ride height problems (includes descriptions of what I did):

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=31958

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=36763

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=35966

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@MrKeepaCaddy:

-----------------------------

If there was really something wrong in some post somewhere that offended you, please point it out. The major "feeling", or "intent" that I get between the lines on this forum is a genuine, strong desire to help other people take the best possible care of their Cadillacs. I have been on this forum to and from for a few years now, and sure, there are many of us who ask questions (I am one of them), but remember that the forum is free for anyone. I think it is really amazing that there are so many people on this forum that take their own free time to help others (like me) for free. I won't mention any names (so that I don't forget anyone), but some of those people are represented in this post. Heck, some even pay (voluntarily) to be here and help others -- it says "Supporting Member" under their user IDs.

I think that the largest and most active group on the forum is people driving Northstar Cadillacs, which is why there is not as much activity regarding Cadillacs from the 70s. That does not mean that there is some kind of hating going on -- I for one really like the large, heavy, traditional luxury Cadillacs (and also other cars) of the 70s. MrKeepaCaddy, you may have read some posts where people make comments on not liking large rims on older (or newer) Cadillacs. From your posts with videos, I guess that you do like them. I really don't think that there is any "hating" going on when people don't like large-rim styling. It only reflects their personal taste. I would not like to have extra-large rims on my car personally, because I prefer the smoother ride standard rims and tires provide, but I DO NOT judge you because of that. People have different taste, and that's all there is to it. If you had a question that I saw on the forum and I was able to answer it, I would. So would the more knowledgeable ones around here, I am sure. I am not sure what you mean by "clicking up like females", but I cannot see why you feel that you were not embraced as a new member. All the feedback I have seen on your videos have been positive. I think that there has not been as much discussion on those posts because of two things: 1) I think that the most activity is in the problem-solution sections, and 2) there is no question involved when a video is posted (as is the case when someone posts a question about a problem). Anyways, there are both male and female members on this forum, and I don't think that the female ones tend to "click up" any more than the male ones.

About the joke on 70s cars with increased rear ride-height: look at the guy's name and profile picture (GTOken and a nice-looking 70s GTO). I doubt that someone like that would not appreciate classic cars from the 70s, and I am sure that many would agree, even if we drive newer cars. In fact, I don't think that there was any "bad view" of such cars in that post at all -- it was just a note on how his present car with its elevated rear-end reminded him about some of the modified muscle cars of the 70s in all good humor.

Lastly: I would not have written all of this if I believed that you came here with the intention of creating an infected debate (like a so-called troll would). I think that you are sincere in liking Cadillacs, particularly classic ones from the 70s, judging from your previous posts. If you interpreted anyone's post as "hating" towards 70s cars, I would ask you to please reconsider. I think that this forum is absolutely great, and that it is all of what a forum should be, namely people with a common interest helping each other out. There are also videos etc (which is also nice), but I think that the main focus is on solving any problems that come up, and I have found that people get just as good help whether it is their first or thousand post.

Best regards,

Jonas

[GTOken]

Jonas,

That's a very good suggestion on the release valve. It very will could be my problem because every time I start the car I hear the pump and notice the rear of the car going up (probably topping out). I have not looked for the release valve yet and did not see it in your previous topics, is it external of the pump, visible? Is it something I could remove, clean, and reinstall?

I haven't checked for codes recently, but when I first got the car I found these three codes. Not if they have anything to do with the leveling system.

C1287

C1288

U1016

I must say the second part of your post was very thoughtful. I hope the guy reads it. I don't have that much patience with some attitudes. But I also keep in mind its near impossible online to know a persons real intent. I usually default to them having no ill-will. But sometimes its unmistakeable. Thanks again.

[rockfangd]

the exhaust valve is on the compressor unit. usually what happens is the drain hole on the compressor corrode shut trapping moisture in the valve and not allowing it to exhaust. Usually it gets gradually worse over time as the drain plugs shut. I have debated drilling the hole clean before but once opening the compressor I find that the plugged drain is the very least of problems. I have installed used units before but look carefully. note the olds aurora is interchangeable with some part changing. I have done this before and mainly because I like the location they used to mount the compressor. It is right behid the right rear wheel in the quarterpanel. Much better spot to resist corrosion and moisture

[hjb981]

Jonas,

That's a very good suggestion on the release valve. It very will could be my problem because every time I start the car I hear the pump and notice the rear of the car going up (probably topping out). I have not looked for the release valve yet and did not see it in your previous topics, is it external of the pump, visible? Is it something I could remove, clean, and reinstall?

I haven't checked for codes recently, but when I first got the car I found these three codes. Not if they have anything to do with the leveling system.

C1287

C1288

U1016

I must say the second part of your post was very thoughtful. I hope the guy reads it. I don't have that much patience with some attitudes. But I also keep in mind its near impossible online to know a persons real intent. I usually default to them having no ill-will. But sometimes its unmistakeable. Thanks again.

I think that those codes are unrelated to the compressor. I did not have any codes show up on mine with either problem (leaky and too low; stuck exhaust valve and too high). Like rockfangd said, the exhaust valve is a part of the compressor assembly (it is built into the head of it -- cannot bee seen from the outside without disassembling the compressor head). I think it could be possible to clean it, but that would involve getting the compressor off of the vehicle and disassembling it. And there is no way of being sure that it looks OK inside. When I took my old one apart, the inside of the head had quite a lot of corrosion in it (looks like white powder, since it is aluminum). The screws could also get stuck in the block and break. I don't want to scare you off from trying, just give you some ideas of what to think of.

[hjb981]

Another possible culprit is the pressure valve in the air dryer (the one mounted on the compressor). What it does is to always keep a certain residual pressure in the airbags on the shocks (I think around 7 psi). Under normal operation, the pressure is higher than that anyways, but the valve would prevent the system from completely venting if, for example, the release valve would get stuck open (this would protect the airbags on the shocks). There is also an intake/exhaust air filter, through which the compressor takes air in and out, and if it is clogged, it could cause problems (I am not sure if it was built into the compressor head, or if it was external).