rockfangd Posted February 18, 2023 Report Share Posted February 18, 2023 Hi All. I have had several Cadillacs over the years, and they all seem to share the same issue with the air ride compressor failure. I finally replaced the shocks on one of mine with the coilover conversion shocks. I was hoping I would like them but I do not. Car was on its third air compressor failure and I got tired of crawling around under the car working to replace it. I am strongly considering reinstalling the Arnott shocks I had installed, relocating the compressor to a useful spot, and getting the system working again. I am willing to try aftermarket setups if it is reliable. The air lines are not 1/8" though. They are actually smaller. 4mm?? 1/8 is the typical size. So I would have to get conversion unions or replace the lines all the way to the shocks. Car I am looking to entertain this for is my 1997 Seville. Thanks all Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted February 18, 2023 Report Share Posted February 18, 2023 Do you have a feel for why the compressors are failing? Quote Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted February 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2023 original units failed because the exhaust valves failed. I repaired some but usually still short lived. Aftermarket ones the main hot wire fails just inside the motor. Must be a weak connection there. Power comes to motor but no response from motor. It is on its second Dorman one and they both failed in the same way. I had replaced the shocks and lines when I installed the first one. Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted February 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2023 I am contemplating trying the Arnott one for a 2002 Deville. Looks like the same unit except the electrical plug and the 2 ear mount. They do not offer one for the E/K platform Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted February 19, 2023 Report Share Posted February 19, 2023 Hopefully they have solved the reliability issue. Quote Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 13, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2023 Still thinking on this one. I am so temped to put a compressor in the trunk, Make my own extension harness, and run one line from compressor in trunk to a Tee underneath to split to each side. Being these lines are so small it is difficult to find anything. Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjaab Posted March 15, 2023 Report Share Posted March 15, 2023 A airshock line kit wont work? Quote 93 DeVille-13 Chevy Impala 72 GTO - 77 Triumph Bonneville 84 Z-28 Syracuse NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2023 Could you be more specific? Like oem one or aftermarket You may be on to something. If I can replace the lines with aftermarket I may be able to do whatever I want, just need to figure out compressor side Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brmurph Posted March 21, 2023 Report Share Posted March 21, 2023 I have had a couple of dorman compressors, neither of them lasted more then a few months and their catalog was wrong for the 98 Deville. So far I have still been able to get OEM compressors for both the 98 and 2004. For the 2004 Deville I bought a compressor for the 2006 + DTS as they are still available. The compressor was the same as the 2004 but I did have to modify the electrical plug, can't remember if I switched out the end with the 2004 or if I just had to switch a couple of wires (I think the latter is correct), it also came with the airlines that worked fine for the 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted March 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 Well I decided I am going to replace compressor with a oem one with a new dryer. Going to have to reinstall the air shocks. Fingers crossed. Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted April 4, 2023 Report Share Posted April 4, 2023 On 3/24/2023 at 9:00 PM, rockfangd said: Well I decided I am going to replace compressor with a oem one with a new dryer. Going to have to reinstall the air shocks. Fingers crossed. Hopefully, it works. Have you considered replacing the original shocks with "manual" ones? They come with a kit (lines, fittings, valve). I have done it five years ago and do not have any problem since. Quote The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted April 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2023 I have them on my 97 Deville. They are ok for that, but I don't want to run these on this one. Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted April 15, 2023 Report Share Posted April 15, 2023 I see. In some cases the original shocks could be still good and modifying the system with a possibility to pump them up manually (adding a valve) could be an easy job. Just a piece of mind for those who do want to delete the compressor (automatic level control). Quote The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjaab Posted April 26, 2023 Report Share Posted April 26, 2023 Could u plumb a air line shock air chuck into the existing lines or use a generic airshock line kit and eliminate the compressor. My rears leak down and my pump runs quite often so i may go that route when the comp. fails. Quote 93 DeVille-13 Chevy Impala 72 GTO - 77 Triumph Bonneville 84 Z-28 Syracuse NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted May 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2023 Today I reinstalled the Arnott shocks, a oem used compressor from down south. Installed a new dryer on it. I forgot how much work it was to install the coilover shocks. I am going to repurpose them on my Deville. As of right now the system is working. I am not sure of a decent way to check the system for leaks though. The ride quality is for sure smoother with the air shocks. If you want the car to ride like it was designed you have to keep things pretty close to original design. The coilovers combined with the new springs I installed last year made the back too stiff. I did not like how it handled over bumps. Now it just floats again. Fingers crossed I get a few reliable years out of it lol Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted May 7, 2023 Report Share Posted May 7, 2023 Good work, & good luck; hope it stays fixed. Quote Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjaab Posted May 17, 2023 Report Share Posted May 17, 2023 ROCK.............The shocks u installed from arnott are "air shocks" correct? Did u hook them to the factory compressor air lines? Quote 93 DeVille-13 Chevy Impala 72 GTO - 77 Triumph Bonneville 84 Z-28 Syracuse NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted May 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2023 They are Arnott. I really like the quality of them. And I did use the factory air lines Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjaab Posted May 18, 2023 Report Share Posted May 18, 2023 FUNNY........... Those idiots at the other caddy forum cut me a new a-hole for even mentioning this would NEVER work and i was a fool for posting about it ! I guess those "experts" aint so smart ! -shakes head- Quote 93 DeVille-13 Chevy Impala 72 GTO - 77 Triumph Bonneville 84 Z-28 Syracuse NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted May 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2023 They have the magnaride plugs on them to make the system happy. Never had any lights or messages with them installed. Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjaab Posted May 19, 2023 Report Share Posted May 19, 2023 (edited) I had read that they had the "cheater" plugs on them to shut off service lights. Also the "cheaters" for the front shocks/struts/yada also. Kills me the "experts" over there said it couldnt be done! Quote Edited May 19, 2023 by sonjaab Quote 93 DeVille-13 Chevy Impala 72 GTO - 77 Triumph Bonneville 84 Z-28 Syracuse NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted May 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2023 So just sharing my thoughts here. Very glad I switched back to the Air Ride. I stress that the ride quality is superior and that this platform Caddy relies on proper suspension for alignment to be proper. I have noticed this with all of my Caddys. If the rear suspension is too low the wheel is off to the left, too high and it is off to the right. Perfect height means perfect wheel. It probably has to do with the crown of the roads and weight distribution. I just hope the compressor lasts. In the meantime I am going to find something suitable to relocate it to the trunk rather than on top of the rear suspension. So difficult to troubleshoot, work on, etc... Quote GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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