New Air Shocks/new Problems?

[prix]

He=e=e=re we go! New air shocks on front end only as of mid-week (last week). The first morning after the install, I start the car and hear what seems to me to be a loud hissing noise. It had to be noticeable because the windows were rolled up and I heard it. Air under pressure being released. Didn't hear it again the rest of the day. Next morning right at start up, the same deal, with a loud hiss that lasts about 2 seconds. Third morning, I had the window down and was listening for it. Nothing. Fourth morning, nothing, and I know I didn't imagine it, so I use the garage wall for the sound to bounce off of (to amplify it) while I put the suspension switch on high. Sat there and listened. The car raises up, like it's supposed to. All is well. I wait. About 15 seconds or so pass, and the car is sitting very high as it should, then I hear a release of air. Lasts a few seconds. The car lowers slightly from it's peak height, but is still seemingly 'high'. It drops about half an inch it seems, or possibly one inch at that time. Hard to say. I repeat this and can get the car to do the same thing. Bring it up to the top, then I hear the release of air a short time later and the car lowers slightly.

When I change the suspension switch to "normal", btw, on the way down, as the car is being lowered, I again hear the hiss of air.

Since the engine is running when I am doing this, it's hard to say for sure, but at some point I thought I heard a very faint background hissing (steady, in other words, not a 'pop' of a hiss that fades away in a few seconds). I thought I heard that this morning, when I was first testing the car out in the garage by manipulating the suspension switch.

I spoke to the tech division at the strut manufacturer, who told me that it is normal for the car to be releasing air on the downtick, but that i should not be hearing this on the uptick.

The compressor is also 'noisier' than I remember it being with the old shocks. Also, I don't recall once hearing this loud hissing noise, even for a few seconds, with my old shocks. So how is this 'normal'? Not once in the 10 years I've been driving this car have I ever 'heard' that pop/hiss.

I'm assuming it's not the strut/shock, since I don't hear any constant air leak when I turn the car off and go to listen around the wheel well. Am I wrong?

Is this just an install that needs to be rechecked? Perhaps a loose air line or a leaking seal?

One other thing I NEVER noticed pre-install. After the car has been running for a time (I think it was on the normal suspension height setting at the time), I heard the compressor running for a short while ... maybe 10-15 seconds. I've heard that at least twice, while I am driving and doing nothing with the suspension adjustments. Again, not something I've ever noticed before.

All educated guesses and wild stabs in the dark appreciated.

[dfkd]

When I lived in Trinidad, I owned a 1992 Toyota Crown outfitted with the same air suspension as the LS and for the whole time i owned the vehicle the hiss was there. Every time that the system was venting air pressure to lower the car, the norm was that I would be able to hear the air release. I just got used to it.

I was when i first drove an LS that my father did repairs on that i realised that the hiss wasnt "normal".

There seems to be some system in place that disperses this air quietly but it also seems that that system can be damaged or can fail for some reason. I still dont know why it would or can fail.

I can tell you though that it doesnt affect the operation of the suspension. It doesnt mean that there is a leak at all. I drove mine for years with the hiss and the car never dropped at night or what not. That sound is just the release valve but not a leak.

What I dont know is how to fix it but I do know that it isnt a failure of you suspension.

It kinda became a calling card for me and started a few conversations. People were always curious as to what the sound was and were always impressed when they found out.

It should be fixable if it's an annoyance to you, but like i said...mine worked perfectly for years even with the hissing release valve.

[prix]

can you tell me why, when i started the car this morning, i immediately heard the compressor running (and saw the car lifting) up? i looked down and the suspension switch in the console was on 'normal'. i ididn't touch that switch this AM, just started the car. immediately i hear the brrrr=rrrr of the compressor. seems to me it would not be doing that unless the system had lost air overnight. what other explanation could this be?

When I lived in Trinidad, I owned a 1992 Toyota Crown outfitted with the same air suspension as the LS and for the whole time i owned the vehicle the hiss was there. Every time that the system was venting air pressure to lower the car, the norm was that I would be able to hear the air release. I just got used to it.

I was when i first drove an LS that my father did repairs on that i realised that the hiss wasnt "normal".

There seems to be some system in place that disperses this air quietly but it also seems that that system can be damaged or can fail for some reason. I still dont know why it would or can fail.

I can tell you though that it doesnt affect the operation of the suspension. It doesnt mean that there is a leak at all. I drove mine for years with the hiss and the car never dropped at night or what not. That sound is just the release valve but not a leak.

What I dont know is how to fix it but I do know that it isnt a failure of you suspension.

It kinda became a calling card for me and started a few conversations. People were always curious as to what the sound was and were always impressed when they found out.

It should be fixable if it's an annoyance to you, but like i said...mine worked perfectly for years even with the hissing release valve.

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[dfkd]

I was also used to hearing the compressor for at least a few seconds on every start, however, there was always a different load in my car (people or stuff or what not).

The only way i could say that you could figure out what was happenning is to either not drive it at all for a few days, or disable the switch in the trunk for a few days (thus making the pump assist useless). If you disabled the switch then the system would fall after a few days if you were losing air.

I'm not sure however, if running the car with the switch off is advisable.

Sounds to me like your system is working within nomal parameters. Most people know failure is coming when the car is found to be sittin low after a night or after a few days of not driving it.