How to remove a suspension air compressor on 1996 Buick (EP 154) LeSabre Park Ave pump

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

If you would like more videos on this car, check out my other videos in my Buick playlist: 🔶 🔶

[@MrJeffcoley1]

I have a 1995 Buick Roadmaster. The air suspension never worked since I've owned the car. On inspection the rubber on the air shocks is dry rotted, and the shocks are wet with fluid. The thing bounces like crazy, basically there is no air suspension or shock absorbers at all. Put on conventional shocks and a 3" spring helper, made all the difference. It's like a new car.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

That was my plan too, that was not an option on this car so you can't get them through he normal aftermarket parts stores. There is a company that has them at around $1000, (plus install) which might have been an option way back when this car was still worth something! I did add half spring helpers and then ordered the 3" spring helper kit, but someone offered to buy the car as is before the kit came. (I have not even opened the kit up)

[@MrJeffcoley1]

@@unclemarksdiyauto I've seen those kits, like you I wasn't willing to spend $1000 to fix a $2000 car. I found the regular shocks that fit GM cars, pulled all the air stuff out and put an $18 spring helper on to restore the ride height. Changing the shocks was a a royal pain in arse, GM uses a nut/bolt on top that isn't accessible through the trunk, you have to go up from underneath and reach around the exhaust and suspension components to get a wrench on it.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@MrJeffcoley1 Yes, will work on some. These are actual air struts in the back. I am sure someone knows what might cross reference them.

[@mudslinger888]

@@unclemarksdiyauto monroe 90007c spring over shock fits my 99 Park Ave so may fit yours?

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@mudslinger888 I just looked them up. Unfortunately not gonna work. If your interested, look up on rock auto (to see photo need the side view since it is a rear air strut) 1996 park ave rear suspension. Note how they mount on the bottom. Its a strut mount that is adjustable for camber /caster alignment just like the front struts. But thanks for the help. By the way, I just sold the care in October 2021.

[@oz7245]

I replaced mine on a 2002 lesabre front & rear with non air with coil over on the rear $180 in 2024 from Amazon. No issues & the front came out very easy just 3 bolt on top & 2 on the bottom & lift them out. The clips for the bolts on the bottom had to be replaced.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

I did replace the front ones like you did. I would have done the back for $180! They were not available for the 1996 at the time, & may still not be. What was available was about $1000 at the time.

[@jessee1989]

Great video thank you for guiding the way. I'm going to attempt the same thing before I give up on the air ride

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Some vehicles may have air ride as a option and can be fitted with non air ride components. This car came only with air ride. There was not any cheap choices of repair

[@jessee1989]

@@unclemarksdiyauto I have a 97 buick lesabre those air compressors are not cheap. So I wanted to attempt to free it up before I go buy another one. Your video was very helpful

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@jessee1989 I wonder if you could get a compressor at a pick a part place for cheap?

[@jessee1989]

@@unclemarksdiyauto I'm sure I could. If it's cheap enough it might be worth the risk those are pretty easy to change out

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@jessee1989 Hope it goes well Jessee. Mine also had the air shocks leaking and the pump dying was the nail in the coffin. I had just purchased the car and the system was working at the start. By the time i noticed there was a issue, it was too late!

[@kaibintech]

Nice video!

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Thanks Steve. I am amazed how many people have watched it. Although it does not solve anything, I guess could help if you can find a good working pump & the air shocks still work.

[@clarenceburkejr.8540]

There is also an air port in the gas fill compartment to manually pump the air in.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@clarenceburkejr.8540 I don’t recall one but that is possible.

[@javybavy]

I thought I was the only one who makes things 10x harder than they should be😅😅🤣

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Nope! I sometimes even make things 20x harder, Ultimate Rose.

[@jakemason9436]

Trip to the wreckers? Suggest you cover up the connector on the car. Power probe testers are very useful. Connected mine to the truck and troubleshot the electric starter on the lawnmower. Thanks Mark

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

I love this Power probe knock off. I would spring for the genuine if this was not a hobby! Air shocks are shot too. Either way, a gamble, or expensive, or both! Future video i am sure will come when i decide the route to take! Thanks Jake...

[@msdespain]

On our 2004 Buick Lesabre both rear shocks went bad. The new shocks had connections for air but the directions suggested the air connection was no longer necessary. The new shocks work great, but we can hear the air pump run frequently. I want to unplug the air pump because the new shocks don't need to be pumped up. My question is, will the car throw a code? My other question is, why are you fixing the air pump? Did it throw a code?

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

No codes. Car started to sag in back and bottom out as we drove, especially with more people in car. (Normally the more weight in back, the more air pumped into shocks to level the back end to same height as the front. I am not sure why the new shocks would say not to hook them up to the pump. But, as always, follow the instructions!

[@markfothebeast]

GM couldn't have chosen a worse place mounting it 4" from the muffler and behind a rear wheel on the 02' Park Ave. The rubber hoses were mush. The exhaust outlet was GONE! I had to drill a hole a JB Weld a new nipple in place. Have yet to test it.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Car manufacturers many times mount stuff it weird places! Probably this was the only place left that was not taken! Lol!

[@markfothebeast]

@@unclemarksdiyauto The trunk would have made the most sense. I mean, it's right there! Easy access. Maybe a little noisy though.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@markfothebeast or at least make a enclosed box for it if outside.

[@markfothebeast]

@@unclemarksdiyauto The 2002 Park Ave does have a plate on the bottom. But mine crumbled into rusty shards and went in the trash.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@markfothebeast I have since sold the car. As for the shield, they could have used plastic.

[@rossa7215]

Not sure this warranted 45 minutes. Great to share the difficulty with the unit, but could have been edited to 8-10 minutes. Let me jump to the chase and say Uncle Mark could not refurb the unit and will have to go to some aftermarket suspension replacement parts.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Thanks for being kind, Ross. It is a old video. My newer ones are better edited for time depending on the subject. I am approaching the 500th video to be scheduled to release soon. On a good note, your skills for recapping are excellent. Keep up the good work. Hope to hear from you again, soon.

[@clarkinthedark1]

Looks just like the compressor in my 91 Seville. It pumps a tiny bit of air but doesn't build pressure. I'm wondering if one of the other pins on the connector closes it off so that it builds pressure.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

If pump stops I would think it is not leaking otherwise it would run non stop. Maybe it thinks it is level, but a sensor is misaligned?

[@clarkinthedark1]

@@unclemarksdiyauto oh this was on the bench. I took it apart and put it back together and it holds pressure now. I also figured out how it works now, too, thanks to your video and my experimenting last night, so thanks!

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

So happy that this video was of help. Was not sure if at least one person might benefit. Now I am glad I made and posted it!

[@PastorKramer]

NO doubt the strut bladders are long since shot -- leaking. It's pretty easy to replace them. Have done both of my 1996 Olds Ninety- Eights; and did my 1990 NInety-Eights' struts twice before I sold it with just shy of 300K miles -- and still going strong! Just finished "rebuilding" the air ride compressor on one of my two 1996 Olds 98s; AND will be placing it in the trunk as i did on my other 98. Why in the world the idiots at GM put it outside under the trunk AND behind the wheel makes absolutely NO sense to me!!! (The one on on my 1990 Olds 98 was up front under the hood.) Fortunately, I've had access to salvage yards for many years that had some older vehicles; and I pulled a few compressors off over the years for next to nothing cost-wise, since the yard considered them scrap - not working. PATIENCE is paramount when it comes to getting them apart WITHOUT twisting off the screws, soak with "Liquid Wrench"... tap on them, carefully apply force with a hand wrench CCW, then CW... back and forth and slowly keep working the bolt out... and even then I've had a couple twist off over the years. Fortunately, the one I just rebuilt was from a Florida car with only 60K miles, but even so, took a while to get it apart. My biggest challenge on this one was replacing the air bleed-off solenoid (coil bad) with a working one from another old compressor that was scrap. (The solenoid must be carefully pried up slight to disengage the bottom spring-tab from the case indent/notch and then pry back to disengage the valve stem w/ O-ring from the case; and then it lifts up. FYI, the "crankshaft" pin (that the connecting rod attaches to) has left hand threads. The piston connecting rod's needle-bearing on the crank end was in good shape, so just needed to clean and re-lube it with good synthetic grease. Cleaned up the intake and exhaust valves in the head, especially the one which holds the air pressure to the struts. Fortunately this head had minimal corrosion (wasn't on Ohio's salted winter roads); and I simply added a skim coat of silicone on both sides of the head gasket and reassembled when done cleaning everything. On my 1996 Olds 98s I made mounts -- actually one I took from an old '78 Eldorado pump bracket -- to reposition the compressor inside the trunk on the passenger side just above the wheel well. I pulled the underneath wiring up through the trunk floor -- pulled the molded grommet apart to "re-do" the wiring. I drilled a hole in trunk floor to reroute the air line up into the trunk -- making sure to insulate the tubing with a small grommet in the drilled hole for the tubing to pass through; AND sealed with butyl rubber. My first 1996 Olds 98 that I've had for 18+ years / 200K+ miles (2nd owner) has been doing great on its original compressor since I discovered GM's poor placement and put it in the trunk before it was completely ruined from hanging outside under the trunk. My 2nd "like- new" Olds 98 (found it in storage a few year ago) was not holding air -- compressor valve dirty and leaking down. Now it been all cleaned up, and the connecting rod's crank bearing re-lubed, should last a long time. Piston is in good shape and cylinder wall was mirror smooth. Yes, it took me about 6 hours to rebuild it; BUT it IS "Made in the U.S.A."! NOT JUNK from China like most of the aftermarket replacements are! Compressor Casting has: "Delco Products Dayton, Ohio U.S.A." on it -- made just down the road from here!

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

I ask the same question! New Grand Caravans have had a computer in the front wheel well behind inner fender shield for years. (As if that is a good place for electronics that should not get wet to hide)

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Also, thanks for the great explanation in your comments so the next person can fix this properly. I will eventually go to a non air ride upgrade (or down grade)

[@mudslinger888]

Id wrap it safe from splashes or make a splash guard

[@dereklacey1]

If he would have sprayed some WD on the crank…

[@dm7097]

What a terrible place for gm to mount that air pump! I know the Cadillac's from the '80's had theirs mounted in the engine bay.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Newer Dodge mini vans 08-2020 have main computer mounted in front wheel well. LOL. Well, pump is in the metal bin. Will have to deal with this issue maybe this summer (2021)

[@dm7097]

@@unclemarksdiyauto automatic air suspension system is nice, but probably expensive to get repaired. Idk if you would better off hooking up a regular set of air shocks and put the air valve somewhere in the trunk? (Or like I did once, near the licence plate)

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@dm7097 Until recently, their was no retro fit. And it does not sound to promising. There is a good retro fit kit, but worth more than these cars!

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@dm7097 These have rear struts! Make it a rear problem to stick in normal air shocks. Spring were not made to hold car proper height.

[@clarkinthedark1]

@@unclemarksdiyauto my 91 seville has it over the rear axle. Awful location when the same year DeVille had it in the engine bay. Fortunately they still make the air shock that will work with the stock compressor. I considered changing it to manual fill up bypassing the compressor in case i didn't get the compressor to work and while I saved for a replacement. Seems like if I just swap the brackets off mine to one for a DeVille it'll work.