An update on my newly bought sexy friend.

[TwinTurboGTR]

I like it.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR

We are prob talking about the same place, Arnott at Cape Canaveral. Same here I got it for $300, but I didn't see anywhere about a core. SO if I were to order is it for $400 ea with $100 core or $200 after core?

Arnott is the shit! for air bags. Got my struts replaced last year, 469 initially then they refund 100 for core charge. Just get the strut assemblies for 50 bucks more the just the front springs, its much easier than disassembling your struts and putting new bags on them.

Ride height holds perfect front and rear, but I may replace the rear bags with Arnotts too just because of age, but for now no sagging.

I replaced my compressor last night with a 38k mile OE unit from member "Papa13", it looks in great shape and he said it was bench tested by BMW mechanics and was in perfect working order.

Previous owner replaced the control module and had ride height coded in December, so I'm good with that.

Now I just got to make an appointment to see my local guy with a GT1 to clear my "pressure remains constant - accumulator filling requested" fault (from air compressor most likely) and I should have ride height working again!

[TwinTurboGTR]

Yea I just plan on replacing the bags in the front. Is it a real pain to separate it front the strut? I just called them and they won't accept the bags as a core. They need the whole assembly. Kind of a bummer.

I'm just curious, how come you had to replace the compressor at 65K? It burned out that quickly?

[SlickGT1]

You minght as well do your x-drive fluid, and we reset adaptations for that as well.

[TwinTurboGTR]

Yea that is true. Get it all done in one shot?

[SlickGT1]

Yea. Order yourself the updated drain and fill plugs too. ECStuning had a kit once with both plugs, both washers, and fluid. I'm sure others have it too, but you will need all 3 part numbers. Bolts are same, washers are same part numbers. The new updated bolts have magnets on them.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR

Yea I just plan on replacing the bags in the front. Is it a real pain to separate it front the strut? I just called them and they won't accept the bags as a core. They need the whole assembly. Kind of a bummer.

I'm just curious, how come you had to replace the compressor at 65K? It burned out that quickly?

I dont know if its a pain or not (my indy mechanic did the job) but why dont you just cancel that order and order the complete strut assemblies with air bags installed? Then you can send back the parts on the car now as core and get 200 back.

I just felt better knowing that the strut assemblies were "remanufactured" to an extent as well and came assembled so that it takes another couple steps out of maybe messing up an install.


What happens with the air suspension is once you have leaky bags, if you don't take care of it, the compressor is working overtime to keep things inflated, and eventually "burns out" to where its out of spec and unable to activate ride height control from being overworked. This is how i understand it.

When I bought the car, the previous owner lived in Yonkers, NY and had an 06 Imola 4.8is and another car he used for work. My X didnt get driven much. He told me he replaced the module and had it recoded, as well as replaced a couple of the ride height sensors a month before I got it.

My guess is that he had a fault and the system wasn't working, so he just troubleshot his own problems. When I bought the car literally 2 days afterwards, I went out to a "slammed" front suspension, which would correct itself after driving. My indy said right away the front air bags were toast and ordered me units and installed from Arnott. The ride height is perfect now and doesnt lose height ever, the rears look to be fine as well.

However, when I reset the faults on the air suspension after the fix, I still got a fault for "accumulator filling requested - pressure remains constant" and when I researched on here I found that 95% of the time that is from a compressor that operates, but not in spec enough to be able to raise lower the car, the motor has been overworked.

So I'm guessing that the bags from the previous owner were leaking for a while, he just failed to do anything in quite some time to replace them, and in the process, he burned out the compressor.

Moral of the story from my research, if you have leaking air bags, fix them ASAP! Or the compressor will go.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by SlickGT1

Yea. Order yourself the updated drain and fill plugs too. ECStuning had a kit once with both plugs, both washers, and fluid. I'm sure others have it too, but you will need all 3 part numbers. Bolts are same, washers are same part numbers. The new updated bolts have magnets on them.

x2 search for Xdrive transfer case kit or something like that on ECS

[Franksauto]

Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR

We are prob talking about the same place, Arnott at Cape Canaveral. Same here I got it for $300, but I didn't see anywhere about a core. SO if I were to order is it for $400 ea with $100 core or $200 after core?

Yea, sorry about that. I thought you were talking about the complete strut and bag assy. Not sure about the bags but the complete struts are $300 after the core return.

[pnoyako85]

RB...got any pics of your black wheels?>