Left Front PSI Sensor

[grendel]

I am setting up my Air Ride Pro3E system for the first time. I am getting an error message: 2106 Left Front PSI Sensor cannot be found.

I've switched the green wired harness to different sensors with no change. I have removed the harness from the control unit, plugged them in, etc.

How should I trouble shoot this?

I've had this system for 10 months, sitting in a box, finally got the chassis to the point of Air Ride install... not having fun on Christmas Day, when I got some time to myself.

Some trouble shooting help would be nice. Do I just have to replace that harness? It's stock from ART... I did plan to cut it shorter to fit, but haven't done anything to it yet.

[grendel]

I should mention the compressors fire over.

What is the test sequence? Where do the sensors get ground from?

Looking at the harness, I have three wires.

Green (I assume that's signal).
Red (thought that may be 12V supply)
Black (ground)

I hate setting up something without knowing what it does.

Here's the build:
http://www.c10forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3711

I got this in February of 2010. It's been sitting in a box until yesterday.

[rodney@ridetech.com]

Try doing what we call a hard reset. With the system powered up unplug the main power harness for about 20 seconds and then plug it back in, this will reset the system. This will basically resart you from the beginning.

[grendel]

Thanks for the response on Christmas.

I've done that a few times. No change.

What am I looking for, signal wise in the wires themselves?

I want to do what it says, check the harness :).

Right now, I can switch the harness to different sensors and there's no change. Typically, that's a wiring or ECM problem in most electrical situations.

[rodney@ridetech.com]

It is actually a 5 volt setup. Have you tried plugging it into a different sensor?

[grendel]

It is actually a 5 volt setup. Have you tried plugging it into a different sensor?

Yes, I've switched them all around. No change. I believe that eliminates the sensor itself?

I should see 5v on the green signal wire?

[britt@ridetech.com]

Wires are as follows:
Red=+5V supply
Black=ground
Color (green=LF, brown=RF, yellow=RR, white=LR, pink=tank)=0.5-4.5V return (what the computer uses to figure out the pressure in each bag)

As you stated it gave you the LF error, so I can assume you are trying to go through Calibration.
Is the truck finished and ready to drive?
You should not run through Calibration until the vehicle is mostly complete as the e3 is learning vehicle weight and suspension characteristics as well as compressor amp draw, tank fill and depletion times and a lot of other things during Calibration. This requires the engine to be running and the vehicle to be close to actual weight!

If the vehicle is not ready to drive you can leave the e3 at the "setup required" screen until it is ready. This will allow you full manual control to move the vehicle around.


Let's assume the truck is not ready to drive yet, so you just need to get the suspension moving so you can raise and lower the vehicle. When you plug everything in you will initially be at the "setup required" screen.
This screen shows the pressures for all 4 corners and the tank pressure (located in the lower right hand corner).
Can you see all 5 pressures?
Can you manually inflate and deflate each corner, thereby changing the pressure numbers?

One last question: What is the software version of the e3 ECU and display?
-hit Menu
-scroll down and hit System Setup
-scroll down and hit System Info
-ECU and display software versions are listed on this screen

[grendel]

Wires are as follows:
Red=+5V supply
Black=ground
Color (green=LF, brown=RF, yellow=RR, white=LR, pink=tank)=0.5-4.5V return (what the computer uses to figure out the pressure in each bag)

As you stated it gave you the LF error, so I can assume you are trying to go through Calibration.
Is the truck finished and ready to drive?
You should not run through Calibration until the vehicle is mostly complete as the e3 is learning vehicle weight and suspension characteristics as well as compressor amp draw, tank fill and depletion times and a lot of other things during Calibration. This requires the engine to be running and the vehicle to be close to actual weight!

If the vehicle is not ready to drive you can leave the e3 at the "setup required" screen until it is ready. This will allow you full manual control to move the vehicle around.


Let's assume the truck is not ready to drive yet, so you just need to get the suspension moving so you can raise and lower the vehicle. When you plug everything in you will initially be at the "setup required" screen.
This screen shows the pressures for all 4 corners and the tank pressure (located in the lower right hand corner).
Can you see all 5 pressures?
Can you manually inflate and deflate each corner, thereby changing the pressure numbers?

One last question: What is the software version of the e3 ECU and display?
-hit Menu
-scroll down and hit System Setup
-scroll down and hit System Info
-ECU and display software versions are listed on this screen

This was very helpful. It looks like I have a ground issue at the solenoid pack. Setup's not going beyond the first sensor check. It won't inflate or deflate. I can do the others manually. I'll get your info shortly on the version I am running.

(I also called in :) ).

I want to run set up, to insure that everything's working and have it run full diagnostics before putting the body on. It's getting a steady 14.4V from a very good battery charger/ system analyzer and two Odyssey 1700 Series batteries. Once I can control it as it, I will wipe the memory with a hard re-set. I also plan to cut and route all the wires, one at a time.

Yes, I do see pressure on all five circuits. I can deflate the bag and the pressure changes.

This is what happens when you try to run neat wiring.

[britt@ridetech.com]

You can run Calibration now, but you cannot "hard reset" and re-run later. The e3 holds everything in non-volatile memory, so you could set that unit on a bench for 10 years and it will still remember everything when you plug it back in. You must go through the Menu and select "Re-run Calibration".

I strongly suggest that you DO NOT run Calibration at this time. The e3 is designed to run through Calibration only when the vehicle is up and running. You MUST have an engine in the vehicle and it MUST be running as we are checking your charging system as well as a ton of other things with the e3.
If you do not have a running engine you will experience a number of errors and odd things as the e3 expects the engine to be present and running.

If you can manually inflate and deflate the system at the "setup required" screen you have everything up and running correctly (the compressor has filled the tank to 150psi, the inflate and deflate buttons let you move the vehicle manually, and the pressures change with each corresponding corner). There's not much else to check at this point.

One thing to note (one reason why you need to have a running engine):
The valves act erratically when the voltage drops to 10.5V. So if you are playing with the system and the battery drops to 10.5V your valves may stop working (which would explain the failure to operate the valves when going through Calibration).

I'm afraid if you keep going you'll find yourself wasting time chasing problems that won't be present once the vehicle is running.

My guess is that when going through Calibration the compressor(s) are running when the e3 tries to inflate and check each air pressure sensor. With the compressor running the voltage drops below 10.5V and the valves won't open when the e3 sends them the signal.

[grendel]

You can run Calibration now, but you cannot "hard reset" and re-run later. The e3 holds everything in non-volatile memory, so you could set that unit on a bench for 10 years and it will still remember everything when you plug it back in. You must go through the Menu and select "Re-run Calibration".

I strongly suggest that you DO NOT run Calibration at this time. The e3 is designed to run through Calibration only when the vehicle is up and running. You MUST have an engine in the vehicle and it MUST be running as we are checking your charging system as well as a ton of other things with the e3.
If you do not have a running engine you will experience a number of errors and odd things as the e3 expects the engine to be present and running.

If you can manually inflate and deflate the system at the "setup required" screen you have everything up and running correctly (the compressor has filled the tank to 150psi, the inflate and deflate buttons let you move the vehicle manually, and the pressures change with each corresponding corner). There's not much else to check at this point.

One thing to note (one reason why you need to have a running engine):
The valves act erratically when the voltage drops to 10.5V. So if you are playing with the system and the battery drops to 10.5V your valves may stop working (which would explain the failure to operate the valves when going through Calibration).

I'm afraid if you keep going you'll find yourself wasting time chasing problems that won't be present once the vehicle is running.

My guess is that when going through Calibration the compressor(s) are running when the e3 tries to inflate and check each air pressure sensor. With the compressor running the voltage drops below 10.5V and the valves won't open when the e3 sends them the signal.

Britt, thanks for the info. Does re-running calibration overwrite the previous calibration file or append it?

Just FYI: I have this hooked to two batteries, a commercial grade vehicle charging system with full diagnostics. It's getting 14.4V, without a drop in voltage at all, as in ever. I routinely install race LS1's that have the same requirements when tuning. Heck, I can hook up an oscilloscope if you like to prove that out?

The air solenoids were not properly grounded. Thus it couldn't affect PSI in the bag circuit(s). I am fixing that now by running ground directly to the battery closest to the Big Red. It does read the air pressure correctly, with 6 in the front bags and 1 in the rear. I was able to ground each solenoid and get it to inflate/deflate.

If anything, I get to learn about this system, which will be handy for myself or anyone else reading this.

[britt@ridetech.com]

Good to hear it was just a ground at the valves. Typically if a customer has a valve that operates when controlled manually, but does not operate when going through Calibration it has to do with voltage. Good to know you found it!

No need for the scope, I trust you.

When you re-run Calibration it re-writes the entire file. However, if you run Calibration without a charging system you run the risk of damaging the ignition sensing circuit on the e3 (especially risky if the customer is using a cheap battery charger, which is the case 95% of the time). I trust your charger, but you won't accomplish anything more by going through Calibration unless you have level sensors.

If you have level sensors they will not show up until you run through Calibration. So if you have level sensors you can try it out, just be aware strange things may happen due to the lack of a "real" charging system.

If you do not have level sensors you have already checked the main components: compressor(s), valves, pressure sensors, e3.
When setting up a vehicle I always put the car on the ground, then check each corner by putting a bunch of air in one corner, one at a time. Make sure the pressure reading in the corresponding corner moves (I put around 80psi or so in them), then reach under the vehicle and squeeze the air spring. One air spring will be rock hard while the other 3 will be soft, and if you hooked it all up correctly it'll be the corner you are testing.

[grendel]

I'll be adding the level sensors later... spent too much as it is on this build.

I re-did all the wiring, time to get back to it.

All is good. Shocks make it a bit slow, I need to replace them. They're Bell Tech for lowered trucks.

I think I need Ridetech's, to go with the level sensors.

[grendel]

I'd like to make a suggestion... be more specific in your error messages. I spent a heck of amount of time thinking it was a PSI sensor issue and not that it couldn't activate a valve and change air pressure.

You have the input that stopped set up. Could say unable to change air pressure. The ECU knew the PSI sensor was working, it was reporting pressure changes in the bag.