95 PA ride leveling system??

hey guys just a simple question. I have a 95 PA and i noticed when you sit in the car a motor runs. My hubby and I were in it the other day and when one of us would get out or in a motor would run. does this car have a leveling system that i didnt know about??? When i would get out of the car it would quit and it dont do it unless someone sits in it. Do i have another nifty perk that i was unaware of.??

hey guys. i did some more research and found out that the base sedan came with suspension leveling. cool. ill take it. wasnt sure how to delete my thread so i thought i would let you know that i found the answer. but you guys are the best.

yeah there also may be a slight leak in it. mine comes on more often now than when I first got it. Nothing to really worry about though. As long as it doesn't look like a cadillac with no shocks in the rear. :p

Yep... The Park Avenues came with the Y98( I think it is ) Load Level System... Makes for a better ride too..

SPID code G67 (located on spare tire cover) would indicate level control on the PA. G69 is a HD version included with the F41 suspension. If you have F41, G69 may not be listed separately, however, is part of the system.

What does "hd version" mean ? I have G69/F41, but I don't think it works, never heard the pump come on.

What does "hd version" mean ? I have G69/F41, but I don't think it works, never heard the pump come on. First, we should ask if your car sagging in the rear? Usually the F41 package is part of the Grand Touring Suspension, SPID code (Y56) which includes HD-struts, (air assist in the rear) HD-sway bars, computer selected springs & quick ratio steering.

The compressor has a time delay of 45 sec before it will run when the ignition is turned ON, or shut off. While sitting in the car, turn the ignition switch ON and wait quietly to see if you here the compressor activate. If you are hard of hearing, raise the hood & follow the same procedure while standing next to the driver’s side front fender. If the compressor never comes on, check the fuse under the driver side dash labeled “ALC”. If you have a leak in the strut air-bladders, the compressor will run for an extended period which will cause the fuse to blow. Sometimes, the previous owner will remove the fuse to keep the compressor from draining the battery.

I never noticed any sagging. Haven't checked this with people in the back though.
There was no fuse labeled 'ALC', but one for 'electronic level control' (#12 I think) and it was ok. Never heard the compressor come on, but checked your procedure and to my suprise, after exactly 45 seconds the compressor came on for about 5 seconds. It is next to the wiperfluidreservoir, didn't know that either.
It is a bit of a soft sound, from what I heard it should be really loud?
Don't know if I am able to hear this from within the car.
Still, I think the suspension is not as it should be. Other PA's I've driven (92/93, this one is 91) have the really floaty suspension, this one is almost normal. I am thinking they fitted normal springs and struts after the original ones went bad, because it was too complicated or expensive to replace original parts. Unfortunately, I don't know how to check this all as nothing about the 'grand touring suspension' package is mentioned in the Haynes manual.

Hey all,

WOW! So glad I ran across this thread. I've noticed this sound for awhile coming from the rear of my vehicle. I had no idea my PA had a load leveling system. Mine has begun to come on much more often then when I got it 4 years ago. I even kicks on sometimes when I am driving down the road. The rear of my vehicle doesn't sag like one would think. Should I be concerned about anything? Thanks.

-DH

I never noticed any sagging. Haven't checked this with people in the back though.
There was no fuse labeled 'ALC', but one for 'electronic level control' (#12 I think) and it was ok. Never heard the compressor come on, but checked your procedure and to my suprise, after exactly 45 seconds the compressor came on for about 5 seconds. It is next to the wiperfluidreservoir, didn't know that either.
It is a bit of a soft sound, from what I heard it should be really loud?
Don't know if I am able to hear this from within the car.
Still, I think the suspension is not as it should be. Other PA's I've driven (92/93, this one is 91) have the really floaty suspension, this one is almost normal. I am thinking they fitted normal springs and struts after the original ones went bad, because it was too complicated or expensive to replace original parts. Unfortunately, I don't know how to check this all as nothing about the 'grand touring suspension' package is mentioned in the Haynes manual. When the compressor is mounted under the hood, it is somewhat quieter than the ones mounted under the right rear fender, or under the rear center. That is why I suggested raising the hood to listen for it to come on. The rear-mounted compressors seem to transfer more noise through the body. This could be due to the vibration isolator on the rear being different from the front mount, or it could be that the hood & firewall insulate the noise better. :dunno: BTW, the 5-sec run time is part of the standard operating procedure, it is called the “replenishment cycle”. After the replenishment cycle, the dump valve should pop open briefly, in order to bleed any excess pressure. IIRC, residual pressure should hold at about 18 lbs.

Do you think your struts were replaced, or is it possible that the struts are wearing out and the ride has softened. When new, the GTS will ride firmer than the “soft ride” FE1 suspension; however, it is not a harsh ride. I have enjoyed both systems in several PA Ultra’s, & LeSabre and I much prefer the GTS ride & handling over the FE1 soft-ride. :grinyes:

Hey all,

WOW! So glad I ran across this thread. I've noticed this sound for awhile coming from the rear of my vehicle. I had no idea my PA had a load leveling system. Mine has begun to come on much more often then when I got it 4 years ago. I even kicks on sometimes when I am driving down the road. The rear of my vehicle doesn't sag like one would think. Should I be concerned about anything? Thanks.-DH When the compressor motor runs more often that usual, this is usually the first sign of air leaks in the strut bladders. If it maintains ride height without excessive compressor run-time, you should be ok for a while. If you are concerned about the condition of the air bladders, you should turn the ignition ON & wait for the replishment cycle to complete, then jack up the rear of the car and remove the wheel. Spray some soapy water on the bladders to test for leaks, the same as you would on a tire. (look for air bubbles) The leaks usually start small and progressively get worse with age & exposure to the elements.

Do you think your struts were replaced, or is it possible that the struts are wearing out and the ride has softened. When new, the GTS will ride firmer than the “soft ride” FE1 suspension; however, it is not a harsh ride. I have enjoyed both systems in several PA Ultra’s, & LeSabre and I much prefer the GTS ride & handling over the FE1 soft-ride. :grinyes:

My PA has a very firm ride. I am not sure what they did, or why this is.
I liked the 'soft ride' in other PA's, and if this firm ride is caused by wrong or non- original parts I'd consider changing them.
Could you elaborate on the GTS, 'computer selected springs', and 'HD sway bars', how does this work, how do you know it is not working properly and how do you test this?
I've tried Googling on the GTS, but the first result is the thread in this forum, and there seems to be no technical information in further results. :disappoin

The air leakage in my strut is pretty bad now. As soon as I turn the car off and sit in it comes on no 45 second wait. How often it comes on while driving I don't know it's hard to hear it while driving. It's leaking from the passenger side rear strut. When my brother was sitting on passenger side the pump wouldn't go off. I told him to move to the other side and it started to cycle on and off instead. Needless to say it has gotten and is getting worser. I can even hear the air leaking out of it. But the rear is not sagging and it doesn't come on much when when the car is empty.

i don't know if it was by coincidence, but i started to hear the leveling pump more often than normal and i checked the air tire in my pressures, and it was all messed up. i had 20 psi in the back tires, 30 psi in the front driver tire, and 10 psi :runaround: in the front passenger tire. i went to a gas station, and put the right amount of air in each tire, and the car rides way smoother, gets up to speed quicker, and i hardly hear the leveling pump anymore, unless someone sits in my car. good thing that noise kept going off, because i couldn't really tell that the tires were under inflated by just driving normally.

For those asking about the firmer ride, I think all rides firmed up after they got rid of dynaride (I think they got rid of it, I also think I saw this in another thread here). The main reason was probably that only the seaworthiest of passengers could ride in a dynaride system without getting sick (drivers were fine, but the car is designed to seat six), but that is only speculation. I believe that it was also done for better road handling. I don't know about older Ultras, but I know that newer Ultras have the firmer still suspension that HotZ28 mentions (also from another thread here, one wherein I participated). I can tell you from experience that my ride had gotten really soft (with like 120,000-140,000 on the suspension), and replacing it all certainly made it much firmer.

That said: for those asking about replacing the suspension stuff, springs generally don't get replaced, and struts may be replaced by something other than OE, but they are likely to be designed to ride like what they replace (probadly per car, not per car option, I don't know). Additionally, only the rear struts are self-levelling. I asked a tire shop about getting them replaced and was told they don't do that because it is too complicated, so I had a guy I know with his own small shop do it. There was only 1 OE strut available within 150 miles of here, and it cost an arm and a leg, so I had him replace them with aftermarket ones. After doing it, he said it was an easy change, just like detaching and attaching any other air hose. They still level fine. That said, if someone plugged the air hose and used standard struts, it is more likely that they were doing so to save money or because they talked to some guy at some shop that had no clue, but not really solely because it is complicated.

Edit: Also, I'm no expert here. I had the rear struts replaced because one was leaking fluid (and the front because someone told me it shouldn't bounce so much [three times when an average guy pushes down on the front end]). I don't know if this would stop leaking (for instance, HotZ28 always mentions bladders), and my car is a 1999 PAU, so anything 1996(?) or older might be complicated, or if the bladders start leaking, going to regular struts might be the less complicated (/more cost effective to a far wider degree) fix.

Re GTS; When I researched it a few years ago - the Option code for the Grand Touring Suspension for the Buick was the same as a Chevy "Sport Suspension" option which would be much firmer, and handle better, at the expense of the pillow soft ride. (Guess they thought "Sport" would not appeal to a Buick buyer.
As far as the compressor noise I can't hear mine in the car, but can outside. On my 95 Roadmonster Wagon, it is up front.

Cheers
Warren

The suspension system on the 97+ Parks Avenues differs quite a bit from the 91-96 Parks..

But the GM H body 91-99 and C body 91-96 all share the same components...

If you had one of these Buicks with the Grand Touring chances are you have the F41( Firm Ride and Handling ) Suspension... This would equate to a quicker acting Rack... Larger sway bars front and rear, and stiffer springs..

Dynaride was an FE1 suspension set up, but even an FE1 from a Bonneville would be firmer in every way..

87-93 Bonnevilles could be had with F41 but they were without Load Level...

88-99 Bonneville could have had FE2 Ride and Handling suspension( if you have it on a Bonneville you also have ELC )

87-99 Bonnevilles could be equipped with FE1 Soft Ride..

I have driven F41 suspensions that were firm but not harsh... And other that were almost glued to the road.. It all depends on what you want these cars to do, they can be set up for semi firm to OMG I don't want to drive through North Carolina anymore...lol

First, we should ask if your car sagging in the rear? Usually the F41 package is part of the Grand Touring Suspension, SPID code (Y56) which includes HD-struts, (air assist in the rear) HD-sway bars, computer selected springs & quick ratio steering.

The compressor has a time delay of 45 sec before it will run when the ignition is turned ON, or shut off. While sitting in the car, turn the ignition switch ON and wait quietly to see if you here the compressor activate. If you are hard of hearing, raise the hood & follow the same procedure while standing next to the driver’s side front fender. If the compressor never comes on, check the fuse under the driver side dash labeled “ALC”. If you have a leak in the strut air-bladders, the compressor will run for an extended period which will cause the fuse to blow. Sometimes, the previous owner will remove the fuse to keep the compressor from draining the battery.


I have been checking under my 91 PA, none of the struts or springs have sensors or wiring. Is this correct for this year? Behind the fuel tank, there is some kind of switch which is connected via a lever to the rear stabilzer bar (if I recall correctly...) I believe this must be part of the rear levelling system. I disconnected the lever and moved it with the engine running, but I could not notice any effect.
There is a compressor which activates if you leave the ignition on for 45 seconds, but this is the only time that it will work.
The noise would be too soft to hear with the engine running, but my understanding is it will also activate with the engine off. ?
The rear never sags, also not with people in the back or with the trunk full. Still the compressor never comes on. But the springs are kind of harsh.

How does the levelling system work, are there supposed to be airlines connected to the rear struts? Are these airlines in the car? I can't find them underneath.

How does the levelling system work, are there supposed to be airlines connected to the rear struts? Are these airlines in the car? I can't find them underneath.If you have ELC, you have an air line running underneath the center of the car where it is connected to a "T" in front of the gas tank and from the "T" to each strut. If you jack up the rear, you should should be able to see the air line connection near the top of strut by looking in the wheel-well above the rear tire. BTW, if you do not here your compressor running except when your testing the system, that means your struts are holding air. Every time you turn the ignition switch on, after a 45-sec delay, the system will go through a replenishment cycle, then open the dump valve to maintain 10-17 psig, (or more) depending on load. This function is necessary to maintain ride height and provide better handling & control. It should do the same replenishment cycle after you turn the ignition switch off!

So when I turn the ignition off the compressor should also activate briefly after 45 seconds? I'm positive this does not happen. Also it seems the rear struts are "normal" and do not have airlines.
Should the compressor activate when I press that lever connected to the rear stabilizer bar?

So when I turn the ignition off the compressor should also activate briefly after 45 seconds? I'm positive this does not happen. Also it seems the rear struts are "normal" and do not have airlines.
Should the compressor activate when I press that lever connected to the rear stabilizer bar?
It sounds like someone replaced the air-assist struts on your car with standard struts and left the remains of the ELC system in place. Do you have a fuse in the ELC slot under the dash? If the system is not hooked up, it will not work, no matter which way you move the lever!

Yes the fuse is ok.
Are the air assist struts more comfortable, or do they provide better handling?
I still feel the suspension is kinda harsh compared with a couple of other PA's I test drived. Elswhere on this forum you recommended Monroe sensa track strut's. Are these also air assisted?

Yes, you can get Sensa-trac air assist struts, or regular Sensa-trac. IIRC, the air strut is part # 801798 for your car. If the car was originally equipped with ELC, yes it will ride & handle better with an air strut. The coil springs were tuned for the ELC suspension.

well I have dynaride on my 95 pa and had the front struts replaced last year which ruined the soft ride. I want to restore the softest ride I can, but I need some info when the fronts were changed last year they changed the struts with new springs. I went to napa to check on a set of sensa-tracs they had sensa-tracs without springs and the rears were without air bladers item #'s 71822 and 71798 when I said I really wanted springs and bladers they quoted napa regal ride struts made by monroe item #'s 201798 and 201822 these came with springs on the front and air bladers on the rear. For the softest ride should ( I go with the sensa-tracs and use the old springs from the noname struts that were put on last year and the rears without air) or (the regal rides) or (go some where else and start over)

Am I to understand that you had the struts replaced complete with springs?

If you did this then yes you did kill off your Dyna Ride..

When you get the replacement struts that come with springs you are not going to get the softest spring..

Sensatrack struts are quite good, and just about every monroe is going to give you a ride that firmer than stock especially on a Soft Ride suspension..

Chances are you'll never get that soft ride back..

I personally like firmer, but even my 95 Bonneville with FE1 soft ride was stiffer than just about any buick I drove, with the exception of the Grand Touring models...

Even if you did get the softer springs chances are the replacement springs will be a Variable rate and will be a bit stiffer than what you had.. Unless you kept the springs that came off the car, you may be out of luck..

HotZ28: I just bought a '95 Park Ave and you seem to know enough about these things so I'm gonna have to keep an eye on you. But why does your "Glock" look more like a Beretta? Either way, you should just ditch it and get a Colt 1911. Hoo-Ah!

Maybe I'm getting old, but when I'm in the pa I dont want to FEEL the road I have a truck and a van for that. Maybe I need to go to the junkyard and find some wore out springs. Although I thought springs mainly controled ride height not firmness or softness

Since u live in the memphis area I suggest you go to the U-Pull it junkyard on watkins st bye the MATA terminal. The have plenty of buicks from the early to mid 90's and there pretty cheap.

When I worked for Pep Boys (don't get me started) we sold the retrofit kits to replace the air ride. It was about $500 a side. I'm not sure what the big deal is, why one can't just replace the struts with Sensatracs or something. And this is sooo much different from my ZR2. I replaced those with the Bilsteins that came on it and that truck is so firm I was always driving it like a car with 16" less height. But this PA has so much body roll and nosedive that I don't feel comfortable even going the speed limit. I think I just need to get used to it. If I sense a problem with the air system, it's coming out.

Maybe im the only who thinks the handling isn't so bad or i dont have fear. I have drove cars that have tighter handling the my PA but maybe im used to it becuase I drive agressive and scare most people who ride with me. I've had it up to 100+ on the interstate and this wasn't in a straight line and I didn't feel like I was losing control. I will admit if u hit a dip going at high speeds u do feel like u don't have control but I think most people just dont feel safe with the body roll.

anyone have an opinon on napa's regal-ride struts. I was hoping hotZ28 would weigh in

Maybe im the only who thinks the handling isn't so bad or i dont have fear. I have drove cars that have tighter handling the my PA but maybe im used to it becuase I drive agressive and scare most people who ride with me. I've had it up to 100+ on the interstate and this wasn't in a straight line and I didn't feel like I was losing control. I will admit if u hit a dip going at high speeds u do feel like u don't have control but I think most people just dont feel safe with the body roll.

:chair:Okay, now I've heard it all. One thing I love about my Park is the fact that I don't feel like I have to go fast. The car is just too heavy for that kind of driving. Some idiot tonight came flying up behind me in a Buick, I think a LeSabre, but it was going to fast for me to tell. He must have been doing over 100mph. Anyone stupid enough to drive that fast in a car that heavy deserves to kiss the guardrail. I'm not going to brag about my driving skills. But if I ever catch anyone going that fast while I'm driving my truck, believe me, I will catch you and call the cops. And yes, I did remove the speed limiter on my ZR2. It kicked on a few too many times dealing with douchebags like that. :2cents:

Everyone who drives a buick isn't a gray head. One thing about buicks is that a lot of times you'll be driving faster than expected becuase the car is so smooth and it has decent power. And thats not just my opinion. Also PA aren't that heavy. A little over 3500 pounds. Alot of newer cars weight around the same. Also the govener doesn't kick in until 127mph so its not like there slow. Driving slow is not a requirement if you have a buick.

I'm not advocating driving fast but just putting in perspective that these cars can be drivin fast without killing yourself and have the potential. Usuallly the police eventually take care of fast drivers.

Sometime people like to test you becuase you drive a buick. The last time i raced a S-10 they provoked the race and got spanked. I guess they thought they had a easy win. just my opinion though

Everyone who drives a buick isn't a gray head. One thing about buicks is that a lot of times you'll be driving faster than expected becuase the car is so smooth and it has decent power. And thats not just my opinion. Also PA aren't that heavy. A little over 3500 pounds. Alot of newer cars weight around the same. Also the govener doesn't kick in until 127mph so its not like there slow. Driving slow is not a requirement if you have a buick.

I'm not advocating driving fast but just putting in perspective that these cars can be drivin fast without killing yourself and have the potential. Usuallly the police eventually take care of fast drivers.

Sometime people like to test you becuase you drive a buick. The last time i raced a S-10 they provoked the race and got spanked. I guess they thought they had a easy win. just my opinion though

Again, I won't brag about my driving skills. And it's way too fast. Nearly two tons of steel going over the speed limit at all is unecessary. My ZR2 weighs less than that, has much wider tires, and stiffer ride. I still wouldn't race you. I'd just make sure I got your plate numbers.

I gave up street racing after the Grand Am. Keep it on the track.

Hello i had shocks and struts put on my 96 park ave and the front sit higher but bumps are hell but the back sit very low, it sound like something is going to fall off i have air on the back what could i do to fix this problem. Any little bump is murder is their something i can do is do you put air in them.

Hello my park ave 96 does sag in the back but i had the front and back shockes and struts put on plus i don't hear the compressor any more. Can you help please thank you very much.

Check to see if the fuse for the air compressor hasn't blown or the air compressor hasn't been disconnected. It in the fuse panel under the driver's side dash.

Side note-did you ever solve your a/c problem?

Hello Cman could you explain to better what you are talking about with the leveling system. I did jack my car up and see a canster with a connector plus a sliver box could you explain to me what there are. Could i get your personal e-mail address so i could e-mail you some pictures of what i am talking about.


Thanks so much

Hello Cman, Could i get your personal e-mail address so i could e-mail you some pictures of what i am talking about.
Thanks so muchFeel free to post the pics here, asking for a personal email address is not acceptable. :headshake