Suspension help **UPDATE Struts are finally on**
 

I need some help on my 95 SSE with purchasing new struts please. I have the automatic leveling rear suspension in the rear.

Question on the Monroe Reflex struts. I found a new pair for 80.00 online but the part number is 931799 and in techinfo it says the part number needed for my car is 931798. Does anyone know what's different with these two part numbers? None of my local parts stores could access any info on them because they're discontinued. If the only difference is that the 931798 is for the ELC and the 931799 is for both the ELC and the CCR, can I still use the 931799 If I don't have the CCR? I would like to get the Refex after reading the techinfo. If I can use these is it ok to use the sensatracks up front with this set up? Thanks

I wasn't planing on replacing my struts at all but over the last few days there starting to show there age and the car is starting to bounce a bit more than it should. Can't blame it I guess 12 years and 200 plus on the odometer

CCR has no bearing. Monroe doesn't make any type of strut for CCR.

The part number you posted may not be ELC compatible. I'd have to look it up.
http://catalog.tenneco.com/monroe/shockSelector.do

98 is with ELC for you.
99 is without ELC.

Don't discard ELC on an FE2-equipped car like yours. It's a calculated part of the suspension package.

Reflex struts may be available in the 99, but not the 98. Get the sensatrak 98.

The Reflex 99 was also discontinued. I just found a set online and thought I might get lucky, if they would have been compatible with my suspension :cry:
If I can't fix the leak at the compressor can I use these and forget about the ELC? I think I can and will probably be getting the sensatraks, but just incase, would there be any benefit to using the Reflex If I can't use the ELC anymore?

Fix the leak. ELC is a carefully calculated functional part of the FE2 package. Deleting it would be the same as putting weaker springs in.

I'll give it my best, Thanks.

I found the leak. It had two of them in the hose that comes off the compressor and goes to the restrictor coupler. The fitting at the compressor had a leak (bad O-rings) and the hose had a wear hole in it. see pictures below.

That part was hard to find because of it being discontinued. Luckily I found on in Georgia at Friesen Chevrolet
Old part # 22093074
New part # 12367287 also discontinued now :roll:

I received my Monroe Sensatrac struts today from Rockauto.com. They had the cheapest price I could find on them at 67.89 each front and rear, same cost.

Question about the compressor operation. It runs but only for a few seconds and then stops for a minute or two then runs again for a few seconds, it keeps repeating this. If the system is empty should it run until it's full? Or is it on a timed cycle or something. I just can't see how it can fill the system that fast with the leak it has.

https://i120.photobucket.com/albums/...nneville00.jpg
https://i120.photobucket.com/albums/...onnevill-1.jpg
https://i120.photobucket.com/albums/...Bonneville.jpg

on your 95 the compressor will turn on and do a self test to pressurize the system (few seconds) if the sensor arm is not happy the compressor will run to get the correct ride heigth, Could be a 1-2 seconds to 15 seconds....the compressor has a constant runtime Timer limited to 10 min, and then will shut off

If it continues to run after about a minute or two, you still have a leak. It may be the struts. Replace them first.

I plan on doing them at the end of next week unless the weather is bad

I got the new hose today :bwoohoo: You know I disabled the pump probably 5 years ago because of the leak :oops: The good news is it doesn't appear to be leaking.

How fast does the compressor fill the system? After I plugged the hose in it took a few seconds to start but after it did it ran for a few seconds. Then about 5 minutes later it ran for a few seconds again. The next time was 9 minutes later and it only ran for 3 seconds. I dove the car around the block and looked at it under a street light. The gap between the wheel wells and tires appear to be the on the same front and rear. Is the system really that small or or should the rear be any higher? I don't know, I would have though the compressor would have needed to run longer to fill the system.
Here is the new/old parts.
https://i120.photobucket.com/albums/...onnevill-3.jpg

Thanks Willwren and 1993 SLE, I finally got the struts replaced today. I learned how much my car was sagging overall too. It's like I just had a lift kit installed. My air ride kept the rear level after I fixed the leak a few weeks ago but everything was sagging apparently. The original struts wouldn't expand when I pushed them in by hand. I still have to get an alignment before I can drive it to see how it rides but it looks like I need bigger tires to fill the wheel wells now :lol:

Make SURE you have the rear height adjusted where you want it before the alignment.

If I want to lower it some is there an easy way to lower the front as well, to keep it level?

No. The front is set. Adjust the rear to match. Having another similar car in GOOD CONDITION to measure for comparison helps, or measuring before and after, but in your case, you're probably stuck setting it to what 'looks good' to you.

Procedure for adjusting is in Techinfo.

Ok thanks. I did see the Techno on how to adjust the rear. It's sitting level with the front still. Just overall higher than I got use to. I kinda liked the lower look it had. I'll look at it some more tomorrow but I think it's where it's gonna stay. I don't want a droopy rear. Thanks again.