HuskerBred
Well-Known Member
I've read and reread so many posts I'm going cross-eyed trying to figure out and answer to the issues I'm having. I have a 2011 LR4 HSE with 135k miles. I've owned it for the last five years since 83k miles. I'm having multiple issue and I'm getting ready to address them all this next week, but I want to make sure I cover all of my bases. I've been lucky to have few problems with my truck, keeping to just one expensive repair a year until this last winter when I lost the engine to oil starvation on the top end, resulting in the valve and cylinder disintegrating. I replaced the engine with a long block from a company that specializes in Rover/Jag motors and couldn't be happier. My wife, not so much. She has been pretty good about the money I've spent on my truck because she knows I'll keep it until the wheel fall off, like I do with every vehicle I've owned. So I want to get everything done at once so she isn't reminded of the small fortune I've put into it.
Which bring me to the issues. First I have a shimmy while driving that is new, but a vibration I can feel through the steering wheel when I brake. It started before the engine replacement, but it's been getting worse. I had been getting the "normal height only" message for the last couple years and purchased a compressor a while back. Actually 2 compressors, because of the date my Rover was manufactured I bought the Hitachi first, but it had already be updated, so I bought the newer version too. But the compressor kept on working so I've been putting it off. I had been getting some sag in the front overnight, which has been getting worse. I've done all of the diagnostic testing to figure out where the leak was, replaced the front valve block, but its still losing air. Lately I've been getting the "suspension fault" message. The codes say air shocks/compressor keeps running. And lastly, I noticed an oil small oil leak. I took it to the shop where I had the engine done so they could fix the leak and give the front end a thorough shake down.
The oil leak is the vacuum pump. When the engine was done they used the old vacuum pump with a new gasket, but now the pump itself is leaking. I've ordered one and it should arrive over the weekend. They checked out the front end, said everything looked fine, no issues. The brakes were done 2 years ago and the pads have better than 50% of the pads left, rotors were turned but not replaced, brake fluid was flushed and replaced. They said the air strut bags are dry and cracked and that's where I'm losing the air from. They only quoted me $1000 for replacement of the vacuum pump and $3200 for the shocks. After I stopped laughing, I explained they took all my money with the new engine, and being semi-retired, I have more time than money, and after building vintage Mustangs for the last 40 years, I can do it myself.
So my questions are: does the vacuum pump play any part in how the brakes work? I have Brembo rotors, I don't ride the brakes, not an overly aggressive driver, the rotors have a lot of life left, should I just replace or have them turned just in case they are warped? I jumped the gun and already had control arms and new hardware ready to install, the ones on there appear to be original, should I just install them as planned? I did check and there isn't really any wiggle in the wheels when they are off the ground, but using a short 8" pry bar, I can get a small amount of movement around the mounting brackets. And lastly, is there anything else that could cause a vibration with braking I haven't mentioned? The slight shimmy may be resolved with a rebalance of the tires and new control arms, so I'm not concerned about that. So vacuum pump, control arms, front air struts, and possibly rotors. Any thoughts?
Which bring me to the issues. First I have a shimmy while driving that is new, but a vibration I can feel through the steering wheel when I brake. It started before the engine replacement, but it's been getting worse. I had been getting the "normal height only" message for the last couple years and purchased a compressor a while back. Actually 2 compressors, because of the date my Rover was manufactured I bought the Hitachi first, but it had already be updated, so I bought the newer version too. But the compressor kept on working so I've been putting it off. I had been getting some sag in the front overnight, which has been getting worse. I've done all of the diagnostic testing to figure out where the leak was, replaced the front valve block, but its still losing air. Lately I've been getting the "suspension fault" message. The codes say air shocks/compressor keeps running. And lastly, I noticed an oil small oil leak. I took it to the shop where I had the engine done so they could fix the leak and give the front end a thorough shake down.
The oil leak is the vacuum pump. When the engine was done they used the old vacuum pump with a new gasket, but now the pump itself is leaking. I've ordered one and it should arrive over the weekend. They checked out the front end, said everything looked fine, no issues. The brakes were done 2 years ago and the pads have better than 50% of the pads left, rotors were turned but not replaced, brake fluid was flushed and replaced. They said the air strut bags are dry and cracked and that's where I'm losing the air from. They only quoted me $1000 for replacement of the vacuum pump and $3200 for the shocks. After I stopped laughing, I explained they took all my money with the new engine, and being semi-retired, I have more time than money, and after building vintage Mustangs for the last 40 years, I can do it myself.
So my questions are: does the vacuum pump play any part in how the brakes work? I have Brembo rotors, I don't ride the brakes, not an overly aggressive driver, the rotors have a lot of life left, should I just replace or have them turned just in case they are warped? I jumped the gun and already had control arms and new hardware ready to install, the ones on there appear to be original, should I just install them as planned? I did check and there isn't really any wiggle in the wheels when they are off the ground, but using a short 8" pry bar, I can get a small amount of movement around the mounting brackets. And lastly, is there anything else that could cause a vibration with braking I haven't mentioned? The slight shimmy may be resolved with a rebalance of the tires and new control arms, so I'm not concerned about that. So vacuum pump, control arms, front air struts, and possibly rotors. Any thoughts?
