New status

[renichms]

As it turns out, I may end up keeping my PT and getting the STi because I have no real choice.

For the last two weeks, Mephisto has been unable to move. The shop did a rotten job on installing new air ride parts and there are more fittings to be replaced. However, some are so tightly wound in, they cannot come back out. I cannot get the last fitting out to take to the store and get a replacement. Without the part, the car cannot lift or move. Obviously, in this condition, it can't go anywhere, so it can't sell.

If anyone has any tips on removing the brass fitting piece (screws into the whole brass setup around the valves), PLEASE let me know. It's tightly wound enough, it's looking like I may have to cut the hoses from the setup, detach the wiring and buy new valves to replace these functioning ones that happen to be near a leak that can't be fixed.

This is REALLY starting to make me mad.

RN

[2 TONE PT]

I can't imagine how the fittings would be locked in so tight unless they used a loctite thread lock . Theoretically I would resort to brut force and ignorance at this point. If it's not too difficult to remove the whole assembly try that, or if you can get a pic and email me I may be able to come up with some other suggestions.

Steve

[renichms]

Originally posted by 2 TONE PT
I can't imagine how the fittings would be locked in so tight unless they used a loctite thread lock . Theoretically I would resort to brut force and ignorance at this point. If it's not too difficult to remove the whole assembly try that, or if you can get a pic and email me I may be able to come up with some other suggestions.

Steve

If I remove the whole assembly, I have to replace a few more fittings along with the bad one. We tried brute force and I couldn't get it no matter what angle and neither could my brother.

RN

[renichms]

Removed whole assembly. Pieces still won't come apart. I don't know what they did, but this stuff is pretty much permanently locked together. At this point, I'm no longer willing to spend more money on this pit. The road outside my house is its final resting place. Hopefully, someone will come along and total it so I can at least get something out of it.

RN

[PT "Guru"]

hmmm........

have you tried using just a LITTLE heat? lock the valve in a vise, gently heat the valve just a little, and then try to loosen the fitting...

don't get in a hurry doing this! just a little heat from something like a small hobby propane torch... heat the area where the fitting screws in, not the whole valve, and not the fitting itself...

should work if you do it very carefully and just a little heat at a time!!!

[2 TONE PT]

Can you get us a pic of the valve and the delinquent fitting? Is the valve aluminum or brass. You can use heat to break loctite but I've never tried it on an aluminum valve.

If you still feel this way after a while you can always return to stock springs to sell it and through in the air suspension uninstalled?

[PT "Guru"]

If anyone has any tips on removing the brass fitting piece (screws into the whole brass setup around the valves),

aluminum is tougher but can be done... you have to be very careful and not use too much heat, plus you have to make sure you don't crack it...

used to pull a raven 28' coal bucket years ago, had to use heat on the thing all the time to loosen bolts and such and on the airlines and all...

i've never used lock-tite on an air assembly, with good fittings and lines it's not needed...

tractors and trailers run a constant 100 - 120 pounds per square inch thru everything from 1/8 to 5/8 lines, transmission shift, air suspension, windshield wipers, air ride cabs, seats, and never have problems... used to blow pancakes all the time, but never a line or fitting...

[renichms]

It's brass. Later I will have to label the valve wiring so I can piece it back together. I pulled the assembly out and used a wrench and it didn't budge. Not a hint of movement at all. I would have expected it to be tight and somewhat tough, but to at least get SOME movement...but no movement at all. Maybe they used that loctite thing and some glue or something...it's not budging.

I would tow it to somewhere to get it fixed but it needs to lift to move at all. Can't jack it up temporarily because it's too low to get anything under. I'm royally screwed.

RN

[PT "Guru"]

lock-tite is something that is put on the threads to stop them from backing out...

since it's brass, try a little heat, or if you have a vice, lock the fitting in the jaws, the place where you would put the wrench, just don't smash it. and then try to turn the valve...

also remember,

"righty = tighty"

"lefty = loosey"

[renichms]

Right now, I've spent so much energy on it, I'm kinda shaky. I'll take some tabs and tape out to label the wiring and pull it into the house to take apart, but that'll be tomorrow, at soonest. And when I have to go back to get other problems taken care of, the shop will get thoroughly blessed out for their shoddy work...after they finish the car.

RN