What do these parts do?

[babyhauler]

Ok, you guys are probably going to laugh at all my questions, just understand that my Dad had this idea that going to college would make me rich and if I ever learned anything about cars I wouldn't ever get an education.


Q. Right next to my ECM and the Coolant/windshield reservoir is a part with an electric engine underneath and an air pump. It has a standard schraedr air stem on it. The air line goes down toward the transmission and disappears behind into the firewall. What is this part?

Q. In the trunk mounted on the back of the rear seat is a box that I thought was a disconnected stereo amp. There is a matching plug taped back. It looks similar to a diagram of a suspension control I saw in my manual. What is this part?

-- Also, I had already crawled under my car and saw that I have springs and shocks, so I thought my car didn't have the air suspension I keep seeing you guys talk about- but I am wondering if these parts have something to do with air suspension.

[Ivan D.]

The doohicky in the engine bay next to the washer fluid tank is indeed an air compressor for the self-levelling system in the rear. The system consists of that compressor, a brain that controls it (located in the trunk, behind the passenger-side panel, kinda just across the power antena), a height sensor for the brain's input, and a pair of air shocks to lift the car up. Notice I say air shocks, and not air springs - yer car's weight is mainly supported by coil springs, the air shocks act as overload springs only when ya're hauling around some heavy stuff. If ya take the time to get under the rear axle and look at the shocks ya'll notice their outer boot is actually made out of steel (plastic for regular shocks), and there's some rubber seal thing between it and the shock's body - that's the built-in air spring that the compressor up front pumps up when needed to maintain stock ride height.

The doohicky on the back of the rear seat is indeed the factory amplifier for the stereo, it was by-passed due to an aftermarket radio installation, most like likely. The control module for the self-levelling suspension is where the power antena would be if mounted on the passenger side of the car, ya'll have to pull the trunk's side moulding panel if ya need to access it.

[babyhauler]

Now I found more stuff to play with. I wonder what other stuff I am going to find on this car?

[joedogg]

Found out that the "Coffee Can" is actually a vacuum reservoir yet? Ugly sonofabitch ain't it?

[TheAudioGuru]

ya, replace the coffee can with a newer one from a 91 and up, then it will look better. there is also a switch on the left side of the trunk near the hinge, this cuts power to your fuel pump. so you now also have a fuel pump cutoff switch installed from the factory.

[Mr Wiggl3s]

Ya lol, we had a nice long discussion on how they just bought them from folgers

[babyhauler]

Yeah, I'm trying not to look at too much at once right now. But I did notice that "coffee can" thing and until now supposed it was either part of the emissions system or something the the last owner's Grandson put on. Glad to hear it is supposed to be there. Every time I show my car to my friends they make fun of the coffee can. Now I can tell them all about it and encourage them to get a coffee can for their own cars.

I did know about the inertia fuel cutoff in the trunk, I used it to depressurize the fuel line when I changed the in-line filter. All I did was back up hard into a parked car to trip it, then I waited for the engine to die as the line ran out of fuel. Then I was able to change the fuel filter because the line was depressurized.

I am able to say that I, even I the mechanically ignorant one am now able to change a fuel filter faster than I can change the baby's diaper. And no, I am not sure why I used to pay people to change my fuel filter.

[joedogg]

All I did was back up hard into a parked car to trip it, then I waited for the engine to die as the line ran out of fuel.

PLEASE tell me you're not kidding! That's friggin' awesome! You know all you had to do was whack the side of the box with a screwdriver handle until it popped.

My brother broke his trunk support once when installing an amp. He ended up tripping the inertia switch and then being stuck. Took me 20 or 30 minutes to figure out what was wrong, but sure enough. Damned inertia switch.

[Elemino]

PLEASE tell me you're not kidding! That's friggin' awesome! You know all you had to do was whack the side of the box with a screwdriver handle until it popped.If he did it that way, he wouldn't have had such an interesting story.

[babyhauler]

joedogg: "PLEASE tell me you're not kidding! That's friggin' awesome!"

I have a special deal for you on a space age powder engine lubricant. You will never change your oil again and you will get 40 miles to the gallon. Let me know if you are interested. ;)

[joedogg]

Snap. Okay, you got me.