400i self leveling suspension operation

Which button are you pressing ? I saw someone selling an Aerial switch as a self-leveling suspension switch, but the leveling is only thru a valve situated under the spare tire position...A lever is attached to the rear sway bar that tests the attitude of the car and then allows flow ot the suspension until getting to the appropriate height.

When the car is stopped and parked for some time, the rear will sink. So if you don't feel the car rise ~20+ seconds after being started, you don't really have self-leveling suspension...Lee

 

The valve Lee mentions is quite easy to see without jacking the car; it looks like a small shock absorber and should since it says Koni on it! The moveable end is fixed to a link on the rear roll bar. The fixed end is on the rear face of the underside of the spare tire "well". Rotation of the roll bar due to height changes, pushes or pulls the piston in or out on the valve and either supplies high pressure oil to the top of the shocks to raise car, or it releases oil to return to the reservoir on front right of the motor. Now that is an even easier way to see if you have the system; look for the oil reservoir under the hood!
Ken

 

Automatically, if everything is working OK

Yes.

There is no switch or button for the self levelling on the console or anywhere else. Its a purely automatic system, as described in the previous post.

M

 

If you search threads for "Koni self leveling" you should find all the Koni original engineering drawings, diagrams, math, and "how it works" for both systems. I have rebuilt 4 or 5 of the fluid distribution valves behind rear end...No sag when car sits. If you can't find the attatchments let me know...I will repost them.
Mike Grieco

 

I found the file...Koni Self Leveling Shocks-eng. specs.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Mike, what parts did you use for the rebuild ? I kind of dig the way the car settles really low in the parking spot. Also, for me good practice to allow the car to warm up just a little bit before taking off. But like always for an old car, would like to stockpile whatever pieces may be needed for the eventual when...Lee

 

Hi All, unfortunately I have lots of smoke from the left hand cylinder bank. one only very, very oily plug at the rear on firewall and starts to miss very quickly. On drive I lose everybody behind me on power up the hills. Not good. Any suggestions other than rebuild or new engine. It started after we had a radiator thermostat not open and it stated to get hot but of cause we stopped immediately. It started of a very small amount of excess smoke and got worse. Love the car and want to fix it so any help will be much appreciated. Has anybody rebuilt a 400i engine and where do we stop considering it is 30 years old and has probably had nothing done to it before. I look forward to your comments etc. Thank you Dave Tasmania, Australia

 

Dave, suggest you start with a compression check or leak down test...only my guess that you are facing problems with the rings (not just worn valve guides) and a compression check will help you know if your problem is only on some cylinders. How many miles do you have on the car ? I'd hold my breath but expect to get serious to make the car healthy again...Don't keep driving it if is very sick...Lee

 

Are you sure that you don't have a blown head gasket? That is a not uncommon result of an overheating issue (or even the cause) and it might account for the smoke from one side, especially if it is white smoke. If the smoke is white, that is from the coolant leaking into the combustion chamber and being burned off. The fouled plug could be from the same problem as there may be a leak from the oil passage to the cylinder bore.

A compression check can help you isolate which cylinder(s) isn't (aren't) registering full compression.

While pulling a head to replace a head gasket is a pain, it is much less of a problem than an engine rebuild. The only expensive complication might be if the head itself got warped from the overheating. If you shut it down quickly when you noticed the overheating, that may be an unlikely event.

Good luck with the diagnosis and the remedy!