Air suspension compressor
 

I've been spending a fairly significant amount of cash bringing my 2003 '8 (3.7l) back up to standard as several problems have arisen in recent months - the car is just too nice not to spend the dough. I'm left with just one outstanding issue, though - the compressor for the air suspension is getting rather weak and noisy.

The local indy garage (whom I've been using for years - they've been very good) advise that the compressor is a very expensive part at a little over a grand including the VAT. I don't really want to spend that if I can avoid it, so I'm left with the option of aftermarket or used (the latter from our forum sponsor).

This is the aftermarket option I've found (with a 2-year warranty):
https://aerosus.co.uk/catalogsearch/...FTgo0wodI9gPrQ

Anybody used them, or have any other advice? I know that A8parts are an extremely conscientious supplier and aren't going to send me a badly worn pump, but on the other hand, I anticipate keeping the car for a while yet (she still drives like new, despite a few minor battle scars), so a new part would seem like a good idea.

Look for the bagpipingandy rebuild kit on Ebay.

I had this fitted to my compressor 3 years ago as it was weak and generating fault codes. I've been code free since that day.

Thanks for the tip!

Yes. I just bought a compressor from them a couple of months ago. It was a wabco part that appears to be identical to the audi part I took off. Other than the sticker. Working great for me...

See here for fitting instructions

Thanks - it's good to have options :)

Ive used this company and found them to be good -
https://airdominance.co.uk/shop/audi...on-compressor/

When you return your old compressor they will also give you a £25 refund and they guarantee the units as well, when I took mine off this one looked identical.
I used the bagpiping Andy kit to try and fix the old one first but it didn't last very long. The old compressor was putting out 7.6 bar instead of 16 bar that the new one puts out!

I have read a lot of good stuff an other Audi forums about bagpipingandys kit, seems to be well regarded+++

Thanks again for the advice guys!

I would recommend the DIY repair option. When I bought the car, the suspension wouldn't raise at all. I removed the compressor and replaced the piston ring and it's been fine since.

The job only takes 1-2 hours overall and total cost was around £15. The hardest part was removing the bolts on the compressor cylinder as one in particular was in tight (snapped a hex key in half trying to remove it!)

Thanks for the suggestion, MatthewH, but whichever way I go, it's going to have to be done by my local garage as I have MS and no longer have the strength to work on my own cars, sadly.

Bagpipe andy kit here....Really quite simple. Had loads of faults on the suspension side which knocked the lights leveling system out and lots of stuff. Really easy to do if you have any mechanical knowledge and if you can get the compressor out, you have enough to try the repair kit.
Been over a year and it's great. Handy if you have Vagcom to test too, but it's pretty obvious that it works....If you can hear the pump running, go for the kit!

Just to finalise this thread - I decided to go for a new compressor rather than the bagpipeandy kit. Bought the new compressor from aerosus as per the link in my original post - £289 + shipping. Was fitted by my local indy yesterday with just 3 hours labour. They tell me that the new compressor was identical to the original unit and just bolted straight on -with all necessary fittings and a new relay included.

The old pump had obviously been tired for a long while - the car has never adjusted levels this quickly in my ownership (a little over 3 years). With that plus other work I've had done recently (cambelt, control arms + a few other bits) she's driving like a new car again. Not too shabby for a 14 year-old car. Well pleased.

Glad to hear it.

Can't really grumble with the price of that compressor, can you. I too have heard good things about BagpipingAndy, but for convenience and peace of mind the Aerosus seems a bargain.

I'm gonna need to go down the new compressor route soon.

When I bought my W12 the compressor was making a racket but working fine.
Did the Bagpipeandy kit and a new set of shock mounts for the cradle and was fine for three weeks then back to clattering away.

Glad this place has pointed out some great places to get replacements at a great price!

I did mine around 3 years back, and it turned out that the brushes within the motor had dislodged.. a bit of twisted wire and they were soon back in position.

Fixed the problem, with the air suspension working again!

I also came across the bagpipeandy solution and have to say it seems to have worked for loads of people.

Good to hear your A8 is back up and running.

I did the bagpipingandy fix to the compressor 3 years ago, and its still fine with no faults being logged against the suspension.

I think the key is to catch it early enough that the motor itself is not damaged by over heating.