Autoride Compressor, Service ride control walkthrough

[zieglerj-pdm-specialist]

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This is my walkthrough of changing out my autoride compressor on a 2004 Yukon XL Denali. I couldn't find one on the site with pics and for idiots. It is one of the things that can set off your "service ride control" warning light on the dash. Be sure to check your air ride shocks as well as they may have a hole in them, causing the compressor to run more and burn out. (This is what happened to me). Thank you to all of the advice from the many in the forum that helped me find the parts, and have the confidence to do the job.

Skill level required: Average wrench turner (I'm a music teacher by trade and have very little real mechanic skills)
Difficulty level: Harder than changing the oil, easier than changing brake pads. (Especially drums. YUCK)

Parts: ARNOTT compressor
Tools: Metric socket set (with extensions), t25 torx, wire cutters, electrical tape, pliers, large channel locks or oil filter wrench
Optional tools: Wire ties, Jack,

Steps:

1. Locate the compressor. On my 04 Yukon XL Denali the compressor was right behind the drivers side rear wheel.

2. Remove the entire metal housing that holds the compressor on. For me it was removing 3 14mm Bolts. Two facing one direction and a third on the other side that you had to gain access to through the frame.

This was the place I used a jack under the bracket to support the entire assembly​

3. Remove the A) electrical harness, B) the air tube to the compressor (with pliers) and the C) air tube that connects to the fuel filler tank.

4. When finished the entire assembly should be out, and look like this:

This is the frame after removal.

5. Remove the compressor with the dryer (it's attached) from the bracket with the T25 torx tool. After that, you can compare it to the new compressor. They are pictured together below



6. Remove the dryer by taking out the screw and unscrewing them from the compressor.


7. From here follow the directions from ARNOTT on how to "rebuild the compressor" They are excellent and contain all of the parts as well as pictures. Here is where you use the large channel locks. I used an oil filter wrench. One note, make a mark on the dryer to line up the lid when you put it back on. It will make your life easier when you reassemble.

8. After you put the dryer on the new compressor you have to cut off the wire harness from the old one. Be sure to leave yourself plenty of room to strip the wires and attach it to the new compressor.


9. After you cut the wires, remove the bracket that holds the harness on the old compressor. Should look like this:



10. From here, strip wires on the wire harness about a quarter of an inch, and match the colors to the new compressor. They even include connectors so all you have to do is strip the wires, put them in the connector and crimp them down.


---------- Post added at 06:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:05 PM ----------

11. After you make all connections, be sure to wrap them in electrical tape. Water and electricity don't like each other. Especially if you live in an area where there is salt in the winter.


12. From here you need to put the rubber isolators on the new compressor. I thought this was going to be tough, but just work them in. They'll go eventually.



13. After you do this, reinstall the compressor back into the bracket.

14. Now, use the jack to hold up the bracket close to where it needs to be installed. Reconnect the 3 lines you disconnected in step #3

15. Installing the housing back onto the frame is done by putting the nuts on the bolts connected to the metal bracket. Then you "hang" them on the frame and tighten them down after they have fallen into their slots. It sounds tricker than it actually is.

(Notice the slots?)

Pick isn't great, but see how the nuts are on the bolts and they extend out of the bracket

16. Tighten down all of the bolts and you are done. If the compressor is the problem, when you start up, it should fix the problem.


**notes**

I am not a mechanic so if you have any further things to add feel free. I will try to answer any questions I can.

Im having a problem the dryer on the compressor they say to unscrew the top and replace the filaments in it, I cant get the filter head to unscrew is there a special way to do it because I don't want to break any thing I wish I could just bypass it but that would charbroil the motor. Any help will be great. I got every thing else apart and the only thing holding me up is the filter....

 

[Mr Denali]

Jesus you working on your life story or your auto leveling compressor. Hold the dryer in one hand and grab a pair of channel locks with the other at the end of the dryer its formed sort of like a nut grip it with the channel locks while still holding it in your other hand channel locks in the right hand dryer in the left turn in a counter clockwise motion and it should come off. Be careful when turning it over after removing the end or silica beads will go everywhere oh and don't eat them.

 

[OHSIXX]

Jesus you working on your life story or your auto leveling compressor.

Spare us the details and get to the point already. If you are still having trouble-put the bottom portion of the dryer into a vise for leverage and use the channel locks to unscrew the top.....

---------- Post added at 07:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:38 AM ----------

So you installed a rebuilt compressor rebuilt by you or did you buy a new Arnott Compressor and have to rebuild the dryer for installation? Because I just ordered an Arnott Compressor that is brand new from the Company for $189 shipped with a dryer rebuilt kit included. The question I have is I went under the Yukon and sprayed the 2 14mm Bolts with an industrial grade bolt extractor so the bolts wont be stuck on when I go to do the replacement. I Sprayed the three Torx head screws but I never seen the 4th 14MM do I need to remove the rear wheel for easier access to replace or is it just the same as leaving the wheel on there. As Far as the 14mm Bolt could you place me where it is in the assembly is it easy to get to or very difficult. Do I need extensions on the ratchet to get to it or is it just a deep socket 14mm to get out. Thank you so much for the tutorial it is going to help me out a ton. When I knew I had to replace my compressor I was very worried myself to death thinking its going to be a Whole weekend job, I have bad degenerative discs in my back on L1,L2, L3, L4, L5, T12 and S1 in my sacrum and when I try to do jobs like this It really wears me down physically due to the pain and mentally due to the pain. I'm on a pain patch and it works if I lay around and don't do anything all day but If I do anything extra like this it kills me and the patch doesn't touch my pain. When I was healthy I absolutely loved working on my vehicles. I installed remote starters and alarms on all three of my vehicles. Installed DVD system in my Yukon Denali with two 7 inch screens in the front. The main alpine D310 DVD player the hub of my unit is where the 6 disc CD changer was in the Yukon Xl Denali and I have Ipod connection where I can operate from the screen so I can have the Ipod hidden anywhere in the vehicle, It has a M300 Digital Navigation the first alpine Nav that doesn't use CD's its the size of a wallet and runs off my Alpine D310, I also installed a & inch alpine screen where the regular radio was and it is a TV to watch movies from the Alpine 310 and I installed a 21 inch alpine Screen in the back which I had to build a custom mount due to the moon roof sliding back works great. I installed an Alpine 5900 Alarm and remote start in the Denali. On my 2005 Pontiac Bonneville GXP with the Northstar V8 in it has a Double Din Alpine 505W with the P1 Navigation along with two 9.5" alpine touch screens in the head rest. I installed a Astrostart RSS-5229 remote start. On my runner car its a 1997 30 year Anniversary Pontiac Bonneville SSEi, I installed a Viper alarm and car starter with a cold start plug heater for these ice cold North Dakota nights and its starts easy in the winter because its the only one outside. I did each of those installs in one weekend on each install, now it would take at least two weeks to complete one vehicle because of the pain. My love of vehicles will never go away as long as I can still walk, I will never take it into a mechanic, I just cant I feel the need to take care of my vehicles myself because they are a part of the family. I just replaced the upper plenum gasket on my 1997 and my head gasket on my 97 also. I was in pain afterwards because I had water in my oil and water locked my engine so I needed to pull all the plugs and turn it over to get all of the water out of the cylinders. I drained the oil and water and replaced the gaskets, the I ran new oil through it twice putting 10 miles on each oil change. My final change I took the car for a 200 mile round trip and checked the oil and it has never looked so clean. Usually after an oil change and I drive it for 30 miles and check it again its usually back to black but this fault really cleaned my engine out. OH and after I put everything back together I started it up and the fuel pressure regulator was spraying everywhere. so there went another $100 into the repair pot. But the 3800 series II is hopefully good for 500,000 miles like my 1992 with an auto start in it. Also on all 4 vehicles I installed Cold Air K&N air filter to each vehicle. My Yukon XL got the most attention. I installed the cold Air K&N filter, Pulse plugs,(these are suppose to be the latest and greatest plugs with small capacitors in the plugs), I installed 10MM wires and coils, a 12 PSI Turbo when needed, 23 inch Gianelle rims wrapped in Kuhmo STX 305/40/23 rubber. I replaced the day time lights with Blue 19LED socket and I changed the upper front lights to the AUDI style lights with the Halo wring and Blue HID lights on low and high beam and the 5 lead lights running the length of the lights just like the Audi's. I might change my Turn signals to the 19 LED Blue lights with the resistors but I don't know if its illegal or not. Plus I have the Inside dash and door accents all wrapped in real Carbon fiber accents. and it made the old grey middle console that happens to flake after age looks phenomenal, the I put limo tint in the back over my factory tint allowing zero light in for the people watching movies on the 21" TV in the back. I'm going to add 60% tint on the front windows which will allow at least 45% light through so I hope that doesn't cause the cops to pull me over.

I'm just more afraid of the pain than I am at the task at hand. But since you said its about 1/2hr to 1 hours work I think I can tolerate that. I need to change oil on her anyways. so I hope I can lay on the crawler and do most of the work. How long does it take to rebuild the dryer?? Thanks again for everything.

So what is the question ???........

 

[FoxDen]

I swapped out the pump on my 06 Yukon Denali XL. Took MAYBE 30 minutes tops.

http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-949-00...61949492&sr=8-1&keywords=gmc+yukon+compressor

 

[VinninTX]

Quick question --- Does anyone know what the wires on this unit are so I can splice them and control the rear air ride manually - when needed? TIA

I am taking off the manged system and magna-ride (wiring in the resistors) but I want to keep the option of air assist using the existing pump.

I need to identify:
1) Pump Main Power (12v)
2) Pump Ground
3) Remote Pump Turn-on (12v)
4) Air Fill
5) Air Release

I imagine the "fill" is accomplished by the pump turn-on; however, there must be a valve that releases air (please note - I have not dropped the unit as of yet)