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Where are the norgren valves / sol’s on my coach?
I have been following several posts to try to learn where my norgren valves / solenoids are located. Since I have owned the coach, I have had to manually bring the front air up to ride height. The rear has always worked fine, but the front has always been on the blink. I talked to prevost a while back and the tech said it sounded like a ride height valve, so I replaced it, but no different. I have looked all over the place for the solenoids you refer to, but I have yet to find them. Now I know I have an older model (83) Liberty, it has the push buttons to the left, (left and right rear) and (front) a total of three buttons. May I get you the experts to help me find the culprite and / or tell me where I finds those elusive solenoids / valves please?
Thank you
Richard
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10 Replies
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norgren valves are located above front axle, above tag axle area on each side as well as in front fun bay under the drivers seat area…
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A small voice in my head it saying you might not have Norgren valves, but some other brand of valves that are supposed to function like the currently used Norgrens.
Your vintage coach may have preceded the current valving used for level low.
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Red Rideout built a system in the time frame that did not use norgren valves but used a serries of electrical/air selonoids controlled by toggle switches. Many were placed on early coaches aftermarket. these parts are still over counter at Brake supply houses. Triva ;I know but in our case with older coaches we must Identify what we are working with. Bob
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I have spent quite a bit of time under my coach and I dont recognize the solenoids. What do they look like or how can I trace back to them on the front?
Thanks
Richard
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Richard,
Because yours is a Liberty Conversion and was not built from a seated coach my guess is the suspension system is a combination of Prevost, with a possible Liberty modification.
The solenoid valves typically seen are the red capped valves shown above mounted on manifold bolted to the rear bulkhead in the steer compartment. They take the electrical signal from the switches at the dash and convert them to a pneumatic signal that shifts the valves that control the suspension system function. They do not supply air to the air bags, but send a pneumatic signal to open the spool valves that control air flow to the air bags directly, or via the ride height valves.
Start your search in the steer compartment looking for solenoid valves or a stack of them looking like this.
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My 82 started life as a seated coach and has three height control valves – no norgens. I do not have any buttons on the dash to change the level which matches the Seated coach air schematic. Not sure if that helps but it’s a data point.
I also have a PDF file of the “motorhome” air schematic rev 3_82. (which shows the solinoid valves very near each of the three height control valves). Do you also have the 4 airbag front suspension?
If you don’t have the PDF send me an e-mail and I’ll send it to you. I got it off the Prevost site years ago but can’t find it anymore.
I can’t figure out how to attach a PDF otherwise I’d post it.
Dan
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Dan,
You can post it as an article which is set up for PDF files.
A seated coach is not going to share pneumatic systems, especially the suspension with a shell made for conversion, but right now any information is going to help.
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I have both seated and motorhome air schematics and yes they are a bit different.
I posted an article with the PDF. You’ll want to look at bubbles 2, 3,4,5, and 6 for control and solenoid valves and ride height valves are 42, 43, and 47.
PS – just in case you have a 102″ MTH coach ( I don’t remember the year they changed) I posted another Air Schematic for that as well dated 1/86 – it’s in French 😉
Dan
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Dan, that schematic is so invaluable, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. 2,3, and 4 are my console air valves.
Dan, Jon, I will trace the air line from the front ride height valve to find the solenoid, but my question is;
The solenoid is electrically operated with the level low switch right? So how do I know whether it is the solenoid or whether its getting power at the right time? what tells what to do when?
I have replaced the ride height valve with no change. I was looking at the schematic and I might check the pressure coming out of the pressure protection valve going to the ride height valve just to make sure its that far at least
Thanks again
Richard
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I think GMCBuffalo is on to it. As he suggests make sure the ride height valve 47 is working properly. (I know its new but….) If you block the coach you can test by disconnecting the arm from the chasis and manually raise or lower the coach by moving the arm up or down (Mine have about a 3 second delay in each direction) The way I read the schematic you need to have air to 47 and if you want to go to level low you need to activate 5 your level low solenoid valve front. If 47 is not supplying air (based on the height of the coach) it won’t go up. When I look at the schematic level low control valve 2 appears also be connected to the front air bags. So my guess (and its just a guess) that is working properly so I’d focus on 47 & 5 first. I’m sorry but I don’t know exactly how the solenoid works.
The protection valve can fail (ask me how I know) but if that fails the rear won’t go up either.
As others have said – make absolutly sure you have the chasis blocked properly if you go under the coach.
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