HARSH RIDE (REPL. LOW LEVEL DAMPING VALVES & RECALIBRATE

SUBJECT: HARSH RIDE (REPLACE LOW LEVEL DAMPING VALVES AND RECALIBRATE RSS CONTROL MODULE)

MODELS: 1993 CADILLAC ELDORADO TOURING COUPES -- (BUILT BEFORE VIN BREAKPOINT PU617935) 1993 CADILLAC SEVILLE TOURING SEDANS -- (BUILT BEFORE VIN BREAKPOINT PU831371)

SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT OF HARSH RIDE (I.E., OVER ROUGH ROADS OR TAR STRIPS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS). A REAR SHOCK ABSORBER WITH IMPROVED LOW LEVEL DAMPING HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THE ABOVE BREAKPOINTS WERE BUILT WITH THE NEW VALVING. ADDITIONALLY, A REVISED CALIBRATION FOR THE ROAD-SENSING SUSPENSION CONTROL MODULE IS AVAILABLE.

LOW LEVEL DAMPING VALVE REPLACEMENT

TO REPAIR THIS CONDITION USE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE TO REPLACE THE "LOW LEVEL DAMPING" VALVES (SERVICE KIT P/N 22152608) IN THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS.

1. REMOVE BOTH REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS FROM VEHICLE PER SERVICE INFORMATION MANUAL SECTION 3D.

2. THOROUGHLY CLEAN SOLENOID VALVE AREA OF SHOCK ABSORBER IN PARTS WASHER.

IMPORTANT: CLEANLINESS IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN SATISFACTORILY COMPLETING THIS REPAIR. BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY DISASSEMBLY OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER, THE EXTERIOR OF THE SHOCK AND SOLENOID VALVE SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY CLEANED TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY DIRT FROM ENTERING THE UNIT. AFTER THE CLEANING OPERATION AN AIR HOSE SHOULD BE USED TO THOROUGHLY DRY THE UNIT, ESPECIALLY THE JOINT AREA WHERE THE SOLENOID VALVE SCREWS DOWN AGAINST THE VALVE BOSS RIM.

3. SPREAD A CLEAN SHEET OF PAPER OVER THE BENCH AREA TO LAY PARTS ON.

4. LIGHTLY CLAMP THE RESERVOIR TUBE OF THE SHOCK IN A VISE PADDED WITH SHOP TOWELS TO PROTECT PAINTED SURFACE OF TUBE. THE SOLENOID VALVE SHOULD BE POINTING UPWARD WITH THE VALVE END HIGHER THAN THE ROD END TO KEEP OIL FROM RUNNING OUT.

5. FULLY EXTEND SHOCK BEFORE REMOVING SOLENOID.

IMPORTANT: PISTON ROD MUST BE FULLY EXTENDED BEFORE SOLENOID VALVE IS REMOVED. IF THE ROD IS NOT FULLY EXTENDED WHEN THE SOLENOID VALVE IS REMOVED, A VACUUM MAY BE FORMED IN THE UNIT WHICH MAY NECESSITATE REPLACEMENT OF THE SHOCK.

6. USING A SCRATCH AWL, SCRIBE RELATIONSHIP OF SOLENOID TO THE VALVE BOSS.

7. REMOVE SOLENOID VALVE FROM SHOCK USING A 1-9/16" CROWFOOT WRENCH.

IMPORTANT: BE CAREFUL NOT TO SPILL SHOCK ABSORBER HYDRAULIC FLUID OR GET DIRT INSIDE OF SHOCK ABSORBER. IF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FLUID IS SPILLED OR DIRT GETS INSIDE, THE SHOCK MUST BE REPLACED.

8. REMOVE CAP, VALVE, AND SPACER FROM SOLENOID WITH A SLIGHT ROCKING/TWISTING MOTION. PLACE OLD PARTS ASIDE SO THAT THEY DO NOT GET MIXED WITH NEW PARTS.

9. USING A SMALL FLAT-BLADED SCREWDRIVER, REMOVE THE SMALL O- RING FROM THE END OF THE SOLENOID VALVE, DISCARD IT, AND REPLACE THE SMALL O-RING WITH THE NEW O-RING PROVIDED.

10. PLACE NEW CAP AND BLACK COLORED VALVE AND SPACER ON SOLENOID, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE PARTS GET COCKED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER.

11. INSTALL SOLENOID INTO SHOCK BEING CAREFUL NOT TO KNOCK DIRT PARTICLES INTO THE OPENING.

12. TORQUE SOLENOID VALVE TO 75 N.M (55 LBS. FT.) USING CROWFOOT AT 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO TORQUE WRENCH TO MINIMIZE ANY TORQUE MULTIPLICATION EFFECTS. SCRIBE MARKS SHOULD BE ALIGNED.

13. PLACE A PLASTIC TIE STRAP AROUND THE SHOCK ABSORBER JUST ABOVE THE SOLENOID TO IDENTIFY THAT THE LOW LEVEL DAMPING VALVE HAS BEEN REPLACED.

14. REPLACE WIRING HARNESS CLIP AND CONNECTOR BODY IF LOCKING TABS WERE DAMAGED DURING REMOVAL.

15. INSTALL SHOCK ABSORBER IN CAR PER SERVICE INFORMATION MANUAL SECTION 3D. TORQUE UPPER STRUT MOUNT NUT TO 75 N.M (55 LBS. FT.) AND TORQUE LOWER STRUT MOUNT NUT TO 102 N.M (75 LBS. FT.).

16. MAKE SURE THE SOLENOID WIRING HARNESS IS PROPERLY ROUTED AND THAT RUBBER GROMMETS ARE RETAINED IN BRACKETS.

IF THE ABOVE REPAIR WAS NOT EFFECTIVE OR THE SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE DAMAGED DURING REPAIR (DUE TO LOST OIL OR DIRT ENTERED THE UNIT) REPLACE BOTH REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS WITH P/N 22064557.

DUE TO THE DIFFERENCE IN VALVING, ORIGINAL DESIGN AND NEW VALVINGS SHOULD NOT BE MIXED ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SOME UNDESIRABLE RIDE CHARACTERISTICS MAY DEVELOP. THEREFORE, IF A 1993 BEFORE BREAKPOINT VEHICLE IS BEING SERVICED BECAUSE A CODE IS SET ON A PARTICULAR SHOCK, REPLACE BOTH REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS WITH P/N 22064557. FOR 1993 AFTER BREAKPOINT VEHICLES, SHOCK ABSORBERS SHOULD BE SERVICED INDIVIDUALLY WITH P/N 22064557.

A REVISED CALIBRATION FOR THE ROAD SENSING SUSPENSION CONTROL MODULE, WHICH WILL OFFER FURTHER RIDE IMPROVEMENTS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE SEPTEMBER, 1993 RELEASE OF THE CD-ROM. THE MODULE CAN BE RECALIBRATED USING THE TECH ONE AND MASS STORAGE CARTRIDGE PER INSTRUCTIONS IN THE SERVICE INFORMATION MANUAL (SECTION 3G2) AND THE MASS STORAGE CARTRIDGE USER'S GUIDE.

PARTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 11, 1993.

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY USE THE FOLLOWING LABOR OPERATION TO R+R BOTH REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS, INSTALL LOW LEVEL DAMPING VALVES AND RECALIBRATE THE ROAD SENSING SUSPENSION CONTROL MODULE:

LABOR OPERATION: T6751 1.4 HOURS

FIGURES: 3

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER". THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.

COPYRIGHT 1993 CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION, GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.