Can use some help on confusing Airmatic issue diagnosis
 

The front left corner of my 2006 E55 sags when parked. It sags about 1" - 1.5" when parked. It does NOT drop all the way down like you see with so many Airmatic failures. When I start the car, it raises to normal height in about 10 seconds, and within a few seconds starts to drop again. It'll drop to the height it drops to when the engine is off, then rises back up again. This happens over and over. I can't use the car because I assume the pump is running constantly, and I don't want to burn out the pump. I have looked at the pump and the line to the strut and I see nothing that looks abnormal. I assume it's the strut. However, I don't understand if it's the strut leaking why doesn't sag all the way to fully deflated? Of course I can just replace the strut, but at about $600 per strut I hate to just throw a strut at the car only to find out he strut isn't the problem. I hooked the car up to the STAR machine but there are no suspension codes. Anyone have any input or ideas on this? It's the car not fully dropping down that has me confused.

I had a similar experience on my e500 while back , hard to explain but as the air bag settles when parked it curves to where their is a tear and air leaks from a certain point of the bag , its the strut fersure but again have it diagnosed before jumping in to it.

On the bright side the front strut is easy to install if that is the case

Can you tell me where you bought your Arnott from?

Cheapest i can find is rockauto..

370 +100 refundable core on rockauto.

Yup, in poking around I see Rock Auto at $370 + $12 shipping to Houston, plus a refundable $100 core charge. Sounds like a good deal.

I'll fall on my sword here, admit my ignorance and ask what is ADS?

I bought the car with the struts that are in there already replaced sometime in the past, I have to search out the records on when they were done. My far away memory thinks they are already Arnott's in there.
I'm thinking that if I do the re-manufactured units (AS2300 - front right) vs. new (AS2737) I won't have to do the front left as well, as it should match what I believe to be an Arnott already on the other side. On Arnott's site they specifically have a note on the new unit description saying that if you do one you should do both. That note is not included in the description of the re-manufactured part. I assume that on the new part they changed the valving? I really don't know. Does any one have any info on this? If not needed I would really like to avoid doing both.

The ads is active dampening. When you adjust your suspension on the stock system the shocks change how stiff they are. Arnot new dont have this system, remanufactured retain it. If you replace a front with a new you probably want to change the other with a new to maintain the balance coz the shocks will be different stiffness

Yes but your arnotts are remanufactured so they should both have ads and be the same more or less. Even witb one arnot new and one amg strut up front i dont think it would be terrible but ive not tried it so dont quote me on that!!

hahaha just a fiend not an expert lol

Replace the strut. Stop overthinking it.

Yup, I agree. I'll just do it. Thanks to all.

My thoughts were same as yours, trying to eliminate plausible causes before having to change rear air bags or front struts; for me, I figured my car is 12 y.o. and needing new bags won't hurt. I've changed all four suspensions without changing the original air pump and self-leveling shock mechanism, they are working fine. No more sagging after I replace rear air bags, no more noise after replace front strut, my car has 172k miles and still loving it.

go under driver side bumper and check out air pump to see if any hose are loose or rotted out. I found an air hose cracked on my air pump when I was installing my HE/IC pump.