I have a 1994 lincoln mark viii. the front air bags keep deflating and sometimes stay up. every now and then you can hear the pump and it makes weird noises and will not pump at all. its like i am driving a basketball. already tried the reset

Your mark viii has a air ride system. and as you drive, it has a pump under the hood. well over night it leaks down. then when you crank the engine .this pump will come on and air up the air ride system.kind of like a tire.But if just the front goes down ,Then you have a leak at the 2 front bags or lines, or connections. to find the leak try some soap in a spray bottle. after the bags are fully aired up and the engine off.some Lincolns leak worse the way they sit. it could leaking in a few places,that is what the soap is for.you can buy every part for that system from, Air Suspensions out of Orlando FLA 1-800-251-8993.plus diagrams

This is a common problem for all Lincolns. Since the front rises but can't hold the air, it's a good sign that you don't have any compressor problems. You probably hear the compressor constantly clicking on to try to keep the front end inflated.
The most common cause is a leak in the air spring. It is often referred to an "air bag" which is basically a cartridge that fills and releases air based on the load. The most common repair is to replace the air spring (it's advisable to replace 2 at a time). There is another solution to replace the air spring(s) with a conventional aftermarket shock type spring setup. It's a matter of personal preference. You would still get a nice ride from a conventional shock absorber setup. Although more expensive, I've always preferred to go with the air spring replacement to keep the classic "Lincoln" ride intact.

you can remove the rear lines at the air bags to deflate. most likely the problem is the air suspension control module is not turning the venting valve on to release the air from the bags.

check your air lines where they go into the height sensors in the front-you don't say if it is just the front or back, or the entire system, but if it is the entire system, look at the lines that go into the dryer and make sure they are pushed in all the way.

Don't bother. Check with srtutmasters or other alternatives. If the car was made in 93, all bags will be leaking and eventually the compressor cant keep up and fails. even your local lincoln dealer will not be able to diagnose the problems with their "computers." You can get lifetime struts and spring, in your case just springs for the rear, lincoln shocks still work. Put new struts and springs in the front. The only difference is the car will not lower itself at 60 mph or higher. the ride is the same.

it resets itself ,or it should

Save your self the hassle and expence of troubleshooting and replacement parts, install a suspension retrofit kit which changes the rear bags to coil springs and the front to struts. A car this old you might as well start over for less than $500.00......

water pump

recently had the same problem looks like a common prob among lincoln 8 i went to a junk yard picked up a front right air bag strut assembaly 25 dollars 3 12mm bolts and 1 7/8 big bolt on bottom can be removed and put back on in one days time with no complications dont forget to cut all hoses and wires back far enough to maybe use again if you have to u need the check valve attached to the bag as well good luck seem to fix mine ( hole in the bag)

If they fill up when the car is running you're ok. If they stay low all the time, have them checked.