 |
|
If your struts are a little wet with oil does that mean they are definately bad, or do they tolerate some of that without changing characteristics?
I swapped shocks and struts last night. Front ones were bathed in their own oil. I never saw them leak, but clearly they were losing some oil. I pushed and pulled on the shocks and struts to see if I could detect that they are worn, but all I really figured out is that I’m not a shock dyno.
Oil leaking from the struts means they are bad and need to be rebuilt or replaced. A smear of oil at the top of the strut isn’t worrisome. But a lot of oil all down the strut is a bad sign.
If you didn’t install the struts it is possible that the oil was placed in the strut housing when the struts were installed. Supposedly that helps with heat transfer. I don’t think it really makes any difference and don’t do that. But it could be an explanation for the oil on the struts.
jlevie wrote:
[quote]Oil leaking from the struts means they are bad and need to be rebuilt or replaced. A smear of oil at the top of the strut isn’t worrisome. But a lot of oil all down the strut is a bad sign.
[/quote]
Then I’m glad I replaced them. Note to self: Struts don’t last 4 seasons.
turbo329is wrote:
That makes it hard to know if my struts were leaking or not. I did note, however, that the oil that was in my struts was a very light grade of oil, much lighter than motor oil. You figure that if someone was going to put some oil in a strut housing they’d grab what was most readily avail…motor oil?
Some consensus is forming at bf.c that we shouldn’t add oil to the strut housings. Apparently that is recommended by Koni, but not Bilstein. Also, we should be saving the receipts for our Bilstein shocks and struts because they have a lifetime warranty.
Don’t tell them its on a race car. I don’t think that warranty applies if you race it. I have had the same set of bilstein sports on my turbo car for 10 years now. They seam fine and I’ve gone through 3 sets rear shock mounts with them from autox.