 Koni Struts, Do they blow seals? |
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| Allan |
 Apr 23 2006, 05:20 PM
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#1
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Teenerless Weenie  Group: Members Posts: 8,373 Joined: 5-July 04 From: Western Mesopotamia Member No.: 2,304 Region Association: Southern California  |
I'm trying to track down a leak around my right front brake/suspension area. I thought it was a caliper or brake line leaking but I have swapped out the line and can't find a leak anywhere on the caliper.
The area under my strut is wet though. Is it possible that a seal in the strut is leaking? |
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Replies(1 - 10)
| Joe Bob |
Apr 23 2006, 05:39 PM
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#2
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Retired admin, banned a few times Group: Members Posts: 17,427 Joined: 24-December 02 From: Boulder CO Member No.: 5 Region Association: None |
Do they blow seals???
Gotta be a joke in there someplace.... Have you got a power bleeder? |
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| Allan |
Apr 23 2006, 05:41 PM
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#3
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Teenerless Weenie Group: Members Posts: 8,373 Joined: 5-July 04 From: Western Mesopotamia Member No.: 2,304 Region Association: Southern California |
Nope, no joke in there.
Brakes are bled and I have a nice firm pedal. Just can figure out the all the moisture is coming from. |
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| Matt Romanowski |
Apr 23 2006, 05:46 PM
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#4
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 878 Joined: 4-January 04 From: Manchester, NH Member No.: 1,507 |
I had this problem once right after I put my front Koni inserts in. I searched and searched.....Only to find it was the oil I filled around the strut tubes. Some of the struts tubes (not the insert) will leak whatever cooling fluid you put in there.
Matt |
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| Joe Bob |
Apr 23 2006, 05:49 PM
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#5
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Retired admin, banned a few times Group: Members Posts: 17,427 Joined: 24-December 02 From: Boulder CO Member No.: 5 Region Association: None |
The power bleeder is to see if more fluid leaks out of the brake circuit.
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| groot |
Apr 24 2006, 05:21 AM
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#6
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Dis member Group: Members Posts: 896 Joined: 17-December 03 From: Michigan Member No.: 1,444 |
Yes, Konis seals can leak.... not sure about the blowing part (I've never tried it).
Your shaft will be very oily (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shocked[1].gif) That plastic disk with the slot is supposed to be installed under the bump rubber on the shaft. It allows the trapped air to escape instead of blowing your seal if you contact your bump rubbers. |
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| Eric_Shea |
Apr 24 2006, 08:38 AM
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#7
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PMB Performance Group: Admin Posts: 19,275 Joined: 3-September 03 From: Salt Lake City, UT Member No.: 1,110 Region Association: Rocky Mountains  |
Isn't anyone gonna say it?
"No, but I've heard desperate Eskimo's have been known to." OK... back to reality. Matt's on it (I think). You may have a hole in your strut which allows some of the coolant to leak out. When you install the inserts they recommend 50ml (I think it's 50ml... might be 500ml) of anit-freeze be poured into the strut before dropping the insert in. Yes, Koni's can leak but, your car would probably have to be upside down for you to notice a puddle. After a bit of leaking you would also notice a decline in performance. Try this: Car on jackstands. Front wheels off. Jack up or push up your rotor/hub assembly. Release and see how fast it drops. Now do the other side. If you have a leak in strut fluid it will drop much faster and rasie much easier than a good unit. |
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| groot |
Apr 24 2006, 09:19 AM
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#8
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Dis member Group: Members Posts: 896 Joined: 17-December 03 From: Michigan Member No.: 1,444 |
Eric,
What you're describing in a lack of rebound damping or a pressure loss in the damper. Neither of which mean a fluid leak, but they can be related. This test will tell you very little about a fluid leak. I had a set of rebuilt Koni classics, but the upper seal wasn't replaced (hard to find apparantly) and the strut rod was soaked and damper fluid went everywhere after one lap around the block. |
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| Eric_Shea |
Apr 24 2006, 09:27 AM
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#9
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PMB Performance Group: Admin Posts: 19,275 Joined: 3-September 03 From: Salt Lake City, UT Member No.: 1,110 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Like I said... listen to Kevin. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
I stand corrected. My only experience with Koni's leaking have been when they were laying sideways in the garage. I never saw them spray out the top. The one I had leaking also exhibited that limp dampener routine. I would pull it up to mount it in the camber plate (just for a roller) and it would fall down faster than I could get the nut on it. It was a Classic as well. Sounds like Allan may have a bad top seal and it's spraying into his cover and dripping down. Kevin, your Brother used to work at Koni (or still does) right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) |
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| groot |
Apr 24 2006, 10:25 AM
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#10
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Dis member Group: Members Posts: 896 Joined: 17-December 03 From: Michigan Member No.: 1,444 |
Used to... he's moved on.... but these days I'm doing damper tuning for OEM stuff.
BTW... the struts I bought from you years ago got a little shorter yesterday, again. Now they're a whopping 3.25" shorter than when you sent them to me. I LOVE SUSPENSION TRAVEL!!!! |
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| Eric_Shea |
Apr 24 2006, 10:31 AM
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#11
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PMB Performance Group: Admin Posts: 19,275 Joined: 3-September 03 From: Salt Lake City, UT Member No.: 1,110 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Glad they're getting some good use! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
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