datto failed wof...and dont know what he means? advice/help?

[classicdat]

Yeah they just pull out.
If you compress the shock it won't come back up normally, there is nothing in there to push it out, it is just a damper to take the energy out of the spring.

If you slide the shock shaft right out push it back in a bit they pull it out hard then strut should come apart. If they are original any oil left in there will spew out
What part of town are you in?

[sunny79datto]

ok think i get that..really i dont know what to replace for the wof, he says the shock was leaking i couldnt see any sign of it leaking was not a puddle of oil on the strut or down the shock but the locking cap was finger loose so that may have been the problem. never come across this for a wof before.
im im Addingtion - Wrights Road. - if you drink corona theirs some in the fridge

[classicdat]

That lose nut could cause it, if you have fixed the rest and can be bothered putting it back together with the potential of having to take it all out again to replace something it might be worth a crack, just tell him what you found.
They don't hold much oil and only lose it slowly, was it dirty or did it have a oil film on the strut?

[sunny79datto]

oyea could that cause the whole issuse of him failing it for top strut has play and shock leaking?
i couldnt see any sign of it leaking oil anywhere
only thing im wondering is the shock is painted black and theirs a patch on it where its come off and would look like its a mark of having oil all over it and a patch without oil, but na you could run you your hand all around it and wouldnt get any oil on your fingers
so should i not even bother replacing the top hat if could say thats was the issue?
with him potentially saying strip it down again and do this..

[sunny79datto]

ok so now the holidays are over i want to get my car back on the road (Yup slack)
i have been into see about new shocks thats going to be $500 i asked him where it would be leaking if was and he said the top nut that threads on and has a rubber seal
i dont know how i would replace that would i have to find one off anougher datsun. apart from that
if i got new shock inserts wouldnt i still have the same problem? dont know what to do really..also where do i get oil for the shock

[Bartman]

$500 is rediculous!
New inserts shouldn't cost more that $250 at most.
Did you try Brock at BNT?

[torqued]

$500 would inc fitting.
And seems fair

[sunny79datto]

no i havent, i went back to where got it lowerd,and he said that new insterts + getting them shortned would come to $500 i dont think that included fitting tho planed on doing it myself i took my one in asked about it then he looked on comp said could order them in.

[broke]

The reason they leak most of the time is a combination of two things:

1) the wiper seal at the top of the strut body inside that big nut is old and not sealing very well any more, sometimes exacerbated by a rusty shock shaft ripping it up.

2) the oil inside the shock is all old and thin and easily seeps past the seal. I have seen a similar situation where hydraulic steering rams on boats etc. that run ATF (very thin) have been bench tested using ISO46 oil (thick) and seemed fine, but then leaked in the field when using ATF.

If you buy new inserts they will be fully sealed and will come with a new gland nut, BUT to pass a WOF and gain better handling on the cheap here's what I did:

Pull the strut out, undo the nut off the top, pour out the old oil into a measuring jug or a clear container, make a mark so you can see how much you poured out. It will be as thin as water most likely. Take the guts of the shock out, clean everything up really well, get some ISO 46 or ISO 32 hydraulic oil (you'll need less than a litre to do both sides) you could use motorbike fork oil if you're rich, just make sure you get something like 25W or thicker. Pour slightly more oil in than you poured out to compensate for leakage, make sure your gland nut is really clean and put some grease inside it and put the whole deal back together.

Finally, clean the struts up externally and be amazed at how much more damping force you now have.

For the top hat you can either get new ones for the extortionate price Nissan will want for them, or do what I did here in the same situation and knock the bearing out and get a new one from Wilson Bros on Birmingham Drive for like, $4 or something. I think my 510 ones were circlipped in? On my C32 I had to do some light machining to get them out, anyway it's cheap to just buy the bearings. Here's a link to what I did on my C32 thread:

http://www.nzdatsun.com/forums/viewtopi ... 9&start=70" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope this helps. Otherwise if you get really stuck and you want to buy me a box of beers you could bring them out to my place in Belfast one night.

[sunny79datto]

ok i like your idea alot. yea i have just pulled out one the side they said was leaking
yea the oil was very fin like water. silly thing iv done tho is spilt the oil and dont know how much is in it what could do tho is pull the other side out carefully and find out.
i got the car lowerd which they shortned inserts and compressed springs about 6-7years ago and havent touched them since have never noticed it handling diffrent because its always been a ruff bumpy ride which im use to
so being the cheaper option your idea sounds good and will go with that and see what happens
thanks alot Broke..and everyone alse for your help. will be in touch