Oily wishbones...?

[clipper]

One of my front wishbones is covered in oil to the point of forming a drip under the outer ball joint. The bottom of the strut is oily and the inside of the wheel too.
It doesn´t seem to be brake fluid, so should I suspect a shot damper?

[capri_rob]

PAS fluid ?

[clipper]

Nope rack is dry, no fluid in gaitors and no liquid loss from pas reservoir either.
The stains are too high up the strut to be anything other than damper oil, or maybe brake fluid driven up the strut by the air flow at high speeds.
It just suprised me that a damper could lose so much oil!

[HairyScreech]

let me guess you have a high efficiency m20 oil sieve in you car?





Probably coming from the engine.

[E30BeemerLad]

which side is it?

[clipper]

Right hand side.
But had a closer look now. Lifted the dust cover off the top of the strut and the damper is peeing out oil....

[ferret-face]

Right hand side.
But had a closer look now. Lifted the dust cover off the top of the strut and the damper is peeing out oil....

Reads like you need Borge gas damper inserts to me!

[HairyScreech]

Could be the oil from the strut tube rather than the damper oil.

[clipper]

Could be the oil from the strut tube rather than the damper oil.

Now I´m confused.... What oil is in the strut tube? Whats it for if not for damping?

[kam-325i]

Could be the oil from the strut tube rather than the damper oil.

Now I´m confused.... What oil is in the strut tube? Whats it for if not for damping?

It is common pratice to put oil inside the strut BEFORE you put the shock/damper into the strut.

The oil transfers heat from the shock/damper to the body of the strut.

[clipper]

Ok. That makes sense, but what would suddenly make that oil come out? Surely its only kept in by gravity?

[kam-325i]

Ok. That makes sense, but what would suddenly make that oil come out? Surely its only kept in by gravity?

cappilary(sp) action.

[clipper]

So, what would you do in my situation? Clean up the oil and forget about it?
The damping doesn´t seem to be affected....

[kam-325i]

Being an anal type, i would have to strip down the strut to check that it is the oil from the strut leaking and not the damper and replace the oil, as this could lead to the damper failing due to excessive heat.

Besides, an MoT Tester might fail it as a leaky shock/damper.

[clipper]

Thanks.
I'll not be happy till I sort it out either TBH...
I'll be back for more info if I get stuck!

[e30topless]

the oil is from your shock, if it's from your strut your in real trouble !!

[clipper]

if it's from your strut your in real trouble !!

Care to elaborate?

[stew72]

not having had a bmw strut apart I can't be 100% sure but on most cars the OEM strut is the shock absorber, i.e. the strut performs the same function as the tube on an insert. If inserts have never been fitted the strut it self is full of oil. When you fit an insert you remove the top cover, damper rod and all internal seals etc, drain out what ever oil is left and then slide the new insert inside the body of the strut and fit a new top cover to hold it all in place. I've never heard of putting any aditional oil in.

[clipper]

My car has already had the rear shocks changed for Monroe items. I pressume the fronts were done too but can´t be sure, the previos owner, my father-in-law, can´t remember....

[bss325i]

if it's from your strut your in real trouble !!

Care to elaborate?

It will be rusty hence leaking.

[bss325i]

not having had a bmw strut apart I can't be 100% sure but on most cars the OEM strut is the shock absorber, i.e. the strut performs the same function as the tube on an insert. If inserts have never been fitted the strut it self is full of oil. When you fit an insert you remove the top cover, damper rod and all internal seals etc, drain out what ever oil is left and then slide the new insert inside the body of the strut and fit a new top cover to hold it all in place. I've never heard of putting any aditional oil in.

Earlier BMW front struts from models like the E30, E32, E34 etc used a shock absorber insert which goes inside a strut housing.



The insert is held into the strut with a collar nut.

The strut has a small amount of oil placed in it to aid cooling of the damper. It must be replaced as said or the damper can fail prematurely.