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Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:47 pm
by zaph2
We have an MGF which keeps sinking on the nearside, couldn't find any leaks, bit of a mystery. So I put some UV dye in the system to see if we could locate the problem. Well it sank again, once again no sign of any leak, till I used the blacklight.
The area in front of and to inside of the front nearside tyre lit up like a Christmas tree. There is a leak somewhere in that area. Has anyone got ideas what the most likely candidate is?
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:58 pm
by Mykel
Pressure tube maybe?
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 1:27 pm
by Charless
Have you removed the black plastic cover under the bonnet? The tube from the nearside filler valve to the sphere may be ruptured but only leaking when the suspension moves and over pressures; guess how I know.....
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:22 pm
by zaph2
Charless wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 1:27 pm
Have you removed the black plastic cover under the bonnet? The tube from the nearside filler valve to the sphere may be ruptured but only leaking when the suspension moves and over pressures; guess how I know.....
We have and with the dye the leak should show up.
My guess is a leaking suspension displacer.
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 6:34 pm
by zaph2
Had it apart and found the problem. The displacer is blown, it has been fitted with a Mike Satur schrader valve, fitted like a tyre valve. The fluid had blown through this valve, indicating an internal failure.
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 10:09 pm
by talkingcars
Are you sure that it isn't the valve itself that has failed?
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:47 am
by Rob Bell
talkingcars wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 10:09 pm
Are you sure that it isn't the valve itself that has failed?
I doubt it James - there's no way the fluid could get to the nitrogen egg unless the dividing membrane has failed.
With a Mike Satur re-gassing nipple, how much of the valve is inside the 'sphere? I'd be worried that the failure may be during fitment.
When the rear sphere failed on mine, it leaked outwards and downwards towards the displacer cone and knuckle joint.
It is possible that front 'spheres fail differently - particularly if you've hit a pot hole or a sleeping policeman by accident at speed...
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2020 5:13 pm
by John SS
Rob Bell wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:47 am
talkingcars wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 10:09 pm
Are you sure that it isn't the valve itself that has failed?
I doubt it James - there's no way the fluid could get to the nitrogen egg unless the dividing membrane has failed.
Surely even if the membrane has failed, the fluid shouldn't get past the valve?
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:51 am
by Rob Bell
Nothing should be getting past the valve, unless the valve has been opened, or is faulty. To me, this sounds like a double fail
Re: Nearside front suspension leak
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2020 10:53 pm
by zaph2
My guess is the failure mode is due to how the valve was fitted. It was fitted like a tyre valve to a rim, except such a system wasn't designed for this application. The valve failed, releasing all the nitrogen, the membrane was compressed by the fluid in the system and failed. The fluid then leaked out of the failed valve.
It wasn't a massive leak, we only spotted because we filled the system with UV dye. Using a UV light it fairly easy to see where it had been leaking.