Suspension leak...

[driller]

No, this post is NOT about the air suspension leaking.

I awoke the CE from it's long winter nap today because we had to move it off the lift in preparation to put the Blue Flame on the lift for some maintenance work to get ready for race season. The car had been on the lift since November. Upon lowering the lift I immediately noticed a wet spot around the rear passenger tire. I stopped and investigated. It was oil of some sort but not gear oil. It wasn't brake fluid either. Puzzled, I lifted it back up and jacked up the rear so the tires would be off the lift platform.





Then I noticed the drivers side was wet as well, but not quite to the extent of the passenger side.





I looked to find the source but virtually everything was dry with the exception of a slight oily residue at the bottom of the shock.

The passenger side...



Continued in the next post.

 

[driller]

The passenger side....



Now I look further and find this:





I wipe up the mess and continue on.





I have heard of leaking shocks but never while sitting still! This is the first time I've ever had this experience.

Has anyone else experienced this? I'm guessing the shocks are original, but obviously they will be getting replaced.

 

[steve]

So was it sitting on the tires when it leaked or where they up in the air?

 

[Jamesvinar]

Ive had something similar happen with my hood struts (i know its not exactly the same but its the same concept)
With the big and quick temp changes we've had here recently it seems like it just blew them. Had it happen on the crown vic too.

 

[chris2523]

I've had stock and Tokico rear shocks leak.

they are pressurized so they can leak at any time.

they were probably leaking when you parked it but you didn't notice until it accumulated while parked for extended interval.

 

[germansheperd]

Ive never seen a shock leak to that extent. Wow!
How many miles on your CE?

 

[driller]

So was it sitting on the tires when it leaked or where they up in the air?

It was sitting on the tires.

I've had stock and Tokico rear shocks leak.

they are pressurized so they can leak at any time.

they were probably leaking when you parked it but you didn't notice until it accumulated while parked for extended interval.

Wouldn't surprise me. Like I said, it's been sitting since November.

Ive never seen a shock leak to that extent. Wow!
How many miles on your CE?

Me neither! The CE has 70K on it. Ironically, it has the least mileage of the entire Lincoln fleet I own; the 3 Mark VIII's, an '06 Town Car and a 2010 Navigator L. :tongue-pink:

 

[ONLYTONY]

I had a Monroe Sensa-trac leak on my 95 DD. Glad for the lifetime warrantee.

 

[BlackIceLSC]

typical gas shock life is 50k or 10 years...sitting is worse than driving.
Glad you found the leak now....watching a rear IRS vehicle drive down the road with failed rear shocks is like watching the ball on the game PONG when it gets pinned by the bar against the wall...like a harlem globetrotter fast-dribbling the ball.

for a smooth, OE-style ride, throw some Monroe part # 5965 sensa-tracs in.

 

[98mark8lsc]

Wow! I've never seen one (let alone 2!) leak that much. It's also pretty crazy that both sides went out at the same time.

I'm not entirely sure what your intentions are with that car. I'm aware of what's under the hood, but not sure if you want to keep the rest stock-ish or not. Most people seem to really like the 03-04 Cobra Bilsteins for a performance-oriented shock.

P.S. I know of a good source for some nice shock mounts.

 

[driller]

Wow! I've never seen one (let alone 2!) leak that much. It's also pretty crazy that both sides went out at the same time.

Same here, I've seen leaky shocks but never to the point they made a puddle! :eek-large:

I'm not entirely sure what your intentions are with that car. I'm aware of what's under the hood, but not sure if you want to keep the rest stock-ish or not. Most people seem to really like the 03-04 Cobra Bilsteins for a performance-oriented shock.

I'd prefer to keep it stock as much as feasible but it screams for better brakes and I'm torn between big brakes with bigger aftermarket wheels and stock brakes with the perfect factory wheels. I've even went so far as to pick up a NOS set of original Collector's Edition center-caps for the factory wheels. :love-it:

I've had the Bilsteins... they would be too stiff in my opinion for the CE.

P.S. I know of a good source for some nice shock mounts.

I found a pair of those mounts with shocks attached in my trunk that I got off some guy down at the Shootout last year in Atlanta... but i forget what I was supposed to do with them. LOL

 

[tixer]

I found a pair of those mounts with shocks attached in my trunk that I got off some guy down at the Shootout last year in Atlanta... but i forget what I was supposed to do with them. LOL

Hmm.. It's very possible that those were destined for me, but they.... took too long to get here, so I gave up and replaced the car..

If I'm right, go for it. I couldn't imagine a better place for them.

 

[driller]

LOL... I know, but it took me a while to remember.

Regardless, I ordered a set of Monroe's from Summit because I was needing something to add to the list to get free shipping on the order.

I'm not sure but I should have a set of mounts somewhere in the parts collection.

So... we'll have a set of shocks and mounts at Carlisle to do something with. :wink:

 

[Lvnmarks]

I'm sure the green car could still use em.

 

[98mark8lsc]

I found a pair of those mounts with shocks attached in my trunk that I got off some guy down at the Shootout last year in Atlanta... but i forget what I was supposed to do with them. LOL

Lol

Hmm.. It's very possible that those were destined for me, but they.... took too long to get here, so I gave up and replaced the car..

If I'm right, go for it. I couldn't imagine a better place for them.

Yep, they were. Sorry it took so long. :frown:

 

[tixer]

It's no problem at all, really. As Eric pointed out, they may well reach their intended destination anyway..

 

[SCTBIRD1173]

Glad I'm not the only person with this problem JP. My 2 rear shocks are leaking too but not quite to that extent. I bought them from Jeremi back when I did my suspension in 2011, he said they had less than 2500 miles on them (and looked it). Really bummed I can't get the original F7LZ shocked anymore and that the 3U2Z replacements have skyrocketed in price. I do however have an idea... I'm going to try a set of Motorcraft T-Bird shocks for $25 a side and put the stock mounts from my current shocks on them. I figure how different can the valving on the T-Bird shocks be? Also the Ford 3U2Z shocks come with an adapter similar to what Jay makes so I'm making the logical assumption they are using T-Bird shocks anyway! Lets hope I'm right...

 

[billcu]

My CE was clunking in the rear, I thought it was the mounts, but it turns out they were leaking too. New shocks and it's all good again.

 

[driller]

What shocks did you go with, Bill?

 

[ONLYTONY]

I had a shock leak on my 95. They were Monroes, and now their called OESpectrum, # 5965. The leaky shock was at least 2 years old, but MONROE gives a lifetime guarantee, and I got new shocks free, save the invoice.