New twist to rear suspension - help!!

[Stebbo47]

Having gone back over two years of threads I can't find this problem mentioned anywhere.

A small pool of oil under the car alerted me to the suspension fluid reservoir to be very moist all around the filler cap. It had obviously been over flowing. Consulting the Haynes 'book of lies' which shows the reservoir on the near side (mine is a cylindrical bottle on the drivers side) I checked the level and found it to be 30mm above the Max mark. Tried it again, this time with the engine running for a couple of minutes and it made no difference.

I do carry loads from time to time but no more than the equivalent of three or four extra adults. I'm not sure when this would have started.

Any thoughts ? Thanks in anticipation

STEBBO ( '87 250TD Estate)

 

[television]

Lets hope that someone who knows these things comes on.

Is your set up as this one

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.417&CT=F&cat=45Q&SID=32&SGR=225&SGN=05

 

[Stebbo47]

Hi Malcolm,

If you mean bottle shape and position - No! Mine is a cylindrical 4.5" Dia x 8" long approx on the opposite and near the washer bottle. If you mean layout and componentwise, haven't looked yet. (the drive is wet and muddy!!)

STEBBO

 

[roofless]

is this it http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.413&CT=F&cat=506&SID=32&SGR=220&SGN=05

 

[Stebbo47]

Spot on roofless. What next??

 

[Stebbo47]

Sorry roofless!!

Just had a closer look. Reservoir No.8 and the associated caps, dip stick etc. don't exist on mine, but Nos.5 & 11 are exactly like mine, but there again on the diagram one is an ASD reservoir (No.5) and the other (No11) is the self levelling system. They look to be one in the same to me. The plot thickens! or is it me?

 

[roofless]

it might just be due to being overfilled as it would not allow for space for expansion but check the pipework aswell

 

[roofless]

the 4-matic spec has the diff lock but the reservoir is the same it's not the pacific diagram for your car

 

[Stebbo47]

Thanks roofless, will check it over in the morning and I guess if I syphon out the excess I'd do well to keep in it a clean jar judging by the price of new. Or is that risky and taking 'being tight' too far.

 

[roofless]

i thought i was tight

 

[Number_Cruncher]

It would be odd for these systems to "generate" oil, and so, there are a few possibilities;

- if the pump is mounted directly on the front of the engine, as seal has failed allowing engine oil into the SLS system

- if a tandem pump is fitted that power steering oil under pressure is leaking past a failed seal - is the PAS fluid level correct?

- if neither of these, a sphere has failed, and the loose Nitrogen in the system has displaced the oil - is the suspension behaving itself other than the oil problem?

 

[Stebbo47]

You've seen nothin' !! lol

 

[Stebbo47]

Thanks Number Cruncher
Yes the pump is mounted on the front of the engine. Will check whether tandem & PAS fluid level tomorrow. Finally until today didn't even know I owned a vehicle with self levelling suspension, and if truth be known I suppose I kinda figured that for £500 and after 23years I wouldn't have worried too much about one or two 'niggles'. Having said that I'm beginning to realize there's a lot more to these old ladies than I first gave them credit for. So don't know if anything feels wrong but don't think so.

 

[Stebbo47]

Pump definitely on front of engine and dry. So I'm assuming that the PAS is a seperate system ! Incidently the fluid level (PAS) is 8-9mm below the plastic sleeve once the lid is screwed back on. (The pump housing is quite moist - but I guess that's another promlem ?)

Which is the easiest/cheapest to check out ? The pump seal or the sphere ! Is there likely to be any visible signs as to which sphere ?