suspension leak?

[Cool_J30]

After more looking I'm trying to completely change this thread now... (was about motor insulators)

Starting a few days ago I noticed a small puddle of fluid on the ground under the passenger-side front suspension. I crawled under the car with a mirror and light and couldn't see a source and it really looked as if I'd hit something -- just saw a "splashed" area just on a lower suspension part (control arm?) of the same fluid, but only on the front side (not top) of this member. When the small puddles happened everywhere I parked the car over the next days, I knew it's from the car.

It is a very viscous sticky but mostly clear fluid -- tough to wash off even with hand cleaner. Has a very slight sweet smell to almost no smell at all. I see it coming from a suspension mount (A-Arm?) Not a suspension guy, so I have to look up what it is.

So my questions:
Are there fluid filled suspension bushings on the J? any other ideas?

I'll post more when I look up the part...

Other info:
Car has 93K miles on it; I don't have access to a car lift or engine hoist and only have a couple of floor jacks... (but I do have a flat place to work )

[Cool_J30]

It's from the front bushing on the Tension Rod -- they must be fluid dampened? Right side is blown, left side is wet (maybe not blown yet). RockAuto doesn't show the part...

If I can find these, should that corner of the car be in the air to change it or is on the ground ok?

Thanks for any help...

[AZhitman]

Silicon-filled bushings are leaking. Front tension rods need replacing, get them from everythingnissan.com. Joe is the parts manager - call him and tell him you're from NICO.

[Cool_J30]

Thank you AZhitman! Yeah, I've found the rods on their website -- so far they're the cheapest, but I'll try calling now. Not all that keen on spending another $350 on a car that cost $1500 (that along with other thing$ I've put in...).

[swimshark]

easier to work on them in the air to take them out. when putting them back in i usually put the stock jack under the ball joint in the lower control arm and compress the suspension. it makes bolting the tension rod to the lower control arm a lot easier. when i do mine i jack up the front end under the frame rail and put a jack stand under where the lower control arm bolts to the subframe.



if you got any other questions for replacing them just e-mail me at [email protected]

mine were blown as well and you could feel the passenger side one pop on turns. when i started to get into stiffer suspension setup, i made my own solid bushings. made the car have a lot less body roll than before with stock sway bars still on. been using these for 2 yrs now and they are still good.

[Cool_J30]

Thanks a ton for the how-to tips swimshark! I found out in my searching that there is an Infiniti replacement bushing so you don't have to replace the whole tension rod. It's rubber instead of the Gel filled stock unit, so I'm guessing maybe a slightly tighter feeling suspension? BTW, the P/N is 5447670T02, in case others have this issue (about $35 ea vs. $150 ea for the rod assembly)...

When I 1st got the J it had a problem wandering on bumpier roads going slow, and holding a line on curves when going faster. Most of the problem was the previous owner's mechanic putting power steering fluid instead of Dexron AT fluid in the power steering. I corrected that and it was a huge improvement. There still remains a bump-steer on the rougher roads, plus I've been noticing under braking some wander too. I'm hoping this might be a cure for those symptoms, but no popping sounds (yet)...

How tough was it to press in/out the bushings? Did you have to heat the rod and cool the bushing?

I'll email you if I have more specific Q's

[swimshark]

you might have to do the burnout method with a torch. i was at school and they have a hydraulic press i used to push mine out and push the new ones in. ill see if i can find a site that has a how to or not on something similar. i know not everyone is gonna have easy access to a hydraulic press that can push 20tons lol. it looked like it only took 800lbs of force though to break them free. you might be able to find a shop also that has a press and see if they could help.

the solid rubber will get it a little bit stiffer feel. it is noticeable. mine are made from a delrin plastic that gives some but is pretty much solid.

[AZhitman]

I had to torch mine out.

Easy task - Set them on fire and let 'em burn.

[Cool_J30]

Thanks guys... I have a friend with a 20T press, but not a lot experience (and me less) using it, but we'll give it a go.

swimshark: Delrin was pretty trick stuff back in the day... when I did a touch of racing in a 911 (early '90s and I still have the car...) -- used it for the rear suspension bushings for one...

[swimshark]

yah after i pressed then out i took some measurements with calipers and made a quick sketch on paper, then cadded it up in solidworks and made it on a lathe. its 3 pieces: 2 halves of the delrin with an aluminum bushing in the center for the bolt to mount. did them with a .003" press fit and it turned out really good. it was fun spinning a cylinder of delrin at 1200rpm on a manual lathe.

[qship96]

purchase the factory bushings, remove tension rods, carry rods and new bushings into a machine shop or service center with a press- it will take them 2 minutes to press out old bushings and press in new.....I watched them do it on my Q......very, very simple quick job with a press.

[Cool_J30]

Thanks qship96! I have ordered the bushings -- got a quote from one shop for $25 for each bushing to press in/out -- eeeh gads, what a rip off! I'll try it with my friend's press 1st and if we can't do it I'll find someone more reasonable. Thanks again for the advice...

[qship96]

$25 each is robbery !!!! it literally takes 2 min. MAX each !!!!!!