Shocks - MOT pass???

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

I've got the MOT for the 1.4 tomorrow and was checking it over earlier but noticed a slight leak from the front shock absorbers. You can see some pictures HERE.

Do you reckon they would be OK to pass, or could they be failed?

I've had a look through some stuff online which says it can be failed for "A fluid leakage serious enough to indicate that the fluid seal of a shock
absorber has failed." but I'm not sure what would be classified as a serious leak.

If anyone could help it would be much appreciated as I don't want to waste Â£44 putting it through it's MOT if it'll fail on this.

Thanks.

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

that'll fail mate.

but just in case why dont you get the garage to have a quick look and if they say different then carry on with the test. (most garages are good like that)

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

tbh mate even it didnt fail, it's not right is it, and dodgy shocks are very dangerous.

It's clearly on its way out so you're going to have to replace it soon enough anyway, might as well do it now.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

bollocks. I was hoping they would be OK to at least pass. I'll phone the garage in a while an ask him about having a quick look at them before the test.

Thanks.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

Neal";p="96968 wrote:

tbh mate even it didnt fail, it's not right is it, and dodgy shocks are very dangerous.

It's clearly on its way out so you're going to have to replace it soon enough anyway, might as well do it now.

I know it'll need done at some point, but at the moment I just need to get an MOT as I don't have a car to use just now. It seems like my money is flying at the bloody cars just now, lol.

What shocks would you suggest? It's for a clio 1.4 which is lowered 35mm at the moment.

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

I know what it's like mate, my black hatch is eating my wallet at the moment. Good job my chammy is so reliable, wouldn't want to have to keep spending out on that!

Just get standard shocks.

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

I guess you just lowered it with springs and not uprated shocks too.

that being the case I'd just get a goodun from a scrappies for a tenner. or a gsf replacement as they're not that expensive.

feel for me mofo's, ive got 3 valvers that keep breaking on me. Crying or Very sad

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

cheers. I've just phoned the garage and he says he'll have a quick look at it before the test for me tomorrow and tell me whether it would fail on that or not. If he says it would fail then I'll just take it away, get it fixed and bring it back in a couple of days. I'm probably going to be selling the car asap after getting the MOT and thats the main reason I don't want to spend too much on it.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

Took the car for it's MOT today and it didn't fail or even get an advisory for these which was a surprise. I know I mentioned it in another post earlier but thought it would be worth putting here as well.

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

I'm supprised at that, unless the photos make the problem out to be worse than it realy is?

thats the problem with diagnosing cars from 100's of miles away.

glad it passed mate.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

So was I TBH as I had expected an advisory. The thing is that I'm not sure if they even looked at them as they would need to raise the car but I'm 99% certain the lift they had wouldn't get under my car as it's lowered. They were just using the inspection pit for other cars when I was there, but on mine you can't see the shocks without raising the car. I had described it to them before anyway and the guy said it would pass OK as long as they weren't literally dripping.