leaking struts in TA models

[jjrho]

i have this topic on the VOA forum ….

the TA models have been leaking oil from the shocks….

i left mine for 3 wks over the holidays and when i pulled it out, there was an area about 1' x 2' area of oil on my epoxied garage floor…. it drips down on the wheel then down the side of the tire onto the floor…

several other TA owners are reporting this….

i initially thought it was my brake fluid, as i did the SS braided line mod… it wasn't…as my brake reservoir level hasn't changed at all….

TA owners…watch for it…. i'll get mine fixed sometime in the near future but now i'm worried….what about the other 3 corners… when are they gonna go bad too…..
i have 1050 miles on mine…. breaking it in and street driven ,no track yet…

james R
'14 TA #66,corsa

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

It amazes me of all the serious problems that many owners are having with their Gen Vs. Engine internals and now this. Hope the 1 of 1 Vipers get some real attention to mechanical areas from the engineers. And I sure hope your dealer has a good tech and can get your shocks replaced asap.

 

[Allan]

It amazes me of all the serious problems that many owners are having with their Gen Vs. Engine internals and now this. Hope the 1 of 1 Vipers get some real attention to mechanical areas from the engineers. And I sure hope your dealer has a good tech and can get your shocks replaced asap.

Yeah..........like, WOW.
How can these cars be having all these issues?

I hammer the crap out of my gen III. Aside from the stupid steering line, anything else that has broken has been my fault.
The Viper seems to be almost bullet proof and way overbuilt.

Have had a few Corvettes, and they are not as robust.

Has this trait of the Viper been lost in the new version?


I'm not slamming on the gen V (if I had the extra cash and garage space I'd have one already), but what's up with the problems?

 

[Bobpantax]

My TA has not had any problems and it has 4300 miles on it and has been on a road course for 150 miles of the 4300. Any type of car, I do not care what kind it is, is going to have some manufactured with a problem or two. Take the car in. Get it fixed under warranty and report back on what was wrong and what they did to fix it. That would be helpful.

Also, not all dealerships are equal regarding delivery prep and pre purchase care of the vehicle. Some things that go wrong have nothing to do with the OEM. They are dealer caused.

The other thread about the alleged engine problem is distorted by the original poster lumping problems that were clearly caused when cars did not have sufficient oil in them with his own issue. ( He bought the car second hand after it was titled in the dealership's owner's name and his problem could have been from prior abuse of the car before he owned it.) Some of the new Gen V owners seem to have minimal knowledge about maintaining a performance vehicle and apparently do not even know how to properly check the oil level of their car. Just another symptom of an overly tech dependent group of people who want to get in their car;drive; and not think.

I do a visual inspection of the perimeter of the car each time before I get in it and check all gauges on start up. I also listen to the car very carefully on start up to make sure all sounds are normal. The Viper is not a toy. It is a complex, very high performance vehicle that should be respected and properly attended to.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

The original poster also has an air bag recall too or seat position sensor problem I believe. How is that problem coming along?

 

[Nine Ball]

I've had a few recalls in my TA. I'm recalling beating a few C7 Z06 Corvettes.

 

[Bobpantax]

The airbag recall is for many cars from many manufacturers who used the same vendor (s). The recall is to check whether the car has the problem at all - not all do - and then fix it if required. The check involves some weight and clearance testing. No big deal.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

I've had a few recalls in my TA. I'm recalling beating a few C7 Z06 Corvettes.

On a road course or just money muscle vs money muscle? Both are quite impressive on the course.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Yeah..........like, WOW.
How can these cars be having all these issues?

I hammer the crap out of my gen III. Aside from the stupid steering line, anything else that has broken has been my fault.
The Viper seems to be almost bullet proof and way overbuilt.

Have had a few Corvettes, and they are not as robust.

Has this trait of the Viper been lost in the new version?


I'm not slamming on the gen V (if I had the extra cash and garage space I'd have one already), but what's up with the problems?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXvBsR-P8wg#action=share

 

[Boxer12]

Cars sitting on dealer lots for months doesn't help with things like oil seals in dampers....or bearings in motors. All my cars get started and driven every month no matter what the weather for just these reasons.

 

[Nine Ball]

On a road course or just money muscle vs money muscle? Both are quite impressive on the course.

I can't wait to drive a C7Z on the course. I'll likely buy one, because that is the racing I enjoy most. And, I only like American cars. Not sure what "money muscle" is.

 

[Bobpantax]

Excellent point and I do not think anyone has made it before.

Cars sitting on dealer lots for months doesn't help with things like oil seals in dampers....or bearings in motors. All my cars get started and driven every month no matter what the weather for just these reasons.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

I can't wait to drive a C7Z on the course. I'll likely buy one, because that is the racing I enjoy most. And, I only like American cars. Not sure what "money muscle" is.

Very glad to hear this actually and I am surprised but on the same page. And road racing is the really complete true challenge of which car is the best in performance. My reference to money muscle refers to what I cannot stand about most drag or street racing as it usually comes down to who put the most money and mods into their car without any real talent compared to road racers.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Cars sitting on dealer lots for months doesn't help with things like oil seals in dampers....or bearings in motors. All my cars get started and driven every month no matter what the weather for just these reasons.

When I bought my brand new 09 Gen 4 ACR it had been sitting at the dealer (Tomball Dodge) nearly a year during the recession and I had only one very minor problem taken care of on delivery. No strut leaks or internal engine problems thank goodness.

 

[jjrho]

hi all, i haven't had time to drop my car off for the seat position sensor /airbag ctrl recall nor the leaking strut…
i think all the oil has leaked out now…. mx news papers i put under had soaked and now i'm just on spring on the driver front….

Q i have it…. should i insist on flat bed to the dealer if it's > certain distance ? not sure how bad for tires if i drive with no shock/spring only….

if i decide on local dealer, i will drive but if i goto MVLA in downtown LA, that's 60 miles away so….

please comment on my concern….i can call AAA for the flat bed…i think they give me 2 or 4 tows on flat bed upto 100 miles for free, per year, sans my membership due….

james R
-14 TA #66

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

hi all, i haven't had time to drop my car off for the seat position sensor /airbag ctrl recall nor the leaking strut…
i think all the oil has leaked out now…. mx news papers i put under had soaked and now i'm just on spring on the driver front….

Q i have it…. should i insist on flat bed to the dealer if it's > certain distance ? not sure how bad for tires if i drive with no shock/spring only….

if i decide on local dealer, i will drive but if i goto MVLA in downtown LA, that's 60 miles away so….

please comment on my concern….i can call AAA for the flat bed…i think they give me 2 or 4 tows on flat bed upto 100 miles for free, per year, sans my membership due….

james R
-14 TA #66

I don't think all of the oil is out by a long shot, generally the pressure in the shock pushes oil out after that it will stop, I think you will be just fine driving it. The ride may be on the stiff side though.

 

[jjrho]

uh…ok…if u say so…. it's just that every time i put a new layers of newspaper under the front tire, it's fully soaked /wet with oil….
pre soon i don't think there's gonna be oil to leak out….. but if it's coming out of the top of the shock, it shouldn't all leak out….true….

also, i thought i would have a bouncy ride w/o shock but it will actually be more stiff ?!??

 

[johniew398]

I have had my TA for 12 months now and I'm keeping an eye on the oil. I had it changed at 500 like Bill and Mark recommended. So far it looks like it may be down a half quart but that's all. Will change it again in a couple of months, have about 3,000 miles on it.

As far as the other problems mentioned? I guess there is a little wind noise on my side but quite frankly don't notice with the sound of the Belangers and Corsa exhaust.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

uh…ok…if u say so…. it's just that every time i put a new layers of newspaper under the front tire, it's fully soaked /wet with oil….
pre soon i don't think there's gonna be oil to leak out….. but if it's coming out of the top of the shock, it shouldn't all leak out….true….

also, i thought i would have a bouncy ride w/o shock but it will actually be more stiff ?!??

Gas pressure helps with "lift" and when it is gone and fluid is low it will be more "harsh" I guess was a better word. Old style shock get bouncy because the valving itself was shot.

 

[lateapex]

Mark,

Do you think that this a problem been addressed with the supplier by the factory, or is it still to new of a problem?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Mark,

Do you think that this a problem been addressed with the supplier by the factory, or is it still to new of a problem?

There is a TSB about it so they are aware. Some seepage around the top seal is acceptable they say as long as it has not started to run down the tube and further as some of these have. Have the local dealer look up the TSB to evaluate whether there is a problem.

 

[FLL-B/W-GTS]

Nine Ball ...It is time for you to do the Bump Up to a new 991/911 GT3 RS with a real super fast shifting PDK DCT for your track duties.Then you can save you Human DCT Shifting abilities for defending the Gen.5s on the street.

DAS AUTO....

 

[FLL-B/W-GTS]

By the way,Dave I,is a good Dude/Good Driver and I hope he listens to your instruction with his Orange TA at the Street Car Drags this Sunday .That low 12s is sad in a Gen.5,I could get that time out of my 97 GTS...May be the Z06 Dude will have practiced so he also can get a better time than 11.70 in a C7Z..

We shall see....

 

[Free2go]

Nine Ball ...It is time for you to do the Bump Up to a new 991/911 GT3 RS with a real super fast shifting PDK DCT for your track duties.Then you can save you Human DCT Shifting abilities for defending the Gen.5s on the street.

DAS AUTO....

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o6vvlp6yV-M

 

[FLL-B/W-GTS]

Free2go...

Even though you have no idea what you are taking about most of the time and talk a lot crap hiding behind your key board.I highly doubt you say any of the crap you put out in person,you do have some good responses to posts that are not even to you Dude....

 

[Free2go]

I highly doubt you say any of the crap you put out in person.

Whatev.......

 

[Camfab]

it's not uncommon that race shocks leak, some sooner than others.

 

[lateapex]

it's not uncommon that race shocks leak, some sooner than others.

Huh? In many years of racing professionally the only time a shock would leak is if the car went off or was hit! In my experience its been very rare….almost never! I mostly run Ohlins and Bilstein.

 

[Camfab]

You said the magic words, "professional racing". Take your "professional race car" and see how long it lasts on the street. Leaky race shocks on the street are common. I've got Koni 2812's, and they have all leaked within 10,000 miles. The Dynamic shocks were notorious for leaking. I certainly can understand the annoyance of a leaky shock on an expensive car, however when you enter the grey shades of running race equipment on the street, this is what happens. Whose the supplier of the T/A shock, it sure as hell isn't made by Mopar.

 

[jjrho]

well., i'm in so.cal…found a dealer, moss dodge , in riverside,that supposedly has a viper tech…whatever that means…..
the shock is leaking oil WAY beyond just being wet at the top… another soaked newspaper ….

NONE of my other cars leak oil from shock so….i'm gonna bring it in and get a new shock….. hopefully get the airbag seat position sensors done too, if i'm not the first viper at this dealer….

didn't quite understand above re: race car shocks on street use….i thought that 'race car' shocks should be more robust and should withstand normal smooth street driving better than 'non-race shock'…. guess it must be opposite for some reason ?!??


jR
'TA #66