Don't condemn a strut only because of leakage. If it passes the bumper-bounce test it is still good.
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Daniel B. Martin
Nissan owner and D-I-Y mechanic

Please tell me more about this.

Thanks.

M

 

Test your struts with the Bumper Bounce test. With the car parked on a level surface, walk to any corner, put both hands on the bumper, and press down. As soon as the car sinks under your weight, release it. Do this two or three times to get the car oscillating. Then step back and observe. Ideally, the body will move just one more time and stop at the normal ride height. If it continues to "nod" that is a sign of a worn strut at that corner. Repeat the Bumper Bounce test at the other corners.

 

I read on Tokico's web site that the bumper test is essentially useless. They also mention that if the strut is leaking, it's gone.

 

In order for a strut to go up and down smoothly, it needs to have an oily film on the piston to allow this. If the weather happens to change dramatically (usually cold) the seals in the strut may allow a slight leak to form but not enough to condemn the strut which is why Dan B. Max mentions this. It sounds odd but I have seen this before. As far as Tokico is concerned they may have a stricter criteria to uphold especially since they deal with high performance struts which allow very little suspension travel. I doubt that if you go up to a Corvette and push up and down on the bumper that you will get hardly any travel at all. If you do those struts are probably bad.

 

I think it also depends on the struts you have if oil means dead. . . I know with my Koni's it says in the instructions that some leakage is normal and should be ignored if someone points it out to you. . .

 

I think a lot of that "bumper-test-is-useless" thing comes from the strut manufacturers. If the car doesn't over-oscillate when you push down on the bumper, then does it matter what condition the strut is in?? they just want to sell you a new strut, even if your old one damps fine.

One thing I noticed about the stock SE shocks is that they seem to damp really firmly. I can move the front end down like an inch and that's it. It goes right back to static and bounces zero. This is with 96k and original struts (I believe).