Hi Detcomm, well, I learned a lot from this forum to fix a problem which originally scared the heck out of me, and turned out to be quite simple, so it's the least I can do, and recording my actual work was pretty easy, and didn't add any difficulty.
I think this very cheap ($5) and potentially good alternative, may be of benefit to alot of benz owners out there since it is such a common problem, and the price of $500 at a shop is crazy for two new steel covers and new brass valves. As a DIY with the kits, one is still paying quite a bit, and buying a special tool that one will (hopefully) only use once on each front strut. I would also like to know whether the design of the kit components is 100% problem proof. At $5, I can re-apply the seals every year in a few hours, if leak tests indicate it is needed.
I have reviewed the first messages on this thread, and I in the end I find that I am applying the epoxy just like "kaydiesl" had suggested - with an important difference, that I remove the old black cracked sealant, and totallyl clean the surfaces of paint or left-over original black sealant PRIOR to sealing with epoxy-paste.
I just moved my car into the garage, since we are getting a big snowfall, and have safely refilled the front strut (after learning from this amazing forum, to be careful lowering the wheel until touching the driveway, not all the way down, and then turning the car on, noticing then that the strut filled with air and the car raised properly before removing the jack). It's been 8 hours since the epoxy was put on, and this brand is already at "working" capacity - so I tested for leaks with water and soap, and raising the car, and there are NO leaks from the metal cap sealed with epoxy - quite a contrast to my first leak test.
What I did find is that the brass valve has a very slow leak in the middle section, as originally found in my first tests, where there is a join.
I will prep another video tomorrow with the final tests, and also I plan to do some severe road testing, with speed bumps, with the sport setting on 2, and see how it holds up.
As mlfun says in an earlier message
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlfun  Epoxy is a hard material. If it fails, wouldn't there be a sudden loss
of pressure ? (not a good thing at highway speeds). |
I think that the epoxy is as hard, but stronger, than the original sealant - especially if you get the "multi-steel" epoxy that bonds the brass, iron and steel found on top of the strut.
I am still amazed that Merz actually sealed the upper steel cap with that original flimsy sealant on an S500. Anyway, from my leak tests, just having the original steel cap with no sealant or epoxy, the front struts don't suddenly lose pressure when the car is on level road (as highways generally are) - its on the primary and secondary streets with potholes that the struts will leak most of the air, with the compressions and decompressions.
Anyway, I am interested to see the new brass valve that comes with the kit, since the original one has a very, very small leak in the middle joint section. Detcomm, can you or someone else post some pictures here of the new brass valves that are included in the repair kit? Thx. It would be a shame if the new brass valves have the same design (and potential leakage flaw), which seems to contribute to a slow leak. I am considering sealing the brass valves with epoxy as well. These slow valve leaks may be the reason why so many S500's eventually lose pressure over a matter of weeks in the garage.
cheers
