dsorensn

Hi,

Has anyone out there ever used Slime (green tire sealant)on a leaking A8 air spring? I think my right front shock is leaking a bit and want to get it stopped before it damages the compressor.

I've successfully used slime on my Allroad air springs.

Don

williebone

I think that you've answered your own question. You'll find a Ton of Post on the Allroad Board regarding this, but I would say that I'm yet to hear of anyone here trying that Fix. Let us know how it goes. Laters,

Brozee

When you get a leak, is it fairly easy to get to the shock to seal? And then repair?

Mister Bally

All I can say is I wished I would have known about this idea. I find it hard to believe it works but since you say it did on an Allroad, it would be worth a try. $1500.00 for the shock assembly and a few hours labor sucked big time for me last Christmas.

dsorensn

It definately worked on my Allroad. Last year the left front spring started leaking pretty bad and I applied about a half bottle of Slime and it's been good ever sense. Having said that tomorrow I'll walk out to the garage and it will be setting on its nose :-).

The A8's air hose connection to the spring is a bit more sophistated than on the Alroad, so getting the Slime into an A8 spring may be a bit of a trick. With the Allroad you simply put the suspension into jack mode, pull off the hose fitting from the leaking spring and squeeze Slime into the fitting hole using the Slime bottle's tapered top fitting (it's made to shoot slime into a tire's Shrader valve). Then take the car out and drive it around a bit, unless the spring's leak is massive it should be fixed for a while.

To find out if you have a leaking spring just put your car into jack mode before going to bed and when come back in the morning if the car is still up on all fours you good, but if its down on any one or more of the wheels you've got a problem. Most of the time the problem is the spring, BUT you can never be too sure about that I've also had an air line go bad which was a bitch to find. Ended up replacing 2 springs just find out that it still sagged, the old springs were just fine and that the culprit was a leaking air line, I still wince over that one.

Also, if you let one or more shocks leak, even a little, you'll prematurely ware out your compressor, then you'll get to replace the springs AND the compressor, think many $'s!

Don

williebone

Hmm! Just a thought!

I replaced the Compressor and Control Valve Unit when mine went out only because it was advised by my Audi Tech that it was a Back Up Plan. The Control Valve is Easily Accessed behind the Driver's Side Wheel just behind the the Liner. Each Wheel's Line is Color Coded and the Line is Threaded for insertion into the Valve Unit. This is just a thought and I don't know how long it would take for the Slime to set up, but I'm sure that there would be enough time to reconnect and Switch to Lift Mode forcing the Slime into any Air Strut you would choose within minutes.

This is assuming you are starting From Dynamic Mode because I'm sure you wouldn't want the Preasure Reversed sending the Slime back Down Stream to the Air Tank. In theory, it sounds possible since I know how easy it is to Replace the Valve Unit myself and removing the Lines was a Snap, but you can not start the Process from Lift Mode. Start Dynamic Mode, Active Jack Mode, Disconnect Line, Add Slime, Reconnect Lines, Turn Off Jack Mode, Activate Lift Mode, then Drive. The Air Ride Compressor will kick in and raise the Car to its Highest Point forcing Air to the Strut, but stay under 50 MPH or it will lower back down. Just a thought in Theory! Laters,

P.S. I should add that this does not involve removing the Wheel. Just turn the Wheel Hard Left and Lock Up Steering Wheel to access Control Valve. Should in Theory get away with just removing the the 3 Screws at the Bottom of Wheel Well Liner. This could be a Very Messy Job, but it may solve your Access Issue and may the easiest way around your problem. How strong is the Preasurized Can could be your issue in forcing Slime Up Line, but when Line is Disconnected the Air Preasure will Escape and may allow for a 3rd or more Slime to enter the Length of the Line. Remember, this is just Creative Theory!

MikeNSX

Is the suspension basically the same?

dsorensn

They appear to be basically the same, the compressor is very similar while the A8 springs appear to be a bit larger.

I did Slim the front passenger side spring today. It is quite simple to do, put the suspension in jack mode, use your car jack to lift the suspension up on the wheel you're having troubles with, from over the top of the wheel remove the spring's air fitting and then squeeze in the Slime - be sure to clean the fitting area up a bit before taking it out, mine was a dirty mess. I was able to get about a third of bottle in. Then I took it back out of jack mode, drove it around a bit. To test the result I put it back into jack mode so that tomorrow I can see if the treatment worked - previously in an over night test the spring would be all the way down to the stops.

Don

dsorensn

As a follow up. The Slime did the trick, left the car in jack mode for 24 hr and no sag on the right front.

Mike_k

That is absolutely silly... I love it. And you can't really hurt anything but the spring that's already broken so you've got nothing to lose.

Is there any concern with this stuff hardening up in the valve and blocking air from coming in/ exiting?