Need help resurrecting a Euro 1976 6.9

[rockingchairmotors]

OK.  Got back to the car today.

Filled trans with dex III.  Lubricated the throttle linkage.  Took the car for a ride. 

Trans seems to shift fine.  Just went up and down the road twice. 

Rode like a board.  Very hard.  So....

I want to confirm how the suspension works.  The shocks on the 4 corners are what lift the car but the spheres dictate the ride or am I wrong in my understanding?
What should I do next?  How do I tell if the shocks and spheres are good? 

Getting closer.

[daantjie]

You need to replace all 5 spheres, there is no way around it.  That will establish the "base line", as I would  like to approach things.  These spheres are a service item and have a lifespan of 5 - 10 years, use dependent.

The struts move fluid into and out of the sphere, this provides the damping effect.  The fluid in the sphere works against the nitrogen bladder.  The nitrogen migrates through the membrane over time and the space fills up with fluid.  Result is over time the sphere is completely filled with fluid and thus you get the rock hard ride.

The struts are probably the most robust aspect of the system.  They might leak down when the car sits, but when driving you would not necessarily experience any ill effect from this.  A harsh ride is almost always the spheres, and if you know for sure the car has sat for many years then replacing all the spheres is a no brainer.

[rockingchairmotors]

Daniel

What is the preferred place to purchase the spheres?  Dealer or is there an aftermarket supplier where I can get them?

Another issue.  Car runs but not well.  It has a miss and I am pretty confident it is just tune up parts

but

I would like to do a compression test on it.

Can someone the proceedure to do a correct compression test on the 6.9 engine.

Thanks again for the help.  Invaluable to me as a hack wrencher.

[rumb]

front https://www.ebay.com/itm/152185726253 you need 3.


rear need 2  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nitrogen-Chamber-Febi-Bilstein-03278-126-320-13-15/352531334293?hash=item5214814495:g:mXwAAOSwTDpcAQLL

both of those look like good prices, you may want to intergalactic search more.