Gas struts for engine bay

[Boomerjake]

Hi knowledgeable people
I have just had my NSX MOT'd today with 2 advisories, one being the replacement of the battery (£95) and secondly that the gas struts on the engine bay need replacing (£280). Does anyone know the best place to source the 2 items or what the Honda codes are so I can search the web.
Thanks for any help

[hkz286]

i believe the gas struts can be re-gassed (depending on condition of the struts etc)

http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/entry.php?720-SGS-Engineering-Re-gas-Damper-Strut

may save you a bit of money :)

[Kaz-kzukNA1]

Hi, Boomerjake.

For the battery, I don’t know whether your NSX is MT or AT model but just visit your local Honda garage.
MT: 31500-SV2-011HE
AT: 31500-SP0-031HE

Both are priced at GBP75 inc.VAT and comes with 3 years warranty.
If you know the garage, you may be able to get some discount.


For the gas struts, before replacing them, you may want to consider sending them to SGS Engineering to have them re-gassed.
http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/blog.php?1811-Today-at-Atelier-Kaz-NSX-Enthusiast&tag=sgs+engineering

Very helpful engineers and many NSX owners used them.
If your strut is too worn to be re-gassed, they will inform you and then you can decide what to do.

Kaz

Update: just noticed that hkz286 was quicker than me......

[duncan]

MoT Advisories - battery and engine bay gas struts - where in the MoT testers hand book do they come from?
Colour of paint or wear to the fluffy dice next.

[havoc]

I'm with Duncan!

Battery - how old? And do you use a conditioner (CTEK or similar)? Because unless you're finding cranking issues, I'd say ignore it...

Gas struts - as above - regas if you can, but first-off have a look, see if they seem to be a problem.

[Boomerjake]

Thanks guys for your help, I will replace the battery as I believe it to be 8 years old , on the struts they are not essential but will look at the links above
Thanks

[Pride]

After reading this thread I decided to unbolt my weak glass hatch gas struts to send away for a service.

Removing them was simple enough but could someone please advise me how to remove the bracket that attaches the strut to the body as I believe it must be detached from the strut link as it's not shown fitted in Kaz's blog.


Thanks.

[PeterW]

New OEM struts for the rear glass come with the bracket already attached. Perhaps the picture in Kaz's blog is of boot struts and you can't separate the bracket from the rear glass strut.
Btw if it helps, here's a useful write up of how to separate the ball stud from the boot strut. http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/165391-DIY-Remove-Ball-Studs-From-Trunk-Struts-to-Re-use-with-New-Struts. New glass struts come complete with the stud, but I guess the same procedure will work for getting the stud out of the glass strut, if you need to do that.

Peter

[NSXGB]

Do you even need to separate the stud and strut for SG Engineering to service them?

[L696ULO]

After reading this thread I decided to unbolt my weak glass hatch gas struts to send away for a service.

Removing them was simple enough but could someone please advise me how to remove the bracket that attaches the strut to the body as I believe it must be detached from the strut link as it's not shown fitted in Kaz's blog.


Thanks.

As NSXGB suggests there is no need to separate the bracket when sending them to SGS, I'm certain I didn't especially if special tools are needed.

Rich

[Pride]

Do you even need to separate the stud and strut for SG Engineering to service them?

It's not the stud end that concerns me but the other end which bolts down onto the engine bay body.

What worries me is if sgs decide they can't be serviced and need replacing will their replacements have the mounting brackets attached because if not I will have to get the extortionately priced Honda units.

12506

[Pride]

Hi Kaz, I am about to post off my glass hatch struts to SGS today.

How do I ask them to increase the lift rate to allow a larger opening of the hatch which you have given yours.

Presumably it's a replacement strut with a longer throw, could you advise me as to what size I should ask for and does the base mounting bracket transfer from the origanol to the new as I couldn't see how to remove it from the strut itself.

12509

Thanks,
Clive

[Kaz-kzukNA1]

Hi, Clive.

I have replied back to your comment posted in my blog so followings are the copy of it plus extra info.


As mentioned (in my blog), SGS sells the replacement new strut with many different spec.

Therefore, you will need to buy completely new strut + bracket + end fitting.
Since you are sending in your existing OEM (strut + bracket + end fitting), just ask SGS to find the suitable combination for your application with extra pushrod length for the strut so that you can increase the opening angle.
Don’t go too much as you need to take into consideration the hinge spec and the clearance of the hatch glass top edge against the roof panel.
There will be a limit factor decided by the length and angle at the strut/bracket/end fitting as well.

For the end fitting, you could ask for the ball socket by measuring the existing OEM diameter and use the OEM ball stud as you may want to stay with dark colour and not shiny silver considering the surrounding area.

Obviously, re-gassing the OEM strut won’t allow you to increase the opening angle.

Kaz


Extra info;
I haven't designed the replacement one using the parts from SGS so don't know the exact spec.
SoS in US sells such item allowing extra opening angle.

For your reference, if you are happy to stay with the same opening angle, as the exchange rate is on our side, the OEM one from Japan is not too bad recently.
I think it would be about GBP30 EACH before leaving Japan and that includes the strut+bracket+ball stud as a set.

Kaz

[Pride]

Cheers Kaz, great info as usual.

I will let you know what they say.

[Boomerjake]

Hi Guys
Just so you know I have ordered a battery from the below which was only £65 delivered
http://www.coxmotorparts.co.uk/

[avcrx]

a stupid question, wondering whats the different between an AT & MT model battery? Are they supposed to be the same?

[NSXGB]

Usually automatic cars have a battery with a higher output. Don't really know why but guess it's something to do with the torque converter on an auto.



a stupid question, wondering whats the different between an AT & MT model battery? Are they supposed to be the same?

[Nick Graves]

Usually automatic cars have a battery with a higher output. Don't really know why but guess it's something to do with the torque converter on an auto.

It's not a stupid question, because you didn't know and bothered to find out...

Generally, slushboxes spend a lot of time at quite low RPM cruising around and the alternator might not reach peak RPM for a good charge when commuting in cold weather/wipers/lights on etc. Also, they're impossible to bump-start so a bit of extra reserve is handy.

[Pride]

Just refitted the SGS regassed struts to the glass hatch and now perfect again.
Turn around time from posting to receiving back was 5 working days and cost was £17.50+vat each +p&p there and back so total £56

[hkz286]

good to hear!

did you go for the longer ones to open the glass hatch more?

[Pride]

did you go for the longer ones to open the glass hatch more?

No.
Dicided against it when they said the struts were in good condition considering 23years old and also after asking me to measure max possible length and also about £80 each:(

[hkz286]

No.
Dicided against it when they said the struts were in good condition considering 23years old and also after asking me to measure max possible length and also about £80 each:(

yeah i dont blame you :)