FX-3 Gurus Welcome - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

XfireZ51 · 02-20-2011

Today I finished taking down the D44 from the Aqua car. I'm getting ready to ship it to NY. While back there I decided to drop the shocks as well since several have asked about them. The majority of the damage done to the car was on the passenger side where it climbed the guardrail before coming back down. The lower trailing arm was bent forward on that side with the tie rod snapped at the adjusting threads. I pulled that Bilstein and removed the actuator. Everything was in good order.
I went to the driver's side and removed shock. This side showed little if any damage. However, when I pulled shock, the actuator was not attached. The plastic insert which locates the actuator over the valving gear was separated. In addition, I had to pull the actuator mechanism through a small opening inside the frame rail. IOW, it wasn't just flopping around over the shock. It had either worked its way into the frame rail opening OR it had been put there. There was only one position the actuator could be in in order for it to be possible to remove the actuator assembly from this frame rail opening. It had to be maneuvered in a specific way. I have never done any work to this part of the vehicle. I have never removed this shock. So the question(s) I have are:

1. How could the actuator insert have cracked causing the actuator mechanism to separate from the shock?

2. How could the actuator mechanism have found its way into this frame rail opening? I have no idea when this would have happened. Its possible that over 3 years of ownership the actuator may have separated from the shock and jiggled its way into the opening. Sounds like a stretch BUT...

3. If the actuator was separated from the shock, should a selective ride code have set? How does CCM check for proper operation of FX-3 system?

4. Not knowing what was the last setting this right rear shock was at before actuator separation, is it possible that it was compressing and rebounding at a different rate than the other shocks? And if it was, what would you speculate are the handling characteristics of the vehicle particularly under WOT acceleration and gear shift?

Discuss amongst yourselves.

gbmidyear66 · 02-20-2011

Re Point 3)...

If the actuator and shock are seperated you should definitley get a code. The FX3 systrem runs through a test sequence on power up. It rotates the gears on top of each shock - which controls the valving - and synchronizes the position of each valve/gear.

In my case I had a gear disinitgrate (which would act the same as the seperation of the actuator and shock) and the system activated a code.

GOLDCYLON · 02-20-2011

Dom this all has to be post accident on the car. The FX-3 syste, would have set a time out during its function check upon startup. The slamming down of the car after hitting the rail easily could have done what you have described. Remember the actuators only ride ontop of the shocks and are retained with a single metal clip. A Viloent sudden downforce easily could have done this.

tomtom72 · 02-21-2011

Interesting what you found Dom. I do have to side with Daryl. The impact energy must have caused the wire clip to pop out?

The only supporting evidence I can offer is what happened to my car. My first yr of ownership I was at a show in Atlantic City. Ron K, then our VP, was there and in true BOB spirit came over to welcome the NooB!

He found that my left front actuator clip had engaged only one of the locking slots on the cup.... "you gotta check this stuff as these clips doesn't have all that much locking tension." God knows how long it was like that. The system worked, no DTC's, but the clip was only engaged in one slot. I would have to think your clip might have had a similar condition, and the impact energy knocked it off?

XfireZ51 · 02-21-2011

Tom,

The clip was still in the slots. The actuator came off of the shock because the actuator insert(the plastic collar that maintains the position of the actuator to the valving piston gear) was broken. So somehow it broke off the top of the shock without any removal of the shock and then was tucked into a slot in the frame rail.

Paul Workman · 02-21-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

Tom,

The clip was still in the slots. The actuator came off of the shock because the actuator insert(the plastic collar that maintains the position of the actuator to the valving piston gear) was broken. So somehow it broke off the top of the shock without any removal of the shock and then was tucked into a slot in the frame rail.

I recall picking up some pieces from the track, between the concrete wall and the guard rail. Among them was some small plastic parts - about the size of the shock caps, but could be just about anything, I suppose.

P.

PS: OT: Your "FBI" jacket is on order. Burgundy XL, as I recall. Should have it (and some others) mid next week!

tomtom72 · 02-21-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

Tom,

The clip was still in the slots. The actuator came off of the shock because the actuator insert(the plastic collar that maintains the position of the actuator to the valving piston gear) was broken. So somehow it broke off the top of the shock without any removal of the shock and then was tucked into a slot in the frame rail.

I should learn to read! That is a strange one.

GOLDCYLON · 02-21-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

Tom,

The clip was still in the slots. The actuator came off of the shock because the actuator insert(the plastic collar that maintains the position of the actuator to the valving piston gear) was broken. So somehow it broke off the top of the shock without any removal of the shock and then was tucked into a slot in the frame rail.

The downforce must of broke the housing internally post accident. Reguardless if this was pre accident a timeout wouuld have occured setting an FX-3 warning light

GOLDCYLON · 02-21-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomtom72

I should learn to read! That is a strange one.

Tom you read fine

02-20-2011	#1
XfireZ51 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 9,711	FX-3 Gurus Welcome Today I finished taking down the D44 from the Aqua car. I'm getting ready to ship it to NY. While back there I decided to drop the shocks as well since several have asked about them. The majority of the damage done to the car was on the passenger side where it climbed the guardrail before coming back down. The lower trailing arm was bent forward on that side with the tie rod snapped at the adjusting threads. I pulled that Bilstein and removed the actuator. Everything was in good order. I went to the driver's side and removed shock. This side showed little if any damage. However, when I pulled shock, the actuator was not attached. The plastic insert which locates the actuator over the valving gear was separated. In addition, I had to pull the actuator mechanism through a small opening inside the frame rail. IOW, it wasn't just flopping around over the shock. It had either worked its way into the frame rail opening OR it had been put there. There was only one position the actuator could be in in order for it to be possible to remove the actuator assembly from this frame rail opening. It had to be maneuvered in a specific way. I have never done any work to this part of the vehicle. I have never removed this shock. So the question(s) I have are: 1. How could the actuator insert have cracked causing the actuator mechanism to separate from the shock? 2. How could the actuator mechanism have found its way into this frame rail opening? I have no idea when this would have happened. Its possible that over 3 years of ownership the actuator may have separated from the shock and jiggled its way into the opening. Sounds like a stretch BUT... 3. If the actuator was separated from the shock, should a selective ride code have set? How does CCM check for proper operation of FX-3 system? 4. Not knowing what was the last setting this right rear shock was at before actuator separation, is it possible that it was compressing and rebounding at a different rate than the other shocks? And if it was, what would you speculate are the handling characteristics of the vehicle particularly under WOT acceleration and gear shift? Discuss amongst yourselves.

02-20-2011	#2
gbmidyear66 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 252	Re: FX-3 Gurus Welcome Re Point 3)... If the actuator and shock are seperated you should definitley get a code. The FX3 systrem runs through a test sequence on power up. It rotates the gears on top of each shock - which controls the valving - and synchronizes the position of each valve/gear. In my case I had a gear disinitgrate (which would act the same as the seperation of the actuator and shock) and the system activated a code. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] __________________ 1990 Corvette ZR-1 #2824 4.10's, Custom PROM, Flowmaster, Top End Port NCRS BC Chapter

02-20-2011	#3
GOLDCYLON Join Date: May 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 9,160	Re: FX-3 Gurus Welcome Dom this all has to be post accident on the car. The FX-3 syste, would have set a time out during its function check upon startup. The slamming down of the car after hitting the rail easily could have done what you have described. Remember the actuators only ride ontop of the shocks and are retained with a single metal clip. A Viloent sudden downforce easily could have done this. __________________ GOLDCYLON - 91 ZR-1 #2014 GOLDCYLON - 90 ZR-1 #2794, 4L60e (Formerly Schrade's) GOLDCYLON - 11 CTS-V Arizona State Director 91 WHITE/BLACK #2014. 380 P&P&PCed,Ported Heads, Jeal Long tubes, Corsa Exhaust/FIKSE FM-5s /LED TLs, LED Headlights, Front Wilwood 6 piston narrowlite calipers and rear Wilwood caliper street shop mod,CNCed Coolant Pipes,TPI Cvr,Filter cover,Stainless Bolts, DRM/DOM PROM /ZFDOC mod build #102,DRLs,BMAD with stainless Debris Screen,Coplan Air Blaster, Pioneer APP Radio 4,Brey-Krause HB,Sub Bar,Fire extinguisher seat mount,DRM Coilovers,LEDs everywhere,Compass mirror (orange),V1 DIC hidden display, Homelink sun visor, Carbon Fiber top x3 and APSIS Carbon Fiber interior, APSIS CF Steering Wheel/NAPA Leather, Banski trailing arms, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension) ZFDoc drive shaft safety loop, raptor shift light (orange),AO engineering louver front plate, Console seat cushion, 96CE seats with black custom Sheepskins, ss billet catch can,Viper remote entry/alarm,Cragar Rear Louvers,LED side louver lights, Dewitts Radiator with SPAL fans and a Woods 160 T-Stat 90 RED/BLACK #2794. 4L60e Automatic Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless Headers, Corsa Exhaust, SAN Secondaries and Haibeck PROM, Exotic Muscle Coil overs, LED Interior Lights, LED Tail Lights, LED Headlights, 94 Sport seats with black custom Sheepskins , Cragar rear louvers, GS Front calipers, Banski Trailing arms, APSIS Carbon Fiber steering wheel, Front and Rear Baer Eradispeeds, DRLs, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension), Dewitt's Raditor with Dual SPAL fans and a Haibeck 170 T-Stat 11 RED/GREY CTS-V

02-21-2011	#4
tomtom72 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA Posts: 4,645	Re: FX-3 Gurus Welcome Interesting what you found Dom. I do have to side with Daryl. The impact energy must have caused the wire clip to pop out? The only supporting evidence I can offer is what happened to my car. My first yr of ownership I was at a show in Atlantic City. Ron K, then our VP, was there and in true BOB spirit came over to welcome the NooB! He found that my left front actuator clip had engaged only one of the locking slots on the cup.... "you gotta check this stuff as these clips doesn't have all that much locking tension." God knows how long it was like that. The system worked, no DTC's, but the clip was only engaged in one slot. I would have to think your clip might have had a similar condition, and the impact energy knocked it off? __________________ 1990 ZR-1, Black/grey, #2233, stock. ZR-1 Net Reg Founding Member #316 & NCM member

02-21-2011	#5
XfireZ51 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 9,711	Re: FX-3 Gurus Welcome Tom, The clip was still in the slots. The actuator came off of the shock because the actuator insert(the plastic collar that maintains the position of the actuator to the valving piston gear) was broken. So somehow it broke off the top of the shock without any removal of the shock and then was tucked into a slot in the frame rail.