'03 Super T Oil Height / Problem

Inkhell · May 9, 2004

Mine makes a little bit of top out noise that I can hear while riding but not bad enough to irritate me. It didn't used to make the noise but it's been through a season of dhill and and trail riding. I've changed the oil it about every 3 months just because so I don't think your rattle is oil related. As for oil heights, they are posted on Marz USA website in the tech area. I've never heard the absolute truth on how to measure (bottom spring in, damper rod extended, etc) so I just use the website info for a starting point. I meaure with the bottom spring in and the damper rod up and adjust from there. I usually add about 15 more cc to each leg in order to prevent harsh bottoming. I add a little oil....go for a ride...make sure I'm getting full travel and not clanking metal to metal. Usually takes me about 2 times of topping it off before I find my sweet spot. Even after a good year of riding, the fork feels as good or better than it ever did. One last thing, for me, 10wt feels the best in Zokes. Feels a bit "smoother" on the compression and rebound stroke.

largerthan9 · May 9, 2004

check to ensure that the cartridge's are not moving in the top cap.. There is an o ring seal that can wear and that will sound like a toping out fork or loose headset.

if they are, a very thin spacer under the circlip should remedy the problem.

Salami · May 9, 2004

This is the info Marz e-mailed me about changing the fork oil:

"To change the oil, remove the preload knob, underneath it will be a c-clip
that will need to be removed. Use a 21mm socket to take off the top cap
and compress the fork. You'll have to remove the springs at this point
and can drain the oil through the top of the fork. Turn the rebound
adjuster clockwise all the way and pump the cartridges a few time to help
purge them of the old oil. Measure 230cc of oil and pour that amount into
each leg. Reassemble using the instructions above backwards. With the
caps off, do not pull the lower sliders from the stanchions, they will
seperate and can cause seal damage. Any questions just give us a call.

Take care,

Marzocchi USA tech dept.
25213 Anza Dr
Valencia CA 91351
661 257 6630"

Personally I like the idea of using a volume measurement rather than using the oil height, especially since I have never been able to get a straight answer on how to measure oil height.

zedro · May 9, 2004

Originally posted by Salami
Personally I like the idea of using a volume measurement rather than using the oil height, especially since I have never been able to get a straight answer on how to measure oil height.

it doesnt matter how you measure the oil height as long as you measure it the same way each time. Oil heights should be tuned to the individual rider, so it doesnt matter what the 'recommendation' is, since its usually more.

Instigator · May 10, 2004

Originally posted by NS1
Thanks for the feedback guys.
I'm going to take them apart & have a look tomorrow night.
I'm sure that oil height chart wasn't on the Marzocchi website last time I looked. or maybe i just didn't look hard enough

I happened to check the sight last night, because I am working on the same fork. with the springs out, both cartridges pumped full of oil and the fork legs compressed all the way to bottom, there should be 80mm for medium weight riders and 75 mm for heavier riders. measurement is top of oil to the top of the fork tube. Also they recommend 7.5 weight oil.

prerogative · May 10, 2004

prerogative said:
I finally called tech support. They were very helpful, and this is the info I rec'd specific to the 03' Super T:

Oil height:
- Suggested 110-120mm. The overall range can be 100-135. He said maybe 140, but 135 is safer.
- Measure from top of stantion to oil
- Fork fully compressed
- Top spring removed only (this is the long one). I'd assume you also remove the washer so you can get in there to measure height.
- Rod down
- Cartridges filled (must cycle fork before measuring)

Now I don't know what real height I'm running, since I had rod up and short springs out (95-100mm). The next time I rip things apart, I'll measure the right way for reference . . .

Above from MTBR post here: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=18469&goto=newpost

I still haven't taken it apart to check real height, but plan on doing so for reference rather than measuring volume . . . Regards

prerogative · May 11, 2004

Originally posted by NS1
. . .

Any tips on removing the circlip, without it flying off & losing it??

The E-clip comes off easy using small screwdriver or needle-nose pliers while holding it (from flying away) with finger. You can just put it back on with your fingers. Good luck

ioscope · Aug 8, 2004

HEY...
Is there a difference between fork oil an automatic transmission fluid?

cali4niabiker · Aug 8, 2004

ioscope said:
HEY...
Is there a difference between fork oil an automatic transmission fluid?

Its a big difference. Its like comparing apples to oranges. Auto fluid is much less viscous than fork oil!

DHracer1067 · Aug 9, 2004

Quote:
Originally posted by prerogative
Quote:
Originally Posted by prerogative
I finally called tech support. They were very helpful, and this is the info I rec'd specific to the 03' Super T:

Oil height:
- Suggested 110-120mm. The overall range can be 100-135. He said maybe 140, but 135 is safer.
- Measure from top of stantion to oil
- Fork fully compressed
- Top spring removed only (this is the long one). I'd assume you also remove the washer so you can get in there to measure height.
- Rod down
- Cartridges filled (must cycle fork before measuring)

Now I don't know what real height I'm running, since I had rod up and short springs out (95-100mm). The next time I rip things apart, I'll measure the right way for reference . . .

that recomendation seems just about dead on. i weigh about 115 and use like a 120-125 oil height and its perfect. wow. looks like you can go by marzocchis guidlines and end up with something thats really close.

erikkellison · Nov 13, 2004

Okay, I know this thread is a little old, but in the interest of all those like myself who run '03 Super T's, I will post what I know about oil height. I go by the Marzocchi recommendation of 80mm. Let me explain what this means. This means pull the fork apart, both springs, both washers, and pull the stanchions out of the sliders and through the seals (carefully so as not to damage them). Them fill (and cycle the cartridges while filling) the legs (sliders) up with oil until the distance between the oil height and the top of the seal is 80mm (remember, the stanchions are with the rest of the bike...). Marzocchi says that you can vary this amount by plus or minus 10%, and I go -10% to add as much oil as I feel comfortable running without running too great a risk of blowing a seal due to too much oil (I run 72mm). The best way I've found to measure oil height is to get a syringe, and mark the desired height on the shaft of the syringe, insert into the leg to the mark on the syringe tube shaft, and suck oil out until you begin sucking air (you have to overfill initially, which is a good idea anyway because lots of that oil will go inside the cartridges). However, in seeking a way to check the oil height without completely removing the stanchions, I have found Prerogative's advice from Marzocchi, which I am going to try right about now.

Also, I all of the sudden have a top-out noise which I think is coming from a lack of oil (I've never had it before, but my fork lost a bit of oil due to a dirty seal), so I am going to check and refill oil levels. I will have this fork for some time to come, so if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask me since I think I understand it pretty darn well after owning it for over a year now.

erikkellison · Nov 16, 2004

Oh, and one thing that I noticed that is a flaw in the method recommended by prerogative is this:
When measuring from the top of the stanchion with the short spring in and dampening rod down, the distance between the top of the stanchion and the top of the spring is 90mm. If the minimum recommended distance is 100mm, that spring left in there sure makes it hard to measure past it (in fact impossible). Well, I just put 90mm in my fork, and I think it may work perfectly

We'll see if I blow a seal. But next time, I'm going back to my old method, no matter how convenient this is, until I can get a new method, or maybe determind the volume displaced by the lower screen, then do some math and figure out how to compensate for the lack thereof, and get a new number to measure down to.

prerogative · Nov 16, 2004

erikkellison said:
Oh, and one thing that I noticed that is a flaw in the method recommended by prerogative is this:
When measuring from the top of the stanchion with the short spring in and dampening rod down, the distance between the top of the stanchion and the top of the spring is 90mm. If the minimum recommended distance is 100mm, that spring left in there sure makes it hard to measure past it (in fact impossible). Well, I just put 90mm in my fork, and I think it may work perfectly We'll see if I blow a seal. But next time, I'm going back to my old method, no matter how convenient this is, until I can get a new method, or maybe determind the volume displaced by the lower screen, then do some math and figure out how to compensate for the lack thereof, and get a new number to measure down to.

Wow - this thread lives . . .

I agree regarding taking all springs out. Marz said to leave the shorts in, but I've never done it.

1st oil change: fork compressed, all springs out, rods up, carts filled, and 110mm. Bottomed a bit too often.
2nd oil change: same as above, only filled to 100mm ( a wee bit more oil). I'm not using the last 1/2-3/4" of travel.
3rd oil change: I'll report back when I get around to it . . . since the last time I changed oil was evidently in May, I guess I'll have to do it again soon

I'll measure what I have in it before dumping stuff out. Both with rods up (as I measured) and down. I may loose a bit when taking the spring out, but this will give me a comparison for rod up/down)

Here's some related pics:

prerogative · Nov 16, 2004

had to resize first . . . parts (in order of removal):

erikkellison · Dec 1, 2004

I was bottoming my fork with the oil level up to the top of the bottom spring with the top (orange/long) spring out and the cartridges down. So, I left the washer that separates the springs in, and put enough oil in to cover the washer barely when the rods are down. I think that's around 85mm from top of stanchion to top of oil. I hope it's enough this time, as it seems that I am way out of spec already.

'03 Super T Oil Height / Problem

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