ZXR250C oil dripping off lower fork but seal not leaking? [Archive]

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mattd

14th September 2007, 23:26

Drum

14th September 2007, 23:29

Fork drain screw?
It's not brake fluid is it?

sefer

15th September 2007, 16:58

They gave you a warrant when your fork was clearly leaking!? Nice to know safety is their concern.

Anyway, two places the fork is going to leak, the seal or the drain screw at the bottom. Unlikely the screw is leaking unless is has been done recently (even then still unlikely I'd say). Leave it a day or so and run your finger over the chrome bit of the fork, if you get a noticeable amount of oil on your finger it's the seal. They don't really obviously look like their leaking, and if it did you'd be losing a lot of oil.

And based on the fact they gave you a warrant with a leaking "something" I'd be checking the brake too!

HDTboy

15th September 2007, 17:56

My money's on a leaking fork seal too. I live in Takapuna if you want me to take a look at it for you.

Robert Taylor

15th September 2007, 18:23

Hey guys,
So I went to get a WOF last week and the guy notice some oil collecting at the bottom of my left fork. Passed my warrent though, but was told to keep an eye on it. So I went and grabbed a can of brake cleaner and sprayed that all over to clean off all the oil but it come back. Now the weird thing is there is no signs of oil leaking from the forks. Its completly dry.
so my question is does anyone know where this oil could be coming from?
Cheers

If as I assume these are ''inverted type forks'' it is probable that there is a loss of interference fit / tightness / seal where the lower chrome tube is assembled into the bottom axle clamp casting. This can happen on many bikes and there is an o- ring in that lower casting where the tube assembles into it. If it has got to this stage it is probable that there is a loss of interference fit, so then the fork would be thowaway as it is (usually) too thin in section to do a lasting repair. ( They are actually neither designed to come apart or expected to be in service for 13 years )

As the fork compresses under compression and braking it presuurises inside, forcing oil slowly past the o ring and tube. With the onset of warmer weather this problem will only get worse.

The issuing authority should not under any circumstance have issued your bike with a warrant of fitness as this is unsafe and oil droplets / vapour could be slowly depositing on your brake pads.

mattd

19th September 2007, 16:35

Hey guys,
Thanks for the advice. Turns out that it was the seal, must of just been on its way out befor the WOF but since then and a couple of rides it is now obviosly leaking from the seal. Oh well looks like a job for Sunday. Thanks for the offer HDTboy but I now live down south, I have done them once before when i first got the bike. It was a bit of a mission then but it let me work out the "easy" was to get the forks apart. Next question - does the epoxy it the pits trick work? got a couple to "sand" down.
Cheers again

imdying

19th September 2007, 16:51

The issuing authority should not under any circumstance have issued your bike with a warrant of fitness as this is unsafe and oil droplets / vapour could be slowly depositing on your brake pads.Yep, I've ridden a ZXR250 that I was actually able to set the pads on fire, due to the amount of fork oil on them. Admittedly, I actually tried to 'get some heat in them', but still... :blip:

Kickaha

20th September 2007, 08:02

does the epoxy it the pits trick work? got a couple to "sand" down.
Cheers again

yes it does, I know of two bikes this has been done to without any further problems with leaking

mattd

22nd September 2007, 22:31

yes it does, I know of two bikes this has been done to without any further problems with leaking

Cool, thought of doing it last time but wasn't 100% convinced. Gotta get me some epoxy now. Will aroldite do? or any suggestions?