Leaking forks!!

[SonnyBoy]

Hi everyone,

I believe the fork seals on my bike ( Kawasaki Eliminator BN 125 A2 1999) have completely gone. Just bought the machine and it hadn't been ridden in a long time, after the first couple of hundred miles the oil started pouring out. I dont have the tools or knowledge currently to sort em out, so any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

cheers, Sonny.

[Birdylegs]

Your have to order parts they can take a week you will have to get it inspected at a garage to know what its a two man job so you cant do it on your own look on internet as much as you can as you never said where you live i dont anywhere but steve lynham in swindon to recomend phone around for quotes should be about £70 to fix good luck as could be more. http://www.cmsnl.com/kawasaki-1999-a2-bn125_model12154/partslist/F2340.html#results some bits are cheap new forks about £700 get it done befor they get damaged

[Grey haired bloke]

It could also be worth giving Bike Treads of Swindon a call for a quote, 01793 615995
www.biketreads.co.uk

[SonnyBoy]

Hey guys,

Thanks very much for all your help :-) I've managed to get someone to have a look at the forks. They said i should get away with just new oil seals. I have been to the bike shop and gotten the oil i need and supposedly the right seals! wasn't the most pleasant place i've been to being a newbie! Anyway the seals i got measure 33 x 46 x 11 but everywhere else i have looked online say that i need 33 x 46 x 10.5. does this half a mil make the difference or would i get away with it?

cheers

Sonny.

[Birdylegs]

Your have to ask a expert on that as it depends on fit they was ment to have and if it would be a good squeese ment to be there or not.

[Brizzer]

steve lynham supplied and fitted my seals on my mx bike for 40 quid all in. surely it would be less hassle to take the bike to a garage to get them done then if not I wouldn't bother about .5 of a mil and try it yursell as it isn't that hard , but as you have said its pouring out your forks I would be checking your bushes and stantions for damage.

[SonnyBoy]

Thanks for your help guys, I will probably have the forks off and take them into someone. I know a couple of guys who have always done all their bike maintenance, so will go for that i reckons. I'm hoping it is just the seals that went, but seems funny that they both went like that all of a sudden?

[Red Zed 1]

if the bike sat for a while,seals could have hardened and when used again oil would have leaked past as they would have lost sealing capacity..

[SonnyBoy]

Aha that makes sense. I have managed to change the seals now and they had worn and felt pretty hard! I have put the amount of fork oil stated in the maintenance manual, but the bike still sinks on the suspension with the weight of the bike and is easily pushed up and down.There is no oil leaking anywhere, but not sure why this is. My thoughts are that it may still need oil adding???

[wheelers]

did you just hook out the seals as some do or completely strip them like we do?
did you prime the valves before fitting?

[SonnyBoy]

I completely stripped everything down and cleaned everything before re assembly. Didn't prime valves though as was going to the maintenance manual and didnt see that it said to anywhere. I think the seals may be leaking again anyway, so am beginning to lose faith in it all to be honest.

[SupeRDel]

Seals will leak for a reason

What condition are the fork stanchions - any damage, scores or pitting? If there is the seals will always leak. You cannot fit new seals to bad forks and expect them to work.

Are you using double sided or single sided seals. Single sided have to be the correct way round or they do not work.

Seals are also delicate items that need fitting correctly. Have seen many banged in with hammers and screwdrivers which damages them and makes them useless.
The people fitting them normally say the seals were poor quality and think they have done nowt wrong.

[SonnyBoy]

Everything looked pretty good when it was taken apart. The chrome on the inner tube was sound, Im not sure what is up. I installed the seals the same way they were put in before. I think they were in there for some time without leaking. I did install them with a bit of fork oil and used the old seals to tap them in with, evenly and gently. with a well padded and taped up screw driver. I made sure I took my time on this and the o ring popped back into place nicely and evenly. Its very frustrating lol! ive only had the bike for 5 mins and this has happened! I guess I may have to pay someone to do it. If i need new forks, I will be gutted.

[SonnyBoy]

Ah bleddy ell! leaking forks again and now a fair amount of oil in the air filter! could this be the adapted exhaust that has been put on sucking air back in? or damaged rings or pistons? whatever it is this introduction to biking is proving rather frustrating, i just want to be out riding :(

[Birdylegs]

Phone steve lynham on 019793 820630 for a quote or wheelers in melksham to have a look the price you pay to fix it is worth it when you get it running buying Second hand might mean it needs some work as last owner abandoned it then sold it (if you think your bikes got problems mines too much to list on one form needs to be put under parts wanted and parts for sale tec help and probably stolen list Lol) hope you get nice ride out in the end.

[SonnyBoy]

I ended up biting the bullet and had someone do it for me. All seems well now :) I have just come back to Trowbridge from Cornwall! yes I did ride my uncomfortable 125 there and back :) loved it. even though it was really windy and raining heavily on the way back! forks are still good too.

[Dan505]

Oil in your airbox can be an indication that the sump has too much oil in as it normally comes back up the crankcase breather hose but there should be a small sponge filter in the way. Be sure to clean an oil of the sensors in there and I would drain the oil out and measure it and top up correct amount just to be certain - too much oil is just as bad as too little as it builds up the pressure.