New fork seal - but still leaking

[gabriel_gs]

ARRRRrrrrrrrggggggghh!!!

This is not my week - first, sheared off subframe bolt in the engine block and now this

So, had a slight oil leak from the left-hand fork

Did a search, found Steptoe's guide to replacing the fork seal.

Great.

Ordered a pair of new seals, followed his guide, went for a ride...

Oil now pissing out.

Ok, so obviously something's wrong. Took the stanchion out again and the new seal was completely fecked.

The inside edge was cracked and a had a bit missing. So I'm assuming I was too forceful putting the stanchion back in.

So, used new seal number 2.

Gently twisted the stanchion back in, looked all good, opened the valve at the top before-hand, slide the tube in, level with the postiion it'd be at when re-attached to the forks, closed valve again, reattach to fork yoke, done.

But it's a few days later and the same original slight oil leak is back!

WFT?!?!?!


So...

- Bad/cheap seals? I bought these ones
- There's a slight crack in the dust-cover - coud this cause a leak? Shouldn't the seal 'seal' all oil?
- Once the stanchion was slid half-way in, it met more resistance and needed a bit of forceful twisting to get it in/down - is this normal?


Please help before I tear my hair out!

 

[Stewart H]

The stanchion ought to go in effortlessly (especially if you loosened the little bleed screw at the top) mine leaked really well when I put the first seal in upside down
sounds like you might be being a little heavy handed there matey, for the price the genuine seals are the way to go

 

[gabriel_gs]

Hmm...

It actually goes in fine, but then kinda half-way down it meets resistance and needs a good twist/force to get it further in

Have ordered new BMW seals though - that'll teach me to buy cheap Japanese ones.

 

[Timolgra]

Hmm...

It actually goes in fine, but then kinda half-way down it meets resistance and needs a good twist/force to get it further in

Have ordered new BMW seals though - that'll teach me to buy cheap Japanese ones.

Are you slackening the bleed screw?
I wouldn't make the assumption anything labelled BMW is better quality than Japanese....just look in the 800 section

 

[gabriel_gs]

I wouldn't make the assumption anything labelled BMW is better quality than Japanese....just look in the 800 section

Are you slackening the bleed screw?

The one at the top? Yes. In fact, took it right out.

 

[roddy]

Hmm...

It actually goes in fine, but then kinda half-way down it meets resistance and needs a good twist/force to get it further in ...

There are some plastic sleeving in the lower fork tube aout half way down, to guide the slider when it's moving this is probably the resistance you feel, if your having to give it a good twist to get it past this point it maybe worth, checking the sleeves aren't damaged and you've a bit of debri floating about the tubes damaging the new seals ?

 

[gabriel_gs]

Another job for my Easter 'holiday'

 

[robc]

Is the seal in the right way round? I put mine in upside down and it leaked. I removed it and put it back in the correct way and all is well.

I too followed Steptoe's guide and if you happen to look at the wrong photo of the seal you'll get it upside down. That's what happened to me, the photo's were printed on the page with the next photo's caption so it was slightly confusing until I noticed my error.

Regards

Rob C

 

[gabriel_gs]

Ah ha!

I did notice one picture was missing, so yes, maybe that's it!

 

[robc]

I ended up taking the dust cover off the other side to check which was the correct way round.

Why?

Because like a numpty I didn't check which way round the old seal was when I removed it.

Regards

Rob C

 

[Welshman]

I ended up taking the dust cover off the other side to check which was the correct way round.

Why?

Because like a numpty I didn't check which way round the old seal was when I removed it.

Regards

Rob C

Also done that

 

[gabriel_gs]

I'll check it out on saturday... I'm no stranger to 'numpty-ness' so am sure that'll be it

 

[gabriel_gs]

Sorted!

Seal was in upside down

All fixed!

 

[Stewart H]

They make a really good oil pump if you put them in the other way round dont they

 

[waterloo700]

What idiot would put them in upside down anyway.............



Ahh........that would be me then

 

[gabriel_gs]