Really weird front fork problem

[ahdoman]

I've got a leak on my front left fork but here's the weird part; it only leaks while sitting. I can ride the bike all day with no leaks. I will clean the seal and fork tube ,ride all day, check it periodically and everything is dry. Park the bike for the night, go out to the garage the next day and there will be a small puddle of fork oil on the ground. I can see where it has run out from the dust seal and down the fork tube. Why is it leaking when sitting and not when being ridden? I just replaced the seal about 1500 miles ago and it has been working fine. I've also used one of the plastic shims that I use to clean my dirt bike seals thinking that maybe some dirt was in there. I have also tried bleeding the pressure out after I finish riding so there is no pressure in the shock. I don't mind tearing it back down to replace the seal again but I don't want it to continue to happen.

[Mc tool]

Are you sure that its not leaking on the hop with the wind blowing leakage back into fairing area ? , but yeah it does sound odd

[ahdoman]

Nope. That's what I also expected to find but the fairing is dry. The only thing I can figure is that the seal shrinks as it cools then it leaks. But the other weird part is that the amount that leaks is always the same. In other words if the bike sits for one day or five it doesn't matter. The puddle on the ground is always about the same size.

[higgy]

sounds like a classic stiction build up. Gonna require a dis-assemble and clean of the tubes and inspection of the surface the seal wipes..shellac( general mung buildup) scrub it away and replace the seals

[ahdoman]

Higgy - what is "stiction buildup"? How do you recommend cleaning the tubes? On my dirt bike I usually just wipe them down real good with acetone then wipe clean with fork oil.

[Mc tool]

Fine steel wool is good for hard polished surfaces , I use it on gun stocks , also ( I gotta ask . not that I think your a dummie ) is the seal in the right way . When you use steel wool ( comes from hydraulic rams you know ) to polish a hard surface with any residue on it .... you can feel the difference when the goo comes off

[Clint750]

You're not alone. My Kawasaki KLR650 has started doing exactly the same thing. It doesn't leak enough or often enough to warrant tearing it apart yet.

[paso750]

ahdoman what fork seals have you used ? I`ve heard a few times about problems with seals from Pyramid. (which still wouldn`t explain why your problem is intermittent)

G.

[higgy]

steel wool as Hamish posted works best

[ahdoman]

-I think the seals may have been from Pyramid.

-What grade of steel wool do you use?

[paso750]

Imo steelwool and chrome don`t really go well together. I`d rather use a Scotch brite pad (if at all). That stuff doesn`t scratch nor rust.

G.

[higgy]

well if you want to get technical G Bonami is best

[Mc tool]

I would use as fine a grade as you can ( 000) and note that you only need to polish lightly..... like almost no pressure . The fine edges of the wool will cut/ scrape anything softer than the wool itself that is on the hardened surface . The finer wool will clog quicker and you should make sure you are putting fresh wool to the job , rubbing furiously with clogged wool will only cause the wool to get hot , melt the stuff you have just cleaned off , and redeposit onto the job. When cleaning metal ( fork tubes ) a bit of CRC or WD40 on the wool can help , and change the wool before it starts to fall to bits . Steel wool is good for cleaning/polishing hard surfaces , but ( for instance ) alloy wheels , which are softer than the wool should be approached with caution , the idea is to have the wool passing over the surface of the job not digging into it . Aluminium can be polished with steel wool if almost zero pressure is used and soapy water ( about 50/50 dishwash liquid and water ) is a good lube for ally .... as is kerosene
AND ( buggery buggery bollocks!) I have about 4 sets of pyramid seals for the guzzi , and the RD, the paso I got the proper ones for being that they are an odd ball size