New fork seals leaking!

[BoB3rt]

Bought R6 in march.

Noticed fork seals where leaking oil (wasn't too bothered as got it for a good price, i now know why!) so i got them re-done. Happy days.

Got out onit for the first time today, was nice to be back on the road spent a year at the track.

Covered a little over 50miles and then took a look at my forks....

Left one FINE! Right one leaking oil... (the right one was leaking more than left before hand) ... had a real good look at the fork and i can see like a slight line in it and can feel the slightest of grooves when i run my nail over it... now assuming it is marked letting the oil out when the fork decompresses!?

IF this is the case WHY didn't the shop check this and point it out to me... the guy even showed me the old seals and said it looks like nothing was wrong with it.

Usually do things myself but i paid for once to get a proper job so i knew the forks would be correct.

*sigh*

I suppose i am just after some advise before i contact them on Monday?!

Play dumb or mention the mark?

Thanks

[Tango]

How much oil is coming out of the forks?.......and when you say a slight line, is this along the fork tube or around it?.....and is there any sign of pitting on the fork tubes?

If the line is as you say very slight then it's unlikely that this in itself is where the oil is coming from....but any roughness on the fork tubes can tear or wear the fork seals causing them to leak.....

Also....was the bike laid up for any time?.......if it was the fork seals can stick to the fork tubes through lack of movement.....and again the seals can tear when they are then moved again......

[BoB3rt]

There is enough to notice not just like a misting of oil but mounting up to a droplet.

I will take a picture tomorrow and try to show the scratch/mark i mean - it is vertical on the inner tube looks like a tiny stone my have been caught in the dust seal as its compressed. it is faint though.

I will also take a picture after a ride to show the oil.

It was stood for about 2 years but i have just had new seals put on.

Thanks.

[eastanglianbiker]

if there is a visable line down the stantion then chaces are thats where the oil is traveling out along it and could result in either new fork leg or a rechrome of the one you have

[BoB3rt]

Hello,

As promised here is some pictures:

1. The first one shows two lines which took me a good while to get a picture to show them so clear... looking at the fork they just look like light reflections but running my nail over there is a slight feel of a scratch. In fact the picture makes them look worse than they are now but i wanted a clear pic.

 

2. The second picture was after i had cleaned the fork and than ridden about 30 or so miles. Highlighted is the droplet of oil that had gathered.

 

I am not sure what to do... do i contact the shop? Play dumb? Point out the scratch (don't just want to give them an easy escape route!)?

Is it likely this is the problem then?

If so why didn't they check for this but instead just charged me for something i didn't need... Guys seem nice enough and knew what they was doing aswell.

hmmm.

Thanks

[eastanglianbiker]

wipe the forks down and ride it about again for a few miles as it could be oil from where they lubricated the seals when fitting them. if fresh oil appears after a ride then they need looking at as that mark in the fork could damage the seal and allow oil past

[BoB3rt]

This is what i had already done.

1. I went out Saturday for the first time and did about 30 odd miles. Noticed the fork was leaking.

2. On saturday night I started this thread to have a moan

3. Sunday i took a picture in the morning(showing the scratch) and cleaned the fork of any oil.

4. Went for a ride of about 30miles again and took the second picture showing more oil

5. Sunday Night I Posted the pictures and had a cry. ha

So what do i do about the bike shop?

Thanks.

[eastanglianbiker]

cant hurt to go back to them she show it leaking and see what they got to say about it because if they had seen the damage to fork leg they should of told you it might not seal up,there is a temporary cure to solve the problem i will pm you details

[BoB3rt]

Will use your advice and see if it solves the issue, if not or it looks like it is leaking from all around i will have to contact the shop ASAP.

This is nightmare something so small of an issue, that costs so much to resolve. I doubt i will ever use a shop again and just do it myself.

Thanks

[Voodoo]

You could always do it yourself (it's a bit of a ball ache) and when you've got it all apart, use a very fine bit of emery paper over the scratch and make it as smooth as possible. This has worked for me in the past on pitted and scratched forks and is a hell of a lot cheaper than a re-chrome or new forks. You might even be able to do it without removing the forks.

Also, in a way the shop didn't do anything wrong, you asked them to replace the seals and that's what they did.

[BoB3rt]

Yep the shop has been fine.

Been back there today and they had a look it was bone dry when they popped the dust seal off, they said it could be the grease and to put a few miles on the clock but if it continues go back and they will look further into it.

When i got home there was more but this could have been the agent they sprayed in to clean it... although i feel we are just hoping for the best here and making excuses. my feeling is there is something wrong. I cleaned this up and pushed the forks down a few times and you could already see slight misting and then further more i pushed the forks the more that would gather till i could see it smear when i used my finger which will only be worse wen riding - mounting up to droplets.

It does appear to be around the whole fork though and not just one area... yeh the seal is not leaking when at a standstill.

Bloke suggested fitting genuine Yamaha seals and would not charge me for the labour.

There is very mild scoring on the forks so i am guessing this is the issue ... making genuine yama seals pointless?

How much is re-chroming?

Is doping the seal size 1mm help you think?

Thanks

[Tango]

Don't try dropping the seal size 1mm.......I had a set of seals on the Trophy that were the wrong size and I could not get the fork legs into them.....

I'd say deffo go for OEM seals.....some of the cheapo ones are cr*p.......

How does the fork leg that's leaking look compared to the other one?......any scoring on that one too?

Can you polish the score line out?

[oslin06]

Just poking my nose in here, first of all are you sure the lines were there when thay did the seals, or has it arrived since ? if you decide to have a go your self you might be lucky and be able to use a very fine stone and remove the lines so long as they are not to deep, if they are the seal will not be able to take up the difference, I have done this in the past.

Keith

[BoB3rt]

Hi,

Yes i am pretty sure the lines where there before hand. I hope!

I think that the scoring is too deep.

I have been looking for a new Stanchion and came across THIS even though it isnt yamaha i dont see the harm in going for this as no real weight goes through this its more of a cover and guidance for the internals and to seal the oil. Any opinions?

In the mean time i will use some VERY fine paper to try and work out these marks at a chance they are not to deep. What stone are you refering to sorry?

Thanks for the help

Rob

[Joeman]

What did the shop say about the lines?? Why do they think OEM parts would be better than the parts they fitted? Did you specify non-oem parts in the first place??

I would say the shop did the job, handed the bike back as "complete" when in fact there is a problem.

Either they have used cheap parts (their fault)

They have done it wrong (their fault)

The fork is damaged causing the leak - they really should have noticed this!!

I'd go back and be firm with them. You paid for a finished job, they charged you for a finished job but its leaking... How is that fair??

[BoB3rt]

I see your point but the shop have done what i asked and they have fitted the correct size seal.

They are also offering me help with this and anything that needs changing they are doing to solve the problem and not charging labour.

The left fork seal is fine aswell and there is no oil leaking from the right fork seal when i lift the dust seal off to look... so i think the inner tube needs sorting.

Thanks

[BoB3rt]

After a couple of weeks riding there is still a leak... but obviously i didnt expect it to solve itself, yet we can rule out the bedding in! - which i did along time ago!

Took the dust seal off yesterday, gave it a good polish and a rub down with some ULTRA fine paper and polished again. had a look at the soring and it really didnt seem deep enough to cause this.

With the seal off i started to pull the fork down with my hand and noticed a slight ring misting so gave it a wipe and repeated. Each time there was a ring... SO the seal is leaking!

Popped round the shop to show them and said it does appear to be letting through so if I can buy a OEM seal they will get it fitted.

Starting to feel a bit annoied though i just want it sorted and feel like i have paid for this job!

Swear it best work or i will be doing it myself as i do most things! - should have to start with!

Rob

[Joeman]

Popped round the shop to show them and said it does appear to be letting through so if I can buy a OEM seal they will get it fitted.

Starting to feel a bit annoied though i just want it sorted and feel like i have paid for this job!

Swear it best work or i will be doing it myself as i do most things! - should have to start with!

Rob

 

Exactly. The shop fitted cheap budget seals, and handed you back the bike as "complete". The parts and labor are warranted, so if the seal is leaking, its their job to fix the situation.

Again, be Firm with them. Dont take crap like "you must buy OEM seals" they fitted seals that are clearly not up to the job... Their choice of parts, their labor, so when it all goes wrong, its their responsibility to put it right..

EDIT: Read up on the "Supply of Goods and Services Act"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8253915.stm

[BoB3rt]

Thanks for all the support and replies.

So i had the OEM Yamaha seal fitted which cost me £10 and lo and behold no more leaking! (up to now but i would of expected it to leak in the first 10 miles if it was going to)

Needless to say I will not be going back to that shop nor will I go to any shop again, I will just do it myself.

They didn't once suggest it could be the seal or their problem... came across pleasant but not as interested in helping the customer as he made out. Even if i now said the seal has worked not a chance would he offer to refund the seal cost, if it was my fork-leg i could understand me paying for another seal to try.

I am happy it is sorted finally!

If you live around Merseyside drop me a PM and i will advise you where not to go

Thanks.

Rob

[eastanglianbiker]

glad its all sorted and at not to high a cost well done