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[alejandro]

Hi guys...I've learned so much from you guys!!!...Thanks to all of you that can wrench for helping us little people...

I have a very, very thin film of light colored oil covering the top of the left fork I noticed after a long ride this weekend...Is this a bad sign? do I need to have it "filled" or have I a blown gasket?

Do any of you have any suggestions? comments?

[Talon]

Sounds like the beginnings of a seal leak. If it were me I'd go ahead and and fix it during the winter. If it gets worse you'll get oil on the brake pads and you'll end up doing it during next summers riding season.

Craig

[hdbrad03]

Most of the time on the left side it is the oil purging from the neck bearing grease. It will run down the lower triple tree and down the outside and inside of the top slider cover.


 
      Brad

[Eqcons]

Most of the time on the left side it is the oil purging from the neck bearing grease. It will run down the lower triple tree and down the outside and inside of the top slider cover.


 
      Brad

Agreed.

[alejandro]

yeah that's what it looks like guys...is this going to be a labor (expensive) intensive job?! neck bearing grease purging sounds baaaddd...

[Eqcons]

yeah that's what it looks like guys...is this going to be a labor (expensive) intensive job?! neck bearing grease purging sounds baaaddd...

LOL!  No, just wash it off, no other work required!

[hdbrad03]

No it  is a normal thing no maintenance required. Harley's neck bearing grease always seems to release some oil from its grease. Switch to a thicker multi Purpose lithium grease and your problem should be greatly reduced.

 
     Brad

[Twolanerider]

Alejandro, just in case you're not familiar with it what the guys are talking about is something other than the fork seals.  From the left side look at the side of the neck.  You'll see a grease fitting.  That's where grease is forced in to the neck.  It's not what you'd call a sophisticated or calibrated operation.

All that's done is enough grease is pumped in to fill it.  That lubes the bearings top and bottom.  What happens it it's both pumped full enough some pushes out past the bearings and/or when it gets hot some greases run a little.  If that's what you've got going on it's not a "leak" that you service.  Just wipe it all off and keep going. 

Take a look in there and see if you can see grease pushed out past the lower bearing.  If so (and it's not uncommon) that's a place to wipe down.  Get as much as you can of that out.  It's only going to make a mess anyway.

[alejandro]

ok...i'll try to wipe the whole thing off tonight...i hope this is it and not the fork seals...BUT once i do this, would i be able to tell if it is the oil seeping out of the grease due to overfilling and/or heat OR how kind i tell if it is a fork seal gone bad?...i hate to take it to the stealer for this...they are just gonna tell me its normal and i'll walk out with 300 dollars worth of new chrome and come home to a not so wife...sound familiar anyone?

thanks YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME HERE... i don't know why once in a while we get a few tools in here trying to one up everyone...oh well...take the good with the bad...

[Talon]

Good to know, never had any grease running down before, but would be a good thing to look for before buying seals!

Craig

[Eqcons]

Good to know, never had any grease running down before, but would be a good thing to look for before buying seals!

Craig

Happened to me this year - immediately thought it was a leak till I worked out what was happening!

[tazmun]

Happens to mine every time I have it serviced. My dealer switched grease
and it has slowed. When it's real hot out, and I'm on a ride, I also get it to
run over my tank. Used to scare the heck out of me.

[Twolanerider]

Happens to mine every time I have it serviced. My dealer switched grease
and it has slowed. When it's real hot out, and I'm on a ride, I also get it to
run over my tank. Used to scare the heck out of me.

That can happen too.  When the grease gets warm and runny rather than just slowly oozing downhill can actually get carried by the windstream back to the face of the gas tank.

[Twolanerider]

ok...i'll try to wipe the whole thing off tonight...i hope this is it and not the fork seals...BUT once i do this, would i be able to tell if it is the oil seeping out of the grease due to overfilling and/or heat OR how kind i tell if it is a fork seal gone bad?...i hate to take it to the stealer for this...they are just gonna tell me its normal and i'll walk out with 300 dollars worth of new chrome and come home to a not so wife...sound familiar anyone?

thanks YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME HERE... i don't know why once in a while we get a few tools in here trying to one up everyone...oh well...take the good with the bad...

Alejandro, whatever it is you're finding don't hesitate to get up close and personal with it.  Wipe it off with your finger and smell it (some of us might even taste it but that's a little extreme).  Fork oil is a hydraulic oil.  Grease from the neck is an obvious bearing type grease.  They won't feel or smell (or taste) the same.

[alejandro]

wow...come to think of it...i checked the front face of the tank and the front face of the moustache bars (left side) and there is oil splatter there!...man that really would have freaked me out if you guys didn't mention it...!

for the good of the cause...i will go home tonight and smell and taste both substances...man, just when i thought i'd hit bottom...