Fork update

Andy Mullins said:

If you read my little ride report you'll remember my fork
problem. Since I'm not going to be able to get to the lbs
until Thursday I decided to check a couple things myself.
I popped to fork tube cap to check the oil height. It
measured 120mm which is actually higher than the
recommended level. This makes me think no oil has leaked
or it was filled to high from the factory or dealer and
excess oil was pushed out. Does this sound like a good
theory? I think I'm going to give it another ride before I
take it back to the lbs. Manitou recommends using Motorex
5wt suspension oil. Is there any difference in the 5wt oil
they use for mtbs and motorcycles? I've used their oil in
my MX bike and keep a bottle of it around.

There is no difference between motorcycle and bicycle fork
oil, other than price. Bicycle fork oil is sold in tiny
little bottles for three times the price per bottle as
compared to motorcycle fork oil.

I'd ride it again to see if more fluid does in fact leak
out, but not for the reasons you hypothesize. The fluid
that's leaking and the stuff in the leg you checked are
separated by seals, and should have nothing to do with
each other.

miles

So what you're saying is that there is another chamber of
oil than the one I checked. How can I check that oil? Is
there a schematic breakdown anywhere I can see of the forks.
Its a Manitou Black Sport. I'm a fairly mechanical person
and can work on about anything.

"miles todd" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andy Mullins said:

If you read my little ride report you'll remember my
fork problem. Since

I'm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

not going to be able to get to the lbs until Thursday I
decided to check

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

couple things myself. I popped to fork tube cap to check
the oil

height. It

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

measured 120mm which is actually higher than the
recommended level. This makes me think no oil has leaked
or it was filled to high from the

factory

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or dealer and excess oil was pushed out. Does this sound
like a good

theory?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I think I'm going to give it another ride before I take
it back to the

lbs.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Manitou recommends using Motorex 5wt suspension oil. Is
there any

difference

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the 5wt oil they use for mtbs and motorcycles? I've
used their oil in

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

MX bike and keep a bottle of it around.

There is no difference between motorcycle and bicycle fork
oil, other than price. Bicycle fork oil is sold in tiny
little bottles for three times the price per bottle as
compared to motorcycle fork oil.

I'd ride it again to see if more fluid does in fact leak
out, but not for the reasons you hypothesize. The fluid
that's leaking and the stuff in the leg you checked are
separated by seals, and should have nothing to do with
each other.

miles

Andy Mullins said:

Its a Manitou Black Sport. I'm a fairly mechanical person
and can work on about anything.

google is your friend!

216.119.92.126Blackeng1.pdfOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

If you read my little ride report you'll remember my fork
problem. Since I'm not going to be able to get to the lbs
until Thursday I decided to check a couple things myself.
I popped to fork tube cap to check the oil height. It
measured 120mm which is actually higher than the
recommended level. This makes me think no oil has leaked
or it was filled to high from the factory or dealer and
excess oil was pushed out. Does this sound like a good
theory? I think I'm going to give it another ride before I
take it back to the lbs. Manitou recommends using Motorex
5wt suspension oil. Is there any difference in the 5wt oil
they use for mtbs and motorcycles? I've used their oil in
my MX bike and keep a bottle of it around.

I didn't read you problem, what was it? Motorcycle oil fork
is the same thing just at 1/4 the price.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-ramsays-Open ↗
online.com

When I finished riding I found lots of fork oil on the
outside tubes. It appeared to be leaking to me. Now I'm
trying to figure out where the oil came from.

"Chris Phillipo" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

If you read my little ride report you'll remember my
fork problem. Since

I'm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

not going to be able to get to the lbs until Thursday I
decided to check

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

couple things myself. I popped to fork tube cap to check
the oil

height. It

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

measured 120mm which is actually higher than the
recommended level. This makes me think no oil has leaked
or it was filled to high from the

factory

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or dealer and excess oil was pushed out. Does this sound
like a good

theory?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I think I'm going to give it another ride before I take
it back to the

lbs.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Manitou recommends using Motorex 5wt suspension oil. Is
there any

difference

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the 5wt oil they use for mtbs and motorcycles? I've
used their oil in

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

MX bike and keep a bottle of it around.

I didn't read you problem, what was it? Motorcycle oil
fork is the same thing just at 1/4 the price.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-ramsays-Open ↗
online.com

Thanks for that link but I had found in on Answer's website
already. It didn't really show me what I'm looking for. I'm
trying to see where the oil would be leaking from if it
didn't come from the tube I checked.

"sittingduck" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andy Mullins said:

Its a Manitou Black Sport. I'm a fairly mechanical
person and can work on about anything.

google is your friend!

216.119.92.126Blackeng1.pdfOpen ↗

Andy Mullins said:

When I finished riding I found lots of fork oil on the
outside tubes. It appeared to be leaking to me. Now I'm
trying to figure out where the oil came from.

The oil you saw in the tube was the "TPC" damper's resevoir.
The oil that may well be leaking, as I understand your
original pot, is coming from the seal where the outer leg
overlaps the inner. The oil would then be the from the small
amount inside the outer leg (but outside the inner leg) that
is there to lube the bushings. The problem would lie with
the "Evil Genius" seals. Normally this oil would simply sit
at the bottom of the leg, and occasionally splash around a
bit. It really should have nothing forcing it out of the
fork... unless the bike spends a lot of time upside down.
You don't hang the bike upside down in your garage, do you?

Miles

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

When I finished riding I found lots of fork oil on the
outside tubes. It appeared to be leaking to me. Now I'm
trying to figure out where the oil came from.

Well I don't know what fork you have but I noticed some of
the new Manitou forks use an open bath style system instead
of that microlube port thing they had, so if the seals fail
you will get oil leaking at the wipers.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-ramsays-Open ↗
online.com

Quoted message said:

The oil you saw in the tube was the "TPC" damper's
resevoir. The oil that may well be leaking, as I
understand your original pot, is coming from the seal
where the outer leg overlaps the inner. The oil would then
be the from the small amount inside the outer leg (but
outside the inner leg) that is there to lube the bushings.
The problem would lie with the "Evil Genius" seals.
Normally this oil would simply sit at the bottom of the
leg, and occasionally splash around a bit. It really
should have nothing forcing it out of the fork... unless
the bike spends a lot of time upside down. You don't hang
the bike upside down in your garage, do you?

Miles

Nope, Don't hang the bike upside down. Its been hanging out
in my living room in the corner next to the couch where it
belongs. I understand where your saying this oil is. The
source did appear to be at the wiper under the boot. Is
there a way to check this oil level? Should I take it back
to the shop for them to check it out or just do it myself? I
don't care to do the work and feel comfortable doing it.

Thanks for all the help guys.

Andy Mullins said:

Quoted message said:

The oil you saw in the tube was the "TPC" damper's
resevoir. The oil that may well be leaking, as I
understand your original pot, is coming from the seal
where the outer leg overlaps the inner. The oil would then
be the from the small amount inside the outer leg (but
outside the inner leg) that is there to lube the bushings.
The problem would lie with the "Evil Genius" seals.
Normally this oil would simply sit at the bottom of the
leg, and occasionally splash around a bit. It really
should have nothing forcing it out of the fork... unless
the bike spends a lot of time upside down. You don't hang
the bike upside down in your garage, do you?

Miles

Nope, Don't hang the bike upside down. Its been hanging
out in my living room in the corner next to the couch
where it belongs. I understand where your saying this oil
is. The source did appear to be at the wiper under the
boot. Is there a way to check this oil level? Should I
take it back to the shop for them to check it out or just
do it myself? I don't care to do the work and feel
comfortable doing it.

Thanks for all the help guys.

I'm not sure really how much oil is in the lower legs, but
I don't believe it is much at all. The issue, really, is
the seal. ˆt doesn't seem to be doing its job, and for that
I'd go back to the shop and explain the problem. If they
say that it is typical, go to a different shop. A SLIGHT
residue is typical, but certainly not enough to drool down
the lower leg.

Miles