Oil Level in fork

[fermin]

Just got my 10W oil and when I checked the front fork oil level with a 1 m rod (approx 3 mm dia)  I could not get it to pass lower than about the oil seal and its dry.  The owners manual says that you need 30 mm above bottom.  

Added about 150 ml of oil, the rod measures over 50 mm of oil and if I try to lower the level by opening the drain nothing comes out.
  
My question is shouldnt the rod go all the way to the bottom of the fork assembly and why doesnt the oil drain when I open the plug?

[Bob_Roller]

There's a damper assembly in the fork tube, it's about 12-14 inches long, and is held in place with a bolt on the bottom of the fork tube, that's what prevents the rod from going all the way down .

Is the fill port bolt installed ?

Did you drain out the original oil before adding the new oil ?

If it is, that would prevent oil from draining out, if the bolt is out, you need to put a small diameter tool, like an allen wrench into the drain hole opening .

It's pretty common to have a rubber bump stop deteriorate, and clog up the drain .

[fermin]

Thanks Bob

Eureka, its draining beautifully after probing in the plug with a small allen wrench just as described.

Now I can follow the O&M procedure?.  

I need to get you a beer or two if you are ever down here.

[Bob_Roller]

You shouldn't have any more issues, I've never done the measurement method, I just add 190 ml of oil to each fork, and let it be .

I just drained the fork oil out of my project LS this afternoon, and drain hole was really clogged, when I finally got it open, clumps of black 'goo' came out, so I know that I need to replace the bump stop in each fork, when I replace seals .

[fermin]

Seals are next as well as the tubes, I got the parts when I purchased the bike.  I should have started that work but want to the the bike running before completing that project.  Nect question is clutch & gear shifter....

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

If you have rubber bits clogging your drain, you had better have two new bumpers on hand when you rebuild your forks.

Replace them both, even if the other one looks fine.
I did mine this past fall.  One side had a perfect (30 year-old) bumper, while, except for some junk in the bottom of the fork tube, there was no sign of that side's bumper.


You might enjoy reading my thread:
http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1254093089


And this thread is when I sought advice on properly filling them:
http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1264223998

[montmil]

Sometimes it's just plain, decades old silt that gets past the seals. My '81   Monte

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Sometimes it's just plain, decades old silt that gets past the seals. My '81   Monte

If you have [that much] silt getting down below the seals, you must have a lot of oil coming out of the seals.

[montmil]

Rob, That photo was taken when I first acquired the bike. This particular seal was quite vintage. Just one of several items that had not been maintained properly. But it's all good now... just time and several piles of $$$.

Monte