Forks Leaking after Change

I don't know how I could have messed up a simple fork oil change, but I did.
All I did is remove the bottom drain screws, take off the top nuts and refill with oil. I drained out 140 ml of oil from each leg and added back 150 ml. Now as the bike sits overnight, small drips appear on the floor under each leg. The drain screws are absolutely dry. The oil is running down the legs from under the wipers. What could have caused this? Could they be overfilled? Will it stop after a few mls drip out?
Thanks,
Jaydee

Man oh man this is healing to read, as so similar happens to me too often, ie: fiddle with a simple maintenance task to create a tedious diagnosis and recovery.
2 things come to mind, one- its just spills to outside seeking home, two- there was 175+ ml in fork to begin with and now 185+ ml so forks over filled, leaking which will hydro lock to toss you off the road after 1/4-1/2 mile of working great. There is nil danger to run too low oil so 1st thing to try is let out 10 ml to see if that stops it. If not then you ruined you fork seals, which then fouls the plugs by disturbed wires and upsets your clocks function having handle them to access fork innards. I'd try slow riding across curbs and lawns to pump forks and see if that increases or decreases the drips to come to a tough decision point.

Its easy to get some over spill, tipping oil into the spring, is this the case?

john robert bould said:

Its easy to get some over spill, tipping oil into the spring, is this the case?

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Good idea, but I just went and checked and it is dry as a bone everywhere above the seal wiper, leg is wet all the way down with slow drool.
I haven't ridden it yet, and I can't bounce it because I have the front caliper off. Could there be an air bubble or something?
Hopefully they are just overfull as Hobot said and it will quit soon.

Jaydee

OK. Before bed, here is my last dash to find a reason, Before you pulled the drain screws the fork seals where under some pressure, [normal] this forced the seals onto the stanchion, when you re-filled the legs the pressure was lost, hence the slight leak, Give the forks a few bounce's and the forks re-pressurize abit...and no leaks!
I cannot think of anything else.

I can, you need new fork seals.

Torontonian said:

I can, you need new fork seals.

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But they were dry as a bone before the oil change. I have Honda seals in, never a leak. No reason to start leaking just from changing the oil.

Is the static fluid level above the seal location normally?
Jaydee

Fork sanctions pitted :?:

He didin't ask that. the question is why after a oil change they leak, as they where dry before.
had he had said my seals are leaking, what should i do..the answer would be differant.

Torontonian said:

I can, you need new fork seals.

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Honda ? how old are they ? When was the last time you stripped down to clean out hole-blocking crud ? It builds up and draining-refill not a complete cleanout. Springs rust too with water creating thick yuk.

The only thing I can figure is that they are overfilled. I drained out 140 cc, but I couldn't pump the forks because the front brake i s off. So maybe there was a good bit still inside. The oil was clean. I put in 150 cc but that may have been too much. I'm going to watch it a few days and see if the drool stops while I rebuild my caliper.
Thanks,
JD

jaydee75 said:

The only thing I can figure is that they are overfilled. I drained out 140 cc, but I couldn't pump the forks because the front brake i s off. So maybe there was a good bit still inside. The oil was clean. I put in 150 cc but that may have been too much. I'm going to watch it a few days and see if the drool stops while I rebuild my caliper.
Thanks,
JD

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Can you not pump the forks by just pushing the front wheel against a chock, or a brick, or the wall?

hehe, if the drip is not from spillage then you must have the tightest semi prefect roadholder ever was holds air pressure but not oil weeps, sheeze. The oil should just drain on down as some of it burbles back as displace air escapes, but no pressure differences required or developed enough to affect seal at rest. You do not have to bounce forks to break an air lock or get oil to seek natural level. There is no area for air to collect but the very top of forks. Its not unheard of that an well functioning item just suddenly faints away just by being so close to your good intentions and handling. I have over filled to Rodeo Bucking ride with sudden hydro lock but Peel Roadholders did not leak, just freaked me out. They got pounded to errie soft short stops before and after. If anyone has better logic to apply I'm open to new physics. In some cases a puddle can form under forks from a brake fluid leak or heck in a Commando both at once, except the drums I guess.