22-09-13, 11:23 PM
Interesting.
Not something I'd noticed with mine, and neither has my right fork leg shown any preference for leaking as compared with the left.
I suppose there are three possibilities.
The oil is somehow breaking up into small enough molecules to become gases. Possible in the presence of suitable catalysts and steam or hydrogen at many hundreds of degrees, not too likely to happen in a fork leg.
There's water in there forming oxides of aluminium and hydrogen as it rots the insides. I'd be surprised if it could generate enough to be noticeable, but you could at least test for it (and the previous idea) by seeing if the gas is flammable as you release the fork cap. :eek
Alternatively, air is getting sucked in past the fork seals each time the fork extends. Which sounds like damaged seals... in one direction.
Not something I'd noticed with mine, and neither has my right fork leg shown any preference for leaking as compared with the left.
I suppose there are three possibilities.
The oil is somehow breaking up into small enough molecules to become gases. Possible in the presence of suitable catalysts and steam or hydrogen at many hundreds of degrees, not too likely to happen in a fork leg.
There's water in there forming oxides of aluminium and hydrogen as it rots the insides. I'd be surprised if it could generate enough to be noticeable, but you could at least test for it (and the previous idea) by seeing if the gas is flammable as you release the fork cap. :eek
Alternatively, air is getting sucked in past the fork seals each time the fork extends. Which sounds like damaged seals... in one direction.