Oil mist on the inside of windshield

[Eckhard Grohe]

I went for a bike,R1100RT, ride yesterday after having put new seals on the forks, rebuilt a front caliper and installed stainless steel brake lines. Upon returning home I noticed that there was an oily mist on the driver's side of the windshield. Could it have come from any of the bits I worked on???? or are they too far out of the way???? I checked the bits and they were dry to the touch by the way.

[Zot]

I went for a bike,R1100RT, ride yesterday after having put new seals on the forks, rebuilt a front caliper and installed stainless steel brake lines. Upon returning home I noticed that there was an oily mist on the driver's side of the windshield. Could it have come from any of the bits I worked on???? or are they too far out of the way???? I checked the bits and they were dry to the touch by the way.

 

Check your oil cooler Eckhard, I can't base the suggestion on anything other than the fact that it's in the same vicinity.

[John Dickens]

First check is to see if it's oil or brake fluid.

 

Brake fluid will wipe off with water.

[Wooster]

Eckhard,

 

The three maintenance items all have to do with hydraulic fluid; that seems the likely identity of the oil mist. Just the same, as you report these bits are dry, try cleaning mist off shield and ride again; perhaps the mist's source was brake fluid let loose while completing the repairs.

 

Wooster

[Steve W.]

Take a hard look at the front master cylinder, around the boot where the piston meets the lever. When the brakes are bled the piston can be pushed to the unused part of the cylinder and the crud in there causes the seals to leak. Well known problem on these bikes. You can remove the piston and clean out the cylinder and re-install the piston. If it still leaks you may be able to get a new piston seal from Europe. The US stealers don't sell the kit, only a replacement master cylinder

Good Luck

Steve

OBTW, Dot 3-4 fluid makes good paint remover, wash it off paint pronto.

[Ken H.]

The US stealers don't sell the kit, only a replacement master cylinder

Not true. The rebuild kit is 32722332037 easly available from any dealer.

[RSL]

...The rebuild kit is 32722332037 easly available from any dealer.

 

Wazzat cost?

[Ken H.]

...The rebuild kit is 32722332037 easly available from any dealer.

 

Wazzat cost?

$69.00 retail, $55.20 at Chicago BMW.

[Jerry_75_Guy]

This is exactly what happened to me.

 

As to the source, depends on exactly where on the inside of the windshield you're getting the oil spray.

 

First off, I doubt that it is brake fluid, because very quickly after it hits the windshield or paint, it will fog or ruin it DAMHIK , and if that had happened you'd know and would have lamented the fact to us (by the way, if perchance you ever do get some brake fluid on a windshield, using a 'fine scratch remover' liquid will help).

 

It could be the oil cooler, but my guess is that it's the new seal on the fork: it may be leaking as a result of improper installation, or be a faulty seal etc. I know this because it's what I did

 

After punishing my forks at ERC last year, my original right fork seal failed. I started getting this fine oil spray on the right handlebar, windshield and instrument panel. I looked down at the fork, and sure enough, it was pretty oily. I replaced the seal (it was a harder job for me than others here had claimed it would be), but to this day it still leaks a bit. I'm about to change the front tire, and fiqured I'd wait till then to fix it (again), and in the mean time I duct taped a papertowel around the top of the fork to contain the leak/spray, and this seems to have done the trick ("it ain't broke!, it gist lacks duct tape!!" ).

 

By the way, I don't know what I did wrong to lead to the continued leak I'm experiencing, so if anyone has any suggestions for Eckhard (assuming you have the same problem) and I, I'm all ears; I'll be putting on the new front tire and the attempting to correct the fork problem in the next week or so.

[Eckhard Grohe]

Just to wrap up the saga there was no more oil on this last ride. It may have been some lodged somewhere or something from another vehicle.