Master Brake Cylinder leakage

[badaboum]

Hey guys,

I have a 2008 GTR (number 7800 built) and I discovered today a bad new... My front brake Cylinder is leaking...

The leak of oil has made some damage on the painting of the front fork and and on one of the plastic fairing..(see the red lign on the attached photo)

Couple of questions here :

1) Is this ''usual'' ???

2) How can I repair that? Do I have to change the entire brake lever assy?

3) Can I claim something on Kawasaki as I can consider this a a bad design

4) How can I touch up paint the fork?

THanks for your help

PS : The bike is going very soon to have the retrofit made on the back brake lever

PS2 : I am in France

Cheerss

[Lonewolf]

Hi, if the leak is originating from the front brake cylinder reservoir it may simply be a case of replacing the reservoir. I would see if there is a neutraliser that you could apply to the metal which has been affected to halt any further contamination.

[badaboum]

Hello

THe leakage (as it can be seen on the first picture) is coming between the cylinder (white plastic) and the body of the brake lever (black part)

I am not sure It can be removed...

Don't know if there is a seal between those 2...

The manuals gives not relevant information..

[doebag]

There will be some sort of O-ring seal between the reservoir and the master cylinder, the fluid is not under pressure at this point, but you may still need to bleed any air out of the system when the repair is done.

[badaboum]

I think so but I have checked the shop manual and find nothing about that..

DO you know where I can find the drawings and part number of the bike? (this is easilly available on Suzuki bikes)

Thanks for your help

[nige gtr]

Hi mate,if your bike has a full service history,and any repairs done by a Kawasaki dealer,you may find that with the help of your dealer a goodwill post warranty claim may be forthcoming.At least its worth a try,and if they only offer a contribution towards the repair,it all helps. cheers.

[badaboum]

Hello

THis is what I was thinking.

I just wanted some opinion before...and see if I was the first one having that..

[Kwikasfuki]

DO you know where I can find the drawings and part number of the bike? (this is easilly available on Suzuki bikes)

Thanks for your help

http://www.kawasaki.com/DefaultFrame.aspx?strContentUrl=/SITE/VIVEHICLEINFORMATION/VICHOOSEVEHICLE.ASP

Select concours abs when you've searched for the model

[badaboum]

Hello

Thanks a lot for this linkkkkkkkkk

Its realy usefull...

I have found the drawings that interest me :

and the attached part list

REF NUMBER      PART NUMBER      DESCRIPTION      QUANTITY      US      CA      CN      REMARKS 

   132            132BA0612    BOLT-FLANGED-SMALL,6X12    2                   
   13236    13236-0103    LEVER-COMP,FRONT BRAKE    1                   
   13272    13272-0220    PLATE    1                   
   21176    21176-0075    SENSOR,SPEED,FR    1                   
   27010    27010-0025    SWITCH,BRAKE    1                   
   43015    43015-0086    CYLINDER-ASSY-MASTER,FR    1               
   43020    43020-0010    PISTON-COMP-BRAKE    1                   
   43026    43026-0011    CAP-BRAKE    1                   
   43027    43027-0003    PLATE-DIAPHRAGM    1                   
   43028    43028-0008    DIAPHRAGM    1                   
   43034A    43034-1016    HOLDER-BRAKE,MASTER CYLINDER    1         
   43056    43056-1056    BREATHER-BRAKE    1                    ]
   43057    43057-1001    CAP-BREATHER    1                   
   43078    43078-0048    RESERVOIR    1                   
   92002    92002-1323    BOLT,SCREW,4X12    1                   
   92015    92015-1233    NUT,FLANGED,6MM,BLACK    1                   
   92033    92033-0034    RING-SNAP    1                   
   92055    92055-0137    RING-O    1                   
   92055A    92055-1251    RING-O,MASTER CYLINDER    1                   
   92153    92153-0868    BOLT,LEVER    1                   
   92153A    92153-1518    BOLT,SOCKET,6X22    2                   
   92153B    92153-1853    BOLT,SOCKET,6X12    1                   
   92171    92171-0624    CLAMP    1                   
   92172    92172-0319    SCREW    1                   
   92172A    92172-0320    SCREW,4X20    3                   
      

[badaboum]

I beleive the leakage is coming from the 2 ring o seals

92055-1251
and
92055

My brake pads were changed 6 months ago. Do you think it has to do with it? I mean do the mechanics interact with this part of the lever when he refill the reservoir and dump the air?

Sorry for asking that but I am not a very good (yet) on braking system.

Thankss

[2kwacks]

I beleive the leakage is coming from the 2 ring o seals

92055-1251
and
92055

My brake pads were changed 6 months ago. Do you think it has to do with it? I mean do the mechanics interact with this part of the lever when he refill the reservoir and dump the air?

Sorry for asking that but I am not a very good (yet) on braking system.

Thankss

just replacing the pads will have nothing to do with the brake fluid, even if the brake fluid was changed it would not cause the reservoir to leak. did you ask the tech to change your brake fluid? even if your pads where really low the tech would have just most likely top your reservoir up! it looks like you have been unlucky in the fact that the seals have failed. if kawasaki don't replace or help with the cost, you can pick up a used reservoir from a breaker, there are quite a few newer gtr1400 models on ebay that bike breakers are dismantling or just replace the seals and re-bleed the system. the kawasaki a.b.s pump is a sealed unit so the system can be blead the conventional way

[Rusty]

As Dave has just said I would think the problem is that the seals have either perished or perhaps were not put in properly when they were last taken out for a fluid change .... but proving that a K technician is to blame would be a non starter ... a new plastic reservoir looks to be your only option .. replace the entire unit and be done with it. Sorry that doesn't help much. 

[Martin#30]

My brake pads were changed 6 months ago. Do you think it has to do with it? I mean do the mechanics interact with this part of the lever when he refill the reservoir and dump the air?

Possibly, if the mechanic was amateur enough to leave the fluid reservoir cap on whilst pushing the caliper pistons back into the calipers. Possibly the master cylinder o-ring would pop under that pressure when the reservior filled completely.

It would be near impossible to prove this though.

Martin.

[badaboum]

Agreed

[Deon]

"Possibly, if the mechanic was amateur enough to leave the fluid reservoir cap on whilst pushing the caliper pistons back into the calipers. Possibly the master cylinder o-ring would pop under that pressure when the reservior filled completely.

It would be near impossible to prove this though."

Have to disagree Martin. By pushing the caliper pistons back would never pop the o-ring.

Deon