Please tell me this isn't a brake fluid leak

anacron · July 28th, 2013, 07:49 PM

I have no idea where that stuff came from. I checked the pipe running to the caliper and its completely clean.

Everything else looks clean except what you see.

MNDruggist · July 28th, 2013, 07:59 PM

It looks like brake fluid to me. It might be coming out of the master brake cylinder and running down your brake lines to the low spot pictured. Crush washers can fail if the banjo bolt above the brake cylinder is over-tightened. The bad news is that brake fluid spills should be wiped up right away, it can eat through your paint very easily. If your under warrantee, have it dealer inspected so your bake will be fixed and also future paint or swingarm replacement should be covered due to the defect.

Asspire · July 28th, 2013, 08:13 PM

can we get a close up of caliper? doesn't look like brake fluid, but hard to tell. looks kinda greasy...

anacron · July 28th, 2013, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asspire

can we get a close up of caliper? doesn't look like brake fluid, but hard to tell. looks kinda greasy...

Yup absolutely. It felt greasy when I touched it and wasn't a clear-yellowish color as the brake fluid looks in the reservoir.

I'll post one in a couple of minutes.

Bentley813 · July 28th, 2013, 08:18 PM

Looks like grease to me.

anacron · July 28th, 2013, 08:46 PM

Its dark and my camera flash is terrible.

Smells like grease to me. I did a thorough pat down of the brake reservoir pipe - didn't feel wet spots.

The exterior of the pipe just above the suspected leak was spotless. I'll keep a close eye over the next few rides to see if its a serious problem.

Edit: Time to give it a bath...

alex.s · July 28th, 2013, 08:50 PM

it looks like ****

JohnnyBravo · July 28th, 2013, 09:23 PM

This is not the fluid of the brakes

Motofool · July 28th, 2013, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex.s

it looks like ****

May it be that a bird visited your bike today?

anacron · July 28th, 2013, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo

This is not the fluid of the brakes

Awesome!! Would have felt pretty down if it was a brake leak.

Especially with all of my recent "ZOMG I'm getting good at riding and treating the bike well" posts.

Thanks for the input people.

anacron · July 28th, 2013, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motofool

May it be that a bird visited your bike today?

Quite possible. I did park outside today while doing some shopping. Must have been one greasy **** that the bird took...

JohnnyBravo · July 28th, 2013, 09:46 PM

Lots of funky things land different places on your bike, make sure ya ain't got a visible leak, clean it off, ride it some more... If it keeps doing the same thing it's a problem. if its a random bird turd, or road grime your good!

Motofool · July 28th, 2013, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anacron

Quite possible. I did park outside today while doing some shopping. Must have been one greasy **** that the bird took...

If the bike was on the side stand, how could the staff flow up on the top face of the swingarm without some help "from above"?

anacron · July 28th, 2013, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motofool

If the bike was on the side stand, how could the staff flow up on the top face of the swingarm without some help "from above"?

Absolutely agree! I got worried in the first place because it was such a strange location and the closest thing was the brake pipe.

BTW is brake pipe the technical term?

deeno415 · July 28th, 2013, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anacron

BTW is brake pipe the technical term?

^^I believe you are referring to the 'rear brake line'...^^

Motofool · July 29th, 2013, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anacron

Absolutely agree! I got worried in the first place because it was such a strange location and the closest thing was the brake pipe.

BTW is brake pipe the technical term?

It is a hydraulic hose.

"Hydraulic hose is graded by pressure, temperature, and fluid compatibility. Hoses are used when pipes or tubes can not be used, usually to provide flexibility for machine operation or maintenance. The hose is built up with rubber and steel layers. A rubber interior is surrounded by multiple layers of woven wire and rubber. The exterior is designed for abrasion resistance...............Hydraulic hoses generally have steel fittings swaged on the ends. The weakest part of the high pressure hose is the connection of the hose to the fitting. Another disadvantage of hoses is the shorter life of rubber which requires periodic replacement, usually at five to seven year intervals."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraul...ipes_and_hoses

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_bleeding

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_fluid

It is commonly called brake line or brake hose.
Yours is extra protected by a rubber hose (the surface that you see).
The real brake hose can be seen at the end, where it connects to the metal fitting.

anacron · July 29th, 2013, 08:51 AM

Thanks! very informative.

jkv45 · July 29th, 2013, 09:53 AM

If it was brake fluid it would most likely take the paint off when you removed it.

If you thought it was brake fluid, the first thing you would check is the fluid level in the rear mastercylinder. If it was leaking it would let air into the system and the petal would feel soft, but might change when you pumped it repeatedly.

If it didn't take the paint off, the lever feels right, and the level in the mastercylinder isn't low - it's not brake fluid.

JohnnyBravo · July 29th, 2013, 11:08 AM

now ya know, and knowing is half the battle.
Where in the world is Carmen sandiego when ya have a mystery???

anacron · July 29th, 2013, 11:42 AM

yup, now I know. Thanks all.

Asspire · July 29th, 2013, 12:28 PM

did it taste like grease????

JohnnyBravo · July 29th, 2013, 02:34 PM

Asspire ate what?

anacron · July 29th, 2013, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asspire

did it taste like grease????

Did I eat what I suspected to be brake fluid?

Nope.

July 28th, 2013, 07:59 PM	#2
MNDruggist ninjette.org member Name: Mark Location: Central MN Join Date: Aug 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja 300 Ebony Posts: 39	It looks like brake fluid to me. It might be coming out of the master brake cylinder and running down your brake lines to the low spot pictured. Crush washers can fail if the banjo bolt above the brake cylinder is over-tightened. The bad news is that brake fluid spills should be wiped up right away, it can eat through your paint very easily. If your under warrantee, have it dealer inspected so your bake will be fixed and also future paint or swingarm replacement should be covered due to the defect. __________________________________________________ Unregistered's village called.......Their idiot is missing.

July 28th, 2013, 08:50 PM	#7
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	it looks like **** __________________________________________________

July 28th, 2013, 09:23 PM	#8
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	This is not the fluid of the brakes __________________________________________________

July 28th, 2013, 09:46 PM	#12
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	Lots of funky things land different places on your bike, make sure ya ain't got a visible leak, clean it off, ride it some more... If it keeps doing the same thing it's a problem. if its a random bird turd, or road grime your good! __________________________________________________

July 29th, 2013, 08:51 AM	#17
anacron ninjette.org guru Name: Adi Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Apr 2013 Motorcycle(s): Triumph Street Triple R Posts: 380	Thanks! very informative. __________________________________________________ Here's my Youtube Channel. Here's my Flickr Photostream.

July 28th, 2013, 08:13 PM	#3
Asspire Fix It Till Ya Break It Name: Asspyre Location: T.Dot Join Date: Oct 2011 Motorcycle(s): 08 250RRrrrr Posts: 623	can we get a close up of caliper? doesn't look like brake fluid, but hard to tell. looks kinda greasy...

July 28th, 2013, 08:18 PM	#5
Bentley813 ninjette.org member Name: Steve Location: Oswego, NY Join Date: Aug 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 White 300 Posts: 221	Looks like grease to me.

July 29th, 2013, 09:53 AM	#18
jkv45 Rev Limiter Name: Jay Location: WI Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): '06 SV650n, '00 Derbi GPR, '64 CA77 Dream 305, '70 CL450 Scrambler, numerous dirt bikes Posts: A lot. MOTM - Jun '18, Oct '16	If it was brake fluid it would most likely take the paint off when you removed it. If you thought it was brake fluid, the first thing you would check is the fluid level in the rear mastercylinder. If it was leaking it would let air into the system and the petal would feel soft, but might change when you pumped it repeatedly. If it didn't take the paint off, the lever feels right, and the level in the mastercylinder isn't low - it's not brake fluid.

July 29th, 2013, 11:08 AM	#19
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	now ya know, and knowing is half the battle. Where in the world is Carmen sandiego when ya have a mystery??? __________________________________________________

July 29th, 2013, 11:42 AM	#20
anacron ninjette.org guru Name: Adi Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Apr 2013 Motorcycle(s): Triumph Street Triple R Posts: 380	yup, now I know. Thanks all. __________________________________________________ Here's my Youtube Channel. Here's my Flickr Photostream.

July 29th, 2013, 12:28 PM	#21
Asspire Fix It Till Ya Break It Name: Asspyre Location: T.Dot Join Date: Oct 2011 Motorcycle(s): 08 250RRrrrr Posts: 623	did it taste like grease????

July 29th, 2013, 02:34 PM	#22
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	Asspire ate what? __________________________________________________

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