Cleaning calipers

I've got dual discs on the front that didnt seem to be as strong as they should,so I got new pads and began changing them.I noticed a coating of black oily stuff on the disc.Took the caliper off and there was a lot of oil inside the caliper,on the pads etc.Dont know where it came from,its definately not brake fluid.I wiped it out with a rag,but want to do a thorough cleaning.Back in the day,we avoided using brake cleaner in the caliper so as not to damage seals etc.Is newer brake cleaner safe to use here,or should I just use soap and water?

If it's not brake fluid, it's most likely fork oil. You will want to use something to get the oil off of the calipers since fork oil (similar/same as motor oil) will be bad for the seals. If you can get the oil off with dish detergent, that might be safer than brake cleaner. But definitely use some decent solvent on the rotors to get them squeaky clean. If the pads got oil on them, they might be no good now, or will at least be degraded.

You will want to fix the fork leak, or you will be going through all of this again.

You should extract the pistons and clean everything properly with degreaser followed by soap and water. Inspect the pistons for pitting and replace as needed. Replace the piston seals and brake lines. That's how to properly "clean" (rebuild) your calipers.

I thought it might be fork oil,but the seals seem to be okay,no oil dripping,forks are dry.I gave it a thorough cleaning with hot soapy water and a scotch brite sponge.Started raining after I put it back together,I'll test it tomorrow.

What motorcycle is it & how long have you had it? just wondering if this a new problem or if the disk contamination is the way you got it. The front brake is rather important, so you probably ought to take it all apart to give it a good cleaning & inspection. you may have to order new caliper kits & possibly pistons if they are pitted. If the bike has the original rubber brake lines, you may need to replace them as they would be old old old. within the realm of possibility, old rubber hoses can burst.

As for the forks, have you checked them to make sure they have enough oil? I'm wondering if the fork oil is real low for whatever reason, so they are't leaking now.

If at any point in the bikes life the brake fluid was allowed to turn dark then there will be chunks inside the fluid like shown below. The rubber lines develop scale in the inside too.

Its a 1980 KZ1000 LTD,I've had it a couple weeks,been going over it,lubing cables,changing brake fluid etc.Forks seem to be okay,but I do plan to drain and refill the oil next,raining now,supposed to keep up til Tuesday,I'll get to that when it stops.So,yeah,I got it like this.The front right caliper was oil soaked,the left is clean and dry,pads appear to be fairly new.After cleaning the oil off the right caliper,the seal on the piston looks good.If it is fork oil,I will know when I drain it and refill.

Yeah Ness,the fluid was dark,so I ran a full can thru the system til it came out clear.

stokes wrote: Yeah Ness,the fluid was dark,so I ran a full can thru the system til it came out clear.

There are still chunks inside, and your brake lines are lined with scale too.

Nessism wrote:

stokes wrote: Yeah Ness,the fluid was dark,so I ran a full can thru the system til it came out clear.

There are still chunks inside, and your brake lines are lined with scale too.

Probly so.I cleaned the sediment out of the reservoir when it emptied,before adding fresh fluid.

I have a Clymers manual and it doesnt give instructions for rebuilding the caliper.It says to take it to a dealer or brake specialist to be done,special tools and skills required.

Put an air nozzle into the caliper fluid feed port and apply pressure and the piston will pop out. Inspect the pistons for pitting and consider replacing the seals with OEM parts (do not use K&L brake parts). Then order up some new lines. Rensport is cheap and has a good reputation for lines but there are a LOT of different options.