Air/ fork oil/ fork seals question.

[Guest]

1980 850g.
Has the Schrader valves for air fill on the top of the fork tubes.
This bike is a project I recently pulled out of the corner. The forks were drained by the po. It just had bouncy Springs with no oil. I aired the forks up for a short test ride and they have continued to hold air.
Question:
If my forks hold air pressure (as they have for a week or two now) does that mean my fork seals are good?

Figured I would ask before I added oil only to find it gush out of the fork seals immediately.
Adam-

[JTGS850GL]

If the forks hold air then the seals should be good. You can measure out the correct amount of oil and pour it down the tubes without having to remove them from the triples.

[chuck hahn]

As was mentioned add the oil without removing forks.

Jack the bike under the engine till the front wheels off the ground, release air from forks, and unscrew the tops.

[loud et]

Right on. Thanks guys.
I didn't plan on taking the forks off for adding the oil.
Sounds good.

[tkent02]

To do it right you have to. It takes what, about ten minutes?
But just to throw some oil in you don't.

[chuck hahn]

Yeah..if he wants to break them down and wipe the lowers out spotless he has to remove them. But a basic change / refill simply involves opening the drains and pumping them up and down by rocking on the bars. Then refill with the required amount...with the forks on the bike as i described. I use carbboard layed under the forks to direct the dripping oil into the drain pan. I also like to do them at the end of the day and let them drip overnight on some rags piled under the forks..gets a lot more oil out that way.

May have to move the bars to get to the top caps easier too.

[loud et]

Haha well I did the deed. Just took the caps off and added the pre measured oil. They drip dried last night as I left the drain screws out. This bikes future is uncertain so just adding oil is good enough for now. It's just my rat bike for now.