Replacement engine casings - good or bad?
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4th Gear
Joined: May 2009
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Replacement engine casings - good or bad?
Hey guys
Some months back I posted some pics of the stained silver engine casings on my 09 FXDB. Despite trying all the suggestions on that thread, nothing cleaned them up. Well my dealer agreed that they shouldn't really go like that, so has agreed to replace ALL the covers on the right hand side under warranty. He estimated about 10 hours of labour to split the cases and replace all the right hand casings and covers. He assures me that it'll be done under warranty and there will be 12 months of warranty left on the bike once it's done.
On the other hand, another HD tech I know from a local dealership said not to do it. He said if it's running sweet, which it is, there's too much that could be affected by splitting and resealing all the cases, giving trouble in the short term or long term. He said just replace the easy bolt-on covers and live with the staining on the main casing.
What do you reckon? I'd really like to get it sorted as it's always taken the shine of a new Ł12K bike, but I also don't want to open a real can of worms which causes more than just aesthetic issues.
Do you reckon it's safe? Is there really any risk in a dealer splitting and replacing engine casings?
Thanks in advance.
Some months back I posted some pics of the stained silver engine casings on my 09 FXDB. Despite trying all the suggestions on that thread, nothing cleaned them up. Well my dealer agreed that they shouldn't really go like that, so has agreed to replace ALL the covers on the right hand side under warranty. He estimated about 10 hours of labour to split the cases and replace all the right hand casings and covers. He assures me that it'll be done under warranty and there will be 12 months of warranty left on the bike once it's done.
On the other hand, another HD tech I know from a local dealership said not to do it. He said if it's running sweet, which it is, there's too much that could be affected by splitting and resealing all the cases, giving trouble in the short term or long term. He said just replace the easy bolt-on covers and live with the staining on the main casing.
What do you reckon? I'd really like to get it sorted as it's always taken the shine of a new Ł12K bike, but I also don't want to open a real can of worms which causes more than just aesthetic issues.
Do you reckon it's safe? Is there really any risk in a dealer splitting and replacing engine casings?
Thanks in advance.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,384
Likes: 12
From: Out on Deranged
They had to do mine because of porosity.this was last summer 14 months ago. I was real pissed and couldn't wrap my head around a new engine being split like that. I kept insisting they just give me a new bike (under warranty the bike was 5 months old)So they ordered the cases with my numbers on them and i never had a problem 12000 miles down the road and all good.
Except the Tek at HD forgot to torque the engine mount bolts,jeez lucky I checked,I was turning them practically with my fingers. HD does good work but I always have to follow up behind them.
"On the other hand "sounds like that tek wants you to give it to him to do instead . They don't touch anything inside the engine to do that. The only danger is them forgetting to torque or mis-torqueing something and you wind up with a leak which they will right for you as you steam away in the corner!
Except the Tek at HD forgot to torque the engine mount bolts,jeez lucky I checked,I was turning them practically with my fingers. HD does good work but I always have to follow up behind them.
"On the other hand "sounds like that tek wants you to give it to him to do instead . They don't touch anything inside the engine to do that. The only danger is them forgetting to torque or mis-torqueing something and you wind up with a leak which they will right for you as you steam away in the corner!
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
From: In your closet
Most definitely splitting the cases is a bit of a risk. I don't think I'd risk it over something aesthetic.
Might wanna take a gander over to their engine-building room and make sure they have one, and that it's CLEAN.
One more thing...new cases aren't gonna have an engine number on 'em. Here in Kaliforniastan the engine number is on the registration and the title. At the very least your cases are probably gonna lose their stamp, and quiet possibly end up with a DMV-issued tag. When you go to sell it or trade it in, that's going to tell the prospective buyer that you've had MAJOR engine work. Quite frankly...if I'm a buyer, and I'm looking at two bikes in the same condition and are priced roughly the same, but one has had it's cases split, I'm prolly gonna get the other one.
Might wanna take a gander over to their engine-building room and make sure they have one, and that it's CLEAN.
One more thing...new cases aren't gonna have an engine number on 'em. Here in Kaliforniastan the engine number is on the registration and the title. At the very least your cases are probably gonna lose their stamp, and quiet possibly end up with a DMV-issued tag. When you go to sell it or trade it in, that's going to tell the prospective buyer that you've had MAJOR engine work. Quite frankly...if I'm a buyer, and I'm looking at two bikes in the same condition and are priced roughly the same, but one has had it's cases split, I'm prolly gonna get the other one.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,899
Likes: 8
From: Aurora, IL
Splitting the cases is not a big deal! I split mine when I did my big bore and had the crank welded. I had never turned a wrench on a Harley engine before that. Now 6k later, it runs like a champ.....And I am not easy on my bike!! Just ask Joe Knapp.
I would make sure that they replace both sides and not just one.
I would make sure that they replace both sides and not just one.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,863
Likes: 21
From: Kennewick, WA
Most definitely splitting the cases is a bit of a risk. I don't think I'd risk it over something aesthetic.
Might wanna take a gander over to their engine-building room and make sure they have one, and that it's CLEAN.
One more thing...new cases aren't gonna have an engine number on 'em. Here in Kaliforniastan the engine number is on the registration and the title. At the very least your cases are probably gonna lose their stamp, and quiet possibly end up with a DMV-issued tag. When you go to sell it or trade it in, that's going to tell the prospective buyer that you've had MAJOR engine work. Quite frankly...if I'm a buyer, and I'm looking at two bikes in the same condition and are priced roughly the same, but one has had it's cases split, I'm prolly gonna get the other one.
Might wanna take a gander over to their engine-building room and make sure they have one, and that it's CLEAN.
One more thing...new cases aren't gonna have an engine number on 'em. Here in Kaliforniastan the engine number is on the registration and the title. At the very least your cases are probably gonna lose their stamp, and quiet possibly end up with a DMV-issued tag. When you go to sell it or trade it in, that's going to tell the prospective buyer that you've had MAJOR engine work. Quite frankly...if I'm a buyer, and I'm looking at two bikes in the same condition and are priced roughly the same, but one has had it's cases split, I'm prolly gonna get the other one.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 272
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From: In your closet
That's excellent! I wish the Japanese did the same thing...
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Banned
Joined: Oct 2007
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If they are going to be in there then you might as well save some $$$ and go with a build, at minimum do what redribicon did, get the crank trued and welded! Just my thoughts. Oh, have you thought about going to black cases?
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