When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
It sure is funky lookin' ain't it? Like I said, it was 4 extra o-rings in the package and I figured they must have been some kind of 'upgraded' o-ring. I sure hope it's those things that *is* the leak.
Here's a really bad drawing of the cross section difference between the two o-rings (I did it with my mouse and it's close enough to get the idea across, heh) and some pictures. The circle in the top picture is the cross section of a regular o-ring. Both of the o-rings are the same inner and outer diameter and same thickness.
It's not so much I don't like the sound, it's just different and I have to get used to it. It's hard to explain why that makes it harder for me to just be able to listen to it and be able to tell when it's idling at 950-1000 rpm's...I can do the same with any carbureted Chevy motor I6 or V8, but ask me to tell what a Ford or Dodge is idling at and I'm usually pretty far off, by something like 300 or 400 rpm's. I just have to spend time around this cam is all and it'll settle in soon enough. I'll hook up my timing light that has a tach in it and that'll get me started on the right track.
The old quad rings LOL!!! Those weren't one HD's better idea's, late shovels and early evos' used those for a bit, still have a bunch in my gasket stash. Dump them and use the regular o-rings you'll be better off.
Those wark better in a pneumatic system, than tring to hold back hot oul. Though both are meant to cope with low pressure, I would trust the natural swuish of a round buna style than a quad or x ring. Unless I had a ton of them to try and see which combo worked best.
In this case, I’d just stick to the old tried and trued.
Okay...finally got that checked and it wasn't those o-rings, I guess I'd decided on the normal o-rings. What it looks like happened is, I didn't get the top of the exhaust pushrod tube all the way into its o-ring in the head. It was crooked enough to let a good deal of oil out and half-flattened about a 1/16 of the o-ring. Luckily I had plenty others and replaced it and *triple* checked everything this time (it helped too that it was daylight and I could actually see, lol).
Going to let the lifters bleed down for about an hour just to be catious then take it back out and see how it does. It also looked like the intake pushrod was rubbing slightly on the inside of its pushrod tube. That may have been some of the 'noise' I've been hearing. The adjuster is so low to the top of the lifter guide, that there's no turning, twisting piddling with the tube to get it away from the pushrod, so hopefully it isn't rubbing so badly as to wear a hole in it very quickly. Always something, but hell, we'd be bored to tears if we didn't have something to work on once in a while (I just wish it was the easy-for-me things that would break down so I don't hurt so much after fixing it! muaha).
Whenever I install the pushrods tubes up into the head I try to feel for that snap as they go in. I also look up in there with a flashlight just to make sure...
That’s funny. I’ve been using the quad rings in mine for 16 years without a leak, but hey, whatever works for you. You’re sure you didn’t omit one of the little washers that fit under the bottom o-ring?
Seems I can't win for losing. Went out to test ride and there it was leaking like a sieve again. The top of the tube. It's seated correctly, I made sure of that and had to lie down on my side while the bike was running to see the oil coming out of it. Only thing I can figure now, is that shaving down the retainer clips made this one somehow not strong enough to keep pressure upward on the tube to press it against the o-ring. It's a Catch-22 though...if I didn't shave it down some, it wouldn't go back on for some unknown reason, there was just too much length on the clip to go back on...yet it came off and I didn't do anything different other than put new o-rings in. Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Friggin' unreal. Went ahead and ordered 4 now retainer clips. Don't know what else I can friggin' do. It just blows my mind that they came off just fine easy as pie, on the same exact tubes, I kept *everything* in its order, which clip went with which tube, which o-ring etc., everything *should* have gone right back without a second thought. I've changed pushrods before, on the '09, and it's a simple job. Washing the damn bike is harder.
Seems I can't win for losing. Went out to test ride and there it was leaking like a sieve again. The top of the tube. It's seated correctly, I made sure of that and had to lie down on my side while the bike was running to see the oil coming out of it. Only thing I can figure now, is that shaving down the retainer clips made this one somehow not strong enough to keep pressure upward on the tube to press it against the o-ring. It's a Catch-22 though...if I didn't shave it down some, it wouldn't go back on for some unknown reason, there was just too much length on the clip to go back on...yet it came off and I didn't do anything different other than put new o-rings in. Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Friggin' unreal. Went ahead and ordered 4 now retainer clips. Don't know what else I can friggin' do. It just blows my mind that they came off just fine easy as pie, on the same exact tubes, I kept *everything* in its order, which clip went with which tube, which o-ring etc., everything *should* have gone right back without a second thought. I've changed pushrods before, on the '09, and it's a simple job. Washing the damn bike is harder.
The only time I've had that problem the old top o-ring stayed in the head and I didn't see it before trying to install the new one.
Are you absolutely sure you got the old ones out?
