Crap, now what?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,499
Likes: 7,800
From: Long Island, New York
I would clean the entire area and go for a 30 mile ride and give it a good look. There is a big difference between leaking and seeping. Lots of Evo's running around with wet head gaskets. My Evo Sporty started seeping about 10 years ago, yeh 10, and still never does anything more than make that oil ring. Never an actual drop of oil. Seeping you can live with until winter comes back around, my opinion.
But I also agree with others, could be oil from the previous job got over there, that is why I suggest a good cleaning than a ride to confirm. Good luck.
But I also agree with others, could be oil from the previous job got over there, that is why I suggest a good cleaning than a ride to confirm. Good luck.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 942
Likes: 323
From: Grew up in Texas, moved to AZ
You have to fix that before the 5K trip, and you have time to do that. Get the gasket from H-D or local Indy that has items in stock. Put your rear cylinder on TDC, pull PRs, prop up gas tank, take off carb & manifold, take off exhaust, loosen top motor mount on both heads to pull bracket off. Everything is cleared for taking the head off. Pull your rocker box assembly off, and break head bolts free and let's hope none of the studs come out with it. If it does, then the job just got more painful. Let's just say, the bolts come out freely. Pop your head off and inspect area of blown gasket. Now, lift the cylinder up enough to take a look at the studs where the studs go into the cylinder. Are all stud "flanges" flushed to the case? If so, then you have 2 options:
1. Replace head gasket, rocker box gasket, and exhaust gasket. It is extremely important to lubricate head bolts so you can get an accurate torque on the head. Use your manual for torque specs or gasket maker recommendation. On lower rocker box, start all bolts until they touch base, and then torque as appropriate. If you don't have a small torque wrench, then smaller 1/4" bolts are only 10-13lbs, so don't go nuts.
OR
2. (longer way) Pull cylinder up just enough to expose the piston pin wristpin. Take out 1 wristpin (primary side recommend) , and then push piston pin out, carefully pull the cylinder with piston still in cylinder.. Replace your base gasket, and then work up from there. If you are not comfortable in doing this, then don't replace the base gasket. If it leaks, it's not going to hurt the engine, and you can fix it in the future when not pressed for time.
Good luck, whatever happens.
1. Replace head gasket, rocker box gasket, and exhaust gasket. It is extremely important to lubricate head bolts so you can get an accurate torque on the head. Use your manual for torque specs or gasket maker recommendation. On lower rocker box, start all bolts until they touch base, and then torque as appropriate. If you don't have a small torque wrench, then smaller 1/4" bolts are only 10-13lbs, so don't go nuts.
OR
2. (longer way) Pull cylinder up just enough to expose the piston pin wristpin. Take out 1 wristpin (primary side recommend) , and then push piston pin out, carefully pull the cylinder with piston still in cylinder.. Replace your base gasket, and then work up from there. If you are not comfortable in doing this, then don't replace the base gasket. If it leaks, it's not going to hurt the engine, and you can fix it in the future when not pressed for time.
Good luck, whatever happens.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 545
Likes: 380
From: Phoenix
I would clean the entire area and go for a 30 mile ride and give it a good look. There is a big difference between leaking and seeping. Lots of Evo's running around with wet head gaskets. My Evo Sporty started seeping about 10 years ago, yeh 10, and still never does anything more than make that oil ring. Never an actual drop of oil. Seeping you can live with until winter comes back around, my opinion.
But I also agree with others, could be oil from the previous job got over there, that is why I suggest a good cleaning than a ride to confirm. Good luck.
But I also agree with others, could be oil from the previous job got over there, that is why I suggest a good cleaning than a ride to confirm. Good luck.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 545
Likes: 380
From: Phoenix
You have to fix that before the 5K trip, and you have time to do that. Get the gasket from H-D or local Indy that has items in stock. Put your rear cylinder on TDC, pull PRs, prop up gas tank, take off carb & manifold, take off exhaust, loosen top motor mount on both heads to pull bracket off. Everything is cleared for taking the head off. Pull your rocker box assembly off, and break head bolts free and let's hope none of the studs come out with it. If it does, then the job just got more painful. Let's just say, the bolts come out freely. Pop your head off and inspect area of blown gasket. Now, lift the cylinder up enough to take a look at the studs where the studs go into the cylinder. Are all stud "flanges" flushed to the case? If so, then you have 2 options:
1. Replace head gasket, rocker box gasket, and exhaust gasket. It is extremely important to lubricate head bolts so you can get an accurate torque on the head. Use your manual for torque specs or gasket maker recommendation. On lower rocker box, start all bolts until they touch base, and then torque as appropriate. If you don't have a small torque wrench, then smaller 1/4" bolts are only 10-13lbs, so don't go nuts.
OR
2. (longer way) Pull cylinder up just enough to expose the piston pin wristpin. Take out 1 wristpin (primary side recommend) , and then push piston pin out, carefully pull the cylinder with piston still in cylinder.. Replace your base gasket, and then work up from there. If you are not comfortable in doing this, then don't replace the base gasket. If it leaks, it's not going to hurt the engine, and you can fix it in the future when not pressed for time.
Good luck, whatever happens.
1. Replace head gasket, rocker box gasket, and exhaust gasket. It is extremely important to lubricate head bolts so you can get an accurate torque on the head. Use your manual for torque specs or gasket maker recommendation. On lower rocker box, start all bolts until they touch base, and then torque as appropriate. If you don't have a small torque wrench, then smaller 1/4" bolts are only 10-13lbs, so don't go nuts.
OR
2. (longer way) Pull cylinder up just enough to expose the piston pin wristpin. Take out 1 wristpin (primary side recommend) , and then push piston pin out, carefully pull the cylinder with piston still in cylinder.. Replace your base gasket, and then work up from there. If you are not comfortable in doing this, then don't replace the base gasket. If it leaks, it's not going to hurt the engine, and you can fix it in the future when not pressed for time.
Good luck, whatever happens.
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 36
Likes: 16
From: WA
Cleaned it up last night just to see. I’m going to run it today (dumping rain, so probably won’t ride today). Going to try to get a compression tester and ordered a James gasket set arriving Wednesday. I figured whether I do it or my mech, I won’t have to wait for the parts anyways. If my trip wasn’t right away I’d tackle it for sure, but going to see if the indy can get it in due to the margin of error.
If he can’t get me in, I might give it a go. If that fails maybe I’ll just by a new bike lol…
If he can’t get me in, I might give it a go. If that fails maybe I’ll just by a new bike lol…
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,915
Likes: 5,928
From: NorCal
Cleaned it up last night just to see. Im going to run it today (dumping rain, so probably wont ride today). Going to try to get a compression tester and ordered a James gasket set arriving Wednesday. I figured whether I do it or my mech, I wont have to wait for the parts anyways. If my trip wasnt right away Id tackle it for sure, but going to see if the indy can get it in due to the margin of error.
If he cant get me in, I might give it a go. If that fails maybe Ill just by a new bike lol
If he cant get me in, I might give it a go. If that fails maybe Ill just by a new bike lol
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 36
Likes: 16
From: WA
Running it for a while now - so far nothing leaking. Just a thought - the worst area was behind the pushrod tubes and just noticed there was one little spot of oil on the fin above the head gasket. Not super familiar with pushrod tube replacement - would it likely drip a bit of oil right underneath?
just reaching at this point 🤷♂️
just reaching at this point 🤷♂️
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,915
Likes: 5,928
From: NorCal
Running it for a while now - so far nothing leaking. Just a thought - the worst area was behind the pushrod tubes and just noticed there was one little spot of oil on the fin above the head gasket. Not super familiar with pushrod tube replacement - would it likely drip a bit of oil right underneath?
just reaching at this point 🤷♂️
just reaching at this point 🤷♂️
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 800
From: Colorado
Welcome to Harley's choice of using 10 cent o rings with the head gaskets, that is only a matter of time before they crack apart and allow oil to leak.
https://www.motorcycleid.com/james-g...g-o-rings.html
Short version, will need to pull the rocker covers, the rocker assemblies, the heads, pull the cylinder up enough to just remove the C clip from the piston rod to push the rods out (without dropping the piston down so far to have the piston rings decompress from the cylinder), press the piston rod out, then pull the cylinders off the bike.
Note, if you pull the head up and the piston pops out, will need to de-glaze/cross hatch the cylinders and install new piston rings, so the new rings can mate/break in to the cylinders.
Now go to town cleaning the old head and base gasket material off the matching surface, and this time, go with a gasket kit that does not use the O rings with head gaskets when you put the upper end back together.
Note, if the valve guides need to be replaced, now it the time to do it while you have the heads off.
And no, you can not just pop the heads to replace just the head gaskets, or O rings, since its going to disturb the cylinder base gasket, and it needs to be replaced at the same time. And trick at the oil channel from cylinder to case base, if you use just a touch of RTV at the gasket surfaced top and bottom just here, most of the time it gets you out of having to install the pig tails to solve the base oil leak problem there isntead.
https://www.motorcycleid.com/james-g...g-o-rings.html
Short version, will need to pull the rocker covers, the rocker assemblies, the heads, pull the cylinder up enough to just remove the C clip from the piston rod to push the rods out (without dropping the piston down so far to have the piston rings decompress from the cylinder), press the piston rod out, then pull the cylinders off the bike.
Note, if you pull the head up and the piston pops out, will need to de-glaze/cross hatch the cylinders and install new piston rings, so the new rings can mate/break in to the cylinders.
Now go to town cleaning the old head and base gasket material off the matching surface, and this time, go with a gasket kit that does not use the O rings with head gaskets when you put the upper end back together.
Note, if the valve guides need to be replaced, now it the time to do it while you have the heads off.
And no, you can not just pop the heads to replace just the head gaskets, or O rings, since its going to disturb the cylinder base gasket, and it needs to be replaced at the same time. And trick at the oil channel from cylinder to case base, if you use just a touch of RTV at the gasket surfaced top and bottom just here, most of the time it gets you out of having to install the pig tails to solve the base oil leak problem there isntead.
Last edited by Dano523; Apr 18, 2022 at 01:46 PM.