Leaky Rocker Box
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 84
Likes: 2
From: Cocoa, Florida
RE: Leaky Rocker Box
I am currently having the same issue as the rest of you guys. Mine started out as a pretty nice size leak. I went to the local indy shop and was told the D-Rings were old and had bowed out so they needed to be replaced. I decided to let him take care of the job.I picked the bike up Friday eveningand the next day as I cranked up for a ride I had air blowing out the side of the rear rocker box. Being pretty bummed out I went to the Harley shop and bought 2 sets of gaskets and replaced the rear set myself. After I had finished I took bike for a ride came back to find I had no leaks. I was happy as hell! I got up the next morning, rode into work only to find the whole right side of the bike covered in oil. Both the indy shop and the Harley shop have told me to not add any adhesives to this job. I am reading here and it is suggested that it is a good idea and in fact does work. Am I hearing you guys correctly? Any advice here is most appreciated. I have also been told that this was not a good design and the fix is to purchase and install a little newer Sportster Rocker Boxes. Have any of you heard of this fix?
Joe
Joe
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 448
Likes: 3
From:
RE: Leaky Rocker Box
- hi.
- I have a 1996 Heritage Softail (1340 Evo engine). The
rocker cover (the top-most cover) is dull and the chrome
peeling.
- from what I can see , the cover is held with 4 small allen
bolt (?).
- question : can I remove the top-most cover without
having to drop the engine ?
- reading some of the posts here , am tempted not to do
anything since nothing is leaking now ....
cheers.
.
- I have a 1996 Heritage Softail (1340 Evo engine). The
rocker cover (the top-most cover) is dull and the chrome
peeling.
- from what I can see , the cover is held with 4 small allen
bolt (?).
- question : can I remove the top-most cover without
having to drop the engine ?
- reading some of the posts here , am tempted not to do
anything since nothing is leaking now ....
cheers.
.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,199
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
RE: Leaky Rocker Box
pistole,
First off, you need a factory shop manual. Money well spent. Next, yes, you can pull the rocker boxes off without removing the motor. Those screws hold the top cover which holds the middle cover. The bottom cover is bolted to the head.
First off, you need a factory shop manual. Money well spent. Next, yes, you can pull the rocker boxes off without removing the motor. Those screws hold the top cover which holds the middle cover. The bottom cover is bolted to the head.
Dirt don't hurt
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,065
Likes: 4,561
From: Haslet Texas
The sequence depends on which cylinder you are working on.
Front: 1st is front left,2nd is rear left,3rd is front right,4th is rear right
Rear: 1st is rear left,2nd is front left,3rd isrear right,4th is front right
A manual has all this information.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 507
From: Florida
I'm feelin your pain on this issue. What worked for me after many training R&R's was to insure that the rocker box D-ring and the cover are flat. To do this I aquired some 600 wet sanding paper and a piece of thicker glass big enough to place the paper on, and be able to figure eight the cover parts on. Hone the parts on the paper and glass. Once they're flat you loosely I repeat loosely assemble the box's with dry gaskets as well as dry parts. ceter and align all pieces and then tighten the bolts in SMALL increments to avoid sqeezing out the gaskets. Use a criss cross patern. If you do it right your problem will be solved. This isn't rocket science but you have to take the time to do it right.
Also if you release the cover bolts a little at a time when first removing it helps to keep the cover from relieving the stress its under unevenly.
Also if you release the cover bolts a little at a time when first removing it helps to keep the cover from relieving the stress its under unevenly.
Last edited by V-Twins & Bowties; Mar 18, 2012 at 08:33 AM. Reason: add info
Dirt don't hurt
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,065
Likes: 4,561
From: Haslet Texas
Personally I would only fix what is leaking. If the rear cylinder isn't leaking don't fix it.
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Advanced
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
I haven't fired up my build yet, but I am getting paranoid this is going to be a problem. With the rubber gaskets I have, I reseated and torqued them down 3 times until they were lined up more or less correct, or as good as I could get it. They did move every time on torqing. the rubber ones seems thick (cometic), and I applied more torque than 18 lbs.
Fingers crossed....
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 206
Likes: 5
I have done this, and had bad results both times. An "indy"mechanic who is probably one of the best mechanics I've known told me the following... "New seals totally clean with no lubricant. Flat boxes. You use a cross postern to tighten, start wherever you want. Use an allen wrench on the