Base Gasket Leak
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,872
Likes: 83
From: Canton, Michigan
Mine leaked from 1994 until 2006.
The design is just a horrid example (there are others) of The MoCo's engineering talent. They should have press fit a tube into the jug's oil return passage so that the oil wouldn't pool around the gasket area.
Install The Oil Fix from Hayden M6 and be leak free.
The design is just a horrid example (there are others) of The MoCo's engineering talent. They should have press fit a tube into the jug's oil return passage so that the oil wouldn't pool around the gasket area.
Install The Oil Fix from Hayden M6 and be leak free.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,354
Likes: 1
From: S.W. Florida
Mine leaked from 1994 until 2006.
The design is just a horrid example (there are others) of The MoCo's engineering talent. They should have press fit a tube into the jug's oil return passage so that the oil wouldn't pool around the gasket area.
Install The Oil Fix from Hayden M6 and be leak free.
The design is just a horrid example (there are others) of The MoCo's engineering talent. They should have press fit a tube into the jug's oil return passage so that the oil wouldn't pool around the gasket area.
Install The Oil Fix from Hayden M6 and be leak free.
Last edited by Buddy WMC; Dec 22, 2009 at 08:43 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
Its just me, but if mine starts leaking, but the motor is running fine, I would be hard pressed to take it apart just to fix a leak. Maybe if it was leaking a quart every 500 miles I would. But I would do as above and leave the pistons in the cyl. to not disturb anything as much as possible.
Disclamer; I rode a leaking 84 Sportster for 23 years.
Disclamer; I rode a leaking 84 Sportster for 23 years.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,137
Likes: 17
From:
I'm using the Permatex Ultra Copper Hi-Temp RTV silicon stuff. Seems to be working for now. If you replace the base gaskets, I would use Cometic's top of the line gaskets, rather than the James that I used. They didn't last much longer than the OEM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 1
hey harley dude. ......
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 2,570
From: NC USA
Here is a partial quote from another thread:
I've used and recommended James (metal) gaskets for years, but I'm backing off from them. Had a rocker lower leak on install (10 miles) and meticulously inspected on my re-do to find no reason for it from my work. I've also noticed an absence of coating on parts of the surfaces between the silicone lines. I also learned the man who owned the company (James) died somewhat recently and I suspect the new owners are doing the walmart deal by buying materials from the lowest bidder with no regards to quality.
OEM HD went to metal bases for about 2 - 3 months and switched back to paper (mylar) in a hurry. I've had good luck with their rubber-coated metal rocker lower gaskets....
Had a base seeping (James) after 15,000 miles. The new one I got had the same irregular coating, so I trashed it and used OEM... the metal base gaskets (James) are .020 while the OEM print-o-seal type is .013 (uncrushed) and honestly, I've never had one leak.
....... Last engine I did "on the road" I had a James T/E set and OEM rocker lowers with me. One of those James umbrellas was so distorted, it wouldn't even touch the spacer. I put one of the old ones back on and crossed my fingers....
The OEM 1-piece rocker lowers are made the same as Cometic except OEM is 13.00 a pair and Cometics are 2.00 more - each. Metal Cometic base gaskets are 12.00 each while OEM mylar/print-o-seal are 3.00 each. And they do not leak. I've had my heads off 3 times without disturbing the jugs and after 6000 miles now, still dry as a bone. Try that with a James or Cometic. And other than reuse, I can make the same argument for OEM head gaskets.
No company on earth spends more time and money on R&D for Harley engines than who? That's right - HD!
Everyone should (and will) do whatever they feel best about, and certainly to each ones own, but for the labor involved and cost difference, my reputation and not to mention the convienance of picking them up at a dealer rather than order, I do what works - OEM gaskets from now on for my work.
Originally Posted by t150vej
I've used and recommended James (metal) gaskets for years, but I'm backing off from them. Had a rocker lower leak on install (10 miles) and meticulously inspected on my re-do to find no reason for it from my work. I've also noticed an absence of coating on parts of the surfaces between the silicone lines. I also learned the man who owned the company (James) died somewhat recently and I suspect the new owners are doing the walmart deal by buying materials from the lowest bidder with no regards to quality.
OEM HD went to metal bases for about 2 - 3 months and switched back to paper (mylar) in a hurry. I've had good luck with their rubber-coated metal rocker lower gaskets....
Had a base seeping (James) after 15,000 miles. The new one I got had the same irregular coating, so I trashed it and used OEM... the metal base gaskets (James) are .020 while the OEM print-o-seal type is .013 (uncrushed) and honestly, I've never had one leak.
....... Last engine I did "on the road" I had a James T/E set and OEM rocker lowers with me. One of those James umbrellas was so distorted, it wouldn't even touch the spacer. I put one of the old ones back on and crossed my fingers....
No company on earth spends more time and money on R&D for Harley engines than who? That's right - HD!
Everyone should (and will) do whatever they feel best about, and certainly to each ones own, but for the labor involved and cost difference, my reputation and not to mention the convienance of picking them up at a dealer rather than order, I do what works - OEM gaskets from now on for my work.
Last edited by t150vej; Dec 23, 2009 at 05:54 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,354
Likes: 1
From: S.W. Florida
I was tryng to stay more out of this issue, but when I replaced my base gaskets during the rebuild I had a problem. The supplied Cometic base gaskets had a much sloppier fit than the James gaskets did. This was important considering that I had was also installing the Hayden Oil Fix Jets. I even sent the Cometics back to be inspected to find out they had made a bad run of parts. If I ever have to do this again on my own engine, I'll look io the new HD base gaskets as Rufus suggests. The ones I removed were the original 93's and not more than a piece of thin paper.