I have a stock 1991 FLT with 70,000 miles which has had a minimally weeping rear cylinder base gasket for about 10 years. It stayed moist on the primary side of cylinder base, however no oil on ground when parked. Now it has started staying moist at rear of cylinder and just around rear corner over oil pump. The bike leaves an oil spot on ground about size of a quarter when parked. Oil leaks on bikes or chrome do not bother me since I also have a flathead. I was planning on doing a top end on this bike this fall and do not want to tear down just to fix base gasket at beginning of summer. I will probably ride 3,000 miles this summer. Do these base gaskets get worse to the point I would have a major oil leak and get standed in middle of nowhere or will it continue to just weep. I really do not want to tear down until this winter and do valve job, rings, lifters and cam bearing check. Would you keep riding it or tear it down? Besides warming up good before taking off, do you have anyother sugguestions to minimis the seepage. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks!!

 

Just keep riding it. It took 10 years for it to get where it is. I don't think a few months will matter at all.

 

It's just telling ya it's likes where it's been!

Joking aside, if you fit quality base gaskets at some time you shouldn't have any further problems. It was a problem with the bikes of that era, but when I rebuilt mine new improved gaskets cured it.

 

I need to add, I have always used HD 20-50 non synthethic oil. Thanks!!

 

You can fix this in an afternoon, its not a big job unless you get carried away. Do a comp/leakdown test first and if the figures are all good you can just do the gaskets, if the figures indicate wear then leave it until the dark days of winter.

 

Actually, you do not need to do a top end to fix this if your engine is still running good. It is very easy to merely lift the barrell until the piston wrist pin is visible, remove the wrist pin clip, and use a drift to gently push out the wrist pin. The barrel with the piston still inside is then lifted off. No honing, no new rings. Use cometic base gaskets. Done in a day, no leaks, same stock, great running engine.

 

Forgot to mention you need new wrist pin clips... never re use old.

 

You still don't need to hone and re-ring if you lift the jugs off the pistons....bit of an urban myth that one as the rings rotate when the motor is running and they are bedded-in so a lift and separate does nothing to harm the rings or bores.

 

I think the reasoning is more to avoid any dings and nicks on the rings.. While you're right, I'd still advise keeping them together, but its a personal preference I suppose..

 

what jethro said....use Cometic gaskets