Best engine gaskets?
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
Best engine gaskets?
I'm getting my gaskets together to replace my base gaskets this winter. But, as I was collecting I ended up with several options. I'm looking for input as to which one's are best.
Cylinder base gaskets: My choices are, stock paper(ish), Cometic .20 copper, steel. To be honest the steel one's look the best. But, people seem to like the Cometic coppers. The HD stock paper gaskets don't look like much.
Cylinder head gaskets: Stock HD, teflon or graphite. All of these look good. Why teflon?
Any experience to help me decide appreciated.
Cylinder base gaskets: My choices are, stock paper(ish), Cometic .20 copper, steel. To be honest the steel one's look the best. But, people seem to like the Cometic coppers. The HD stock paper gaskets don't look like much.
Cylinder head gaskets: Stock HD, teflon or graphite. All of these look good. Why teflon?
Any experience to help me decide appreciated.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 237
Likes: 12
Your gonna get plenty of replies endorsing both cometic and genuine James. I think if you go with either you'll be good. I bought the complete cometic kit, but have yet to get it done. Waiting for colder temps an more funds to bore jugs and take heads to the machine shop.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
James is what both my Indy and my local Dealership sells....never had a problem with them.
You can get all fancy with head gaskets but on a road bike James is fine, some people like the bragging rights of hi-tech stuff but why bother when the ordinary stuff works just fine.
You can get all fancy with head gaskets but on a road bike James is fine, some people like the bragging rights of hi-tech stuff but why bother when the ordinary stuff works just fine.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: upstate ny
Don't care much for James blew two head gaskets with there junk and torque methods use stock gaskets and Harley torque methods. For a stock motor .
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 310
Likes: 1
I used genuine james gaskets when I did the top end on my bike and they worked great.I also had my gasket surfaces on the heads and cylinders machined to help them seal better.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,320
Likes: 56,879
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
I'm presuming that you're wrenching on an EVO ... The base gaskets are one of the weak spots ... most EVO's will develop a base gasket leak ... and there are a thousand different opinions as to why they do leak ... However, once your repair is complete ( no matter which manufacturer of gaskets you decide on ) do yourself and your scooter a favor ... always let it warm up before you take off ... one of the most common denominators in base gasket leakage with the EVO is not letting some "heat build in the kitchen" .... just my.02 cents worth. Good Luck Brother!