ran into a guy yesterday with a new 17 tri-glide and the rear cylinder base gasket was leaking. anyone else seeing this ? i know they went back to gasket instead of o-rings like on the twinkies.

 

Mine has a small leak on the front base gasket.

 

Probably just assembly lube migrating out because of the heat. Nothing to worry about.

 

^this

 

If assembly lube is leaking past a gasket, I'd be worried.

 

Um, no.

Its an artifact of the manufacturing process.

It happened on my 13 Road Glide when it was new. I freaked out.

It was pointed out to me that its normal and it will go away.

It did. It's very common.

Relax.

 

well just glad I've never had a base gasket leak anything..I wouldn't have discounted it as being normal

 

I'd take the sucker right back to the Dealer.

 

But nothing's leaking! It's just assembly lube that runs off when the engine heats up if too much is used. It runs off from the outside. No problem!

That was the case with the TC that used the o ring at the base. Sounds like they went to a gaskets with the M8.

 

You need to study the differences a little.

It's not a twincam. It's an M8... M8s used a cylinder base-gasket. Twincams use an O ring. O rings are lubed on installation to help with seating. As far as I know, HD is likely using a Viton covered Stainless gasket on the M8 which you don't want to lube.

I own TCs an yes they can weep a little.. After about 60-70,000 the O ring will get hard and start weeping again if the motor sees any heat.. FWIW.