Quick leak question
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 742
Likes: 23
Quick leak question
1983 5 speed FXRT
Always pretty much bone dry, no leaks
Lately it leaks a little more.. no big deal, but I got spoiled with this shovelhead I guess (not my only one)
Here is the leak:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Between head and cylinder, rear
... which leads to this:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
dirty trasmission top and front...
In your opinion... how "urgent" is the matter
Always pretty much bone dry, no leaks
Lately it leaks a little more.. no big deal, but I got spoiled with this shovelhead I guess (not my only one)
Here is the leak:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Between head and cylinder, rear
... which leads to this:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
dirty trasmission top and front...
In your opinion... how "urgent" is the matter
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 12,878
Likes: 5,448
From: la la land jerzey
to me its a head gasket - if you used james blue or the OEM black type you will need to replace them with the Cometic 3 piece type as they are the only ones that work in todays fuel temps we now have because of the alky in the gas -
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 12,878
Likes: 5,448
From: la la land jerzey
the gaskets that were used when the motor was originaly designed were at best marginal - and 40 years later they just dont do the job, the alky in the fuel has a temp change that has played a part in lots of issues ---But today cometic has come up with the correct type of gasket for the harley as well as serious race car engines, its a 3 piece layered with a soft alloy center and it works up to and including 15 to 1 compression in a gas motor soo in a big block chevy thats 1500 HP on average -
in a harley its a no braner use them once and forget it or take the motor apart every 5000 miles for life as it seems < sure some guys never have a problem but they are not the norm - just my take i have had to over the past replaced head gaskets many times when all we had was paper compressed with a tin center -- jz
in a harley its a no braner use them once and forget it or take the motor apart every 5000 miles for life as it seems < sure some guys never have a problem but they are not the norm - just my take i have had to over the past replaced head gaskets many times when all we had was paper compressed with a tin center -- jz
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,102
Likes: 51,361
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Head gasket's gone & the leak will only get worse . Don't do what a lot of guys try and hoss down on the headbolts , all that does is pull the threaded insert in the heads and crowns them up so now the mating surfaces aren't flat . Follow John's advice on the choice of gaskets particularly if you don't have the mating surface trued , the blue gaskets don't do well if they aren't dead nuts flat .
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 742
Likes: 23
I haven't attemped to torque anything
I was looking through my spare parts... I found a set of blue James head gaskets. 0.030" teflon
Are you guys talking about these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cometic-MLS-...8298e7&vxp=mtr
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/434-453
I was looking through my spare parts... I found a set of blue James head gaskets. 0.030" teflon
Are you guys talking about these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cometic-MLS-...8298e7&vxp=mtr
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/434-453
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,306
Likes: 5
From: Bellville, Tx
Just a note, aluminum and cast iron have different expansion rates. Aluminum will grow more than the cast iron producing movement on the seal, back and forth as the engine heats and cools. That over time will result in a head gasket leak.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: new orleans,la
REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET (S) james gaskets BUT have the heads checked for #1 flatness #2 inserts pulling out -- I use copper head gaskets with hylomar --
if ya remove the heads its a good chance to check valve seating,guide wear, and the seals --
if ya remove the heads its a good chance to check valve seating,guide wear, and the seals --
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 742
Likes: 23
Buying them tomorrow if the ones I posted above are the correct ones then.
Any special trick or anything for the heads removal/assembly?
I have adjusted pushrods a few times before but never worked on heads
Any special trick or anything for the heads removal/assembly?
I have adjusted pushrods a few times before but never worked on heads