HD manual says 40-60 in lbs. Clymer says 84-120 in lbs.
Which is right ? At 50 in lbs i get a very slight leak from the cover.

 

I assume the MoCo knows more about what they make than a third party does. Have you tried 60 in/#?

Are you using the newer style cover and gasket that the MoCo released 2-3 years ago?

 

Didn't know they had a new style cover. I'll give them a call. I was looking for an excuse to take a ride up to the Seaford DE dealer anyway : )

 

Actually the new cover and gasket aren't as good as the previous. But, if you have the new gasket, you need the new cover.

More important than worrying about 50 or 60 in/lbs
(that's like splitting frog hairs) , put some anti-seize on those screws.

 

Went up to the HD dealer yesterday. They had the old style rubber replacement gasket and they had the "new & improved" Cover with cardboard gasket. I could not see any difference in the old and new cover.
They would not sell the new gasket without the cover. So anytime you want a replacement cardboard gasket, you gotta pay 25$ for the gasket & cover. I got the plastic gasket & picked up some new 1/4" o rings for the cover screws. Just need to test ride it now.

 

Good choice. I have the original rubber gasket. 80,000 miles, and it has never leaked and is perfectly fine. Dunno why the MoCo went to cardboard, except maybe to sell replacements, and slightly reduce costs in the manufacturing process.

Never replaced the gasket. I've replaced the screws, because they seized up. And replaced the o-rings because once a welder was involved to get the screws out, and melted the o-ring.

 

Rode into Ocean City and watched the air show for a while. An F-18 Hornet put on one hell of a show. I WANT ONE !!!
Anyhow, no more leak. I think the new o rings did the trick : )

 

I'd stay on the high side of the range, 60 in lb. The original inspection cover is supposedly the same material and manufacturing process as the cover itself. The optional (with designs) and newer replacement covers are made more cheaply and have been known too warp!


I like my older primary cover with it's inspection cover. It's another detail area of the bike. H-D has been slowly removing the detail from their bikes. They're becoming muted shadows of their former self. Oh, but you can plug in your iPhone! Sheesh!

 

Dont have a `06 but my `05 and `07 show the rectangular cover as 34986-04 the rectangular cover with O rings on the screws.
The large round cover as 25463-94A

You could, clean the cover surface apply a small bead of Black RTV,install the gasket/O ring , lightly oil the case cover and install the inspection cover "JUST LIGHTLY SNUGGED UNTILL THE RTV CURES"
Tighten to spec the following day. the cured RTV will conform to any irregularity

 

Better idea: Follow the manual. No rtv.

those threads will strip out easily from the soft primary. Now you gotta timesert the threadless hole.

Follow manual blue loctite and torque to spec.