HELP Valve seal replacement question
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 498
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
HELP Valve seal replacement question
My 05 Ultra is consuming oil, I have 40,0000 miles on it.
Several people have suggested valve seals and sure enough that's
what the dealer says is the problem. Any idea of cost for this?
Figure a dealer is going to charge 85 - 90 an hour for labor. Plus parts.
Just a ballpark please. Also, if the seals need to be replaced is it a big deal in labor and cost of parts to replace the guides? I don't know if they the guides need it or not, but I've read that if the seals need to be replaced it may be due to the guides. I'd hate to not replace an inexpensive part while they are in there.
Thanks,
Joe
Several people have suggested valve seals and sure enough that's
what the dealer says is the problem. Any idea of cost for this?
Figure a dealer is going to charge 85 - 90 an hour for labor. Plus parts.
Just a ballpark please. Also, if the seals need to be replaced is it a big deal in labor and cost of parts to replace the guides? I don't know if they the guides need it or not, but I've read that if the seals need to be replaced it may be due to the guides. I'd hate to not replace an inexpensive part while they are in there.
Thanks,
Joe
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 270
Likes: 25
From: Manchester, TN. & DeLand, FL.
I have one of these 05s that had the valve guide seal issue. Mine was burning oil in the rear cylinder only. I had the valve guide seals replaced in the rear head only at a cost of about $230 by an indy. That was several thousand miles ago and I haven't had any more issues. No more oil consumption whatsoever.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 498
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
The dealer is talking about both, with parts and labor I think they are talking around 800.00. I have no idea if that's high or not. I read that one guy was quoted 1000.00 buy a dealer, I've seen guys say an indy for under 300.00.
What I'd love to know is how long, at a dealer, the job takes. It is what it is at that point. If it's a 7 hour job at 90/hr. then parts and tax.
Or is it really a 4 hour job, but they tell you it's 600 in labor.
Thanks,
Joe
What I'd love to know is how long, at a dealer, the job takes. It is what it is at that point. If it's a 7 hour job at 90/hr. then parts and tax.
Or is it really a 4 hour job, but they tell you it's 600 in labor.
Thanks,
Joe
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 28,476
Likes: 3,950
From: Vermont
05's had valve-itis. If it were me, I'd take the heads off myself and then bring them to someone to replace the valve seals, then take the heads back and reinstall them yourself. Good time to consider other upgrades as well, 95" etc.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 270
Likes: 25
From: Manchester, TN. & DeLand, FL.
At the time with mine I was going through a qt. every 1200 miles, all through the rear cylinder. I would pull the spark plugs and the front would be nice and clean and the rear would be carboned to the point of fouling. If you use very little in 5000 miles I don't think you have the problem. The problem with the 05 seals wasn't with the seals themselves but with the installation. The MoCO says some of them were "side loaded" during installation what ever "side loading" is. That is why all 05s don't have the problem and why you could have the problem on only one cylinder. Just my $.02.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 862
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From: Western PA
If it were me , I would definetely replace the guides. If you decide to do this, make sure that they use the mag bronze guides. Some are having problems with varnish build up on the stems. This causes the valve to hang up. Not easy to diagnose. Mostly happens on the rear cylinder exhaust valve.
Last edited by mariner227; Mar 17, 2011 at 09:13 AM. Reason: spelling
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 498
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
Thanks for the offer of help with this folks. But I don't do any engine work at all, heck it took me 3 hours to take the freaking cow bell off the damn thing. Anyway, I've called two other dealers around the area and both came in with an estimate of parts and labor in a similar range. I was burning a lot of oil... How much is hard to say. I put around 6,000 miles on it last summer and I put in maybe 4 quarts over the summer, but that's a guess. It got to the point that I was checking it after every weekend ride. The dealer assures me that the work I'm having done: valve seals, polishing (I think) or cleaning everything, new rings, some other items will have the bike running fantastic with no more oil loss or pinging. By the way, in May of 09 I had the following done:
95" kit, nothing else done in the engine
(no head work etc.)
stock cams, SE Air kit, V&H Oval slip-ons.
dyno'd with the latest Race Tuner.
June of 2010 the following was done:
Andrews 21 cams
Screamin’ Eagle Hydraulic Cam Chain Tensioner Plate
Up grade Kit - with the better oil pump.
New bearings
Premium Oil cooler
SE Premium tapered adjustable pushrods
Reduced effort clutch
dyno time
Joe
95" kit, nothing else done in the engine
(no head work etc.)
stock cams, SE Air kit, V&H Oval slip-ons.
dyno'd with the latest Race Tuner.
June of 2010 the following was done:
Andrews 21 cams
Screamin’ Eagle Hydraulic Cam Chain Tensioner Plate
Up grade Kit - with the better oil pump.
New bearings
Premium Oil cooler
SE Premium tapered adjustable pushrods
Reduced effort clutch
dyno time
Joe
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
My '05 is using about a quart every 2500 miles and seems to be increasing consumption over time. My local indy said he thinks it valve seals and quoted by $600 to replace. He said I can probably get by for this riding season as long as I monitor oil levels carefully, but that it would eventually need to be done.