| Author | Message | ||
     Jandj_davis |
I have been giving my wife's Blast a little refurb this winter. It needs a new front isolator and rocker cover gaskets at the very least. Hopefully some new tires too. But, I have run across a strange issue. I took off the exhaust and found what looks like steel wool in my exhaust port. What is this? Do I need to clean it out? Is this what's left of some strange form of gasket?   Here's some pics of the current state. I wish I had a bigger garage, but at least it is something, right?   | ||
| Ronbob43 |
Nice stands. That's what's left of your exhaust gaskets. | ||
| Styxnpicks |
thats the exhaust gasket. steel mesh and lead. pull the old one out stick a new one in. common sportster part | ||
| Jandj_davis |
The front stand is a T-Rex, the rear is a HarborFreight. I have the rear T-Rex on my Firebolt in storage. I expected a copper crush washer or something like that. Thanks for the info folks. Looks like I need to get me some picks to dig that out. | ||
| Ezblast |
Is that the Pirelli 66 tire on the rear? EZ | ||
| Buellistic |
All that crap is from the HARLEY-DAVIDSON "CRAP" GASKET PN 65324-83A which compresses into the exhaust port ... IF YOU USE EXHAUST GASKET PN 17048-98 THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN !!! | ||
| Jandj_davis |
OK, next question. Are these orange gaskets the only thing that goes between the upper and lower rocker covers, or is there supposed to be an additional flat gasket?   | ||
| Ezblast |
Did it leak before? EZ | ||
| Buellistic |
If these neopreme gaskets are not damaged they can be put in the freezer for an hour and will come out revived so they can be reused !!! | ||
| Swampy |
Those neophrene gaskets are all that goes in there. They act as the seal between the rocker box cover and the rocker box. Was your rocker box cover gasket leaking or was the rocker box to cylinder head gasket leaking? The latest and greatest gasket for the Rocker box to cylinder head is a metal gasket with a rubber or neophrene coating. They are all H-D(spit) Sportster parts. Most H-D(spit) dealerships now have access to the Buell parts inventory system now that H-D (spit) shuttered Buell American. You can get a kit from H-D(spit) for the Sportster that has enough gaskets for 2 cylinders, you will only need one set of course...The kit has extra gaskets that you do not need. The kits also come with rubber ringed flat washers that go inplace of the paper gaskets that go under the washers for the small allen head bolts that hold the rocker box cover on. I was told that you leave the flat washers on the allen head bolts and just slip the new flat washers on the bolt. | ||
| Jandj_davis |
The Rocker cover was leaking some thing awful from somewhere, I'm not sure if it was from the rocker cover/rocker box interface or the rocker box/cylinder head interface. I am pretty certain it was in the rocker box/cylinder head interface. It did have the new gasket, but all of the neoprene looked like it had been melted off. It was oozing out of the seam. I thought the previous owner had used a bunch of liquid gasket on it or something. Was it over torqued perhaps? Thanks to Buellistic for the gasket freezer hints. I will hang on to the old ones, but I will probably just put new ones in anyway unless they are expensive (Latus has them listed for less than $8 for both). I was planning on replacing all of the seals to make sure I don't have to do this again next winter. To EZ, the rear tire is a Dunlop K127, and the front is something Chinese I think. They are both hard as rocks and squared off to boot. Needless to say, THEY SUCK. I am hoping to put some Pirelli MT75's or Avon AM63's this spring. | ||
| Ezblast |
Either is a better choice than Dudlop. EZ | ||
| Buellistic |
The rocker arm breather will weep, but if you put too much oil in the engine they will weep even more to the level of leak ... | ||
| Jandj_davis |
What is the rocker arm breather? Do you mean the PCV valve (blowby valve)? | ||
| Buellistic |
From the PARTS BOOK it is PN 17607-00Y, PCV VALVE ... If you want to stop the PVC VALVE and GROMMET PN 17606-00Y from weeping get a tube of "YAMABOND" from your local YAMAHA motorcycle dealer and apply ... | ||
| Jandj_davis |
I didn't have a problem with the PCV leaking before. I'll get a new grommet just for fun, but it wasn't an issue before now. Should I take extra steps and replace seals around my pushrod cover? I'm not too concerned about a little seeping, it happens. I just don't want major leaks dripping on the floor of my garage, like it had before. | ||
| Swampy |
If you want to replace the seals around the pushrod tube you will have to replace the head and base gaskets plus do all of the added removing the cylinder and makeing sure everything gets put back in place correctly...rings, wrist pin clips and such. If it isn't leaking don't mess with it. If you do mess with it go all the way and do it correctly, there is nothing worse than putting it back together and finding out that some small part failed and requires you take it all apart again. | ||
| Ezblast |
Totally Concur!! EZ | ||
| Buellistic |
The wrist pin can be removed and the piston left in the cylinder so the rings are not disturbed !!! | ||
| Jandj_davis |
Eww, I didn't realize I would have to take the cylinder off. I'll leave that alone. | ||
| Monzaracer |
I put a 140 70 16 Michelin Gold Standard and I am pretty sure with tread still showing I am over 5k miles, ?Thinking of trying the City Grip. They actually have it in both 140 70 and 120 80 so its all dependent on cash availability. I MAY stick with 140 and use the City Grip when its bald. The Gold standard didnt seem to flatten out horrible like my other MTs. Really gotta look at why it looks like belt is running half off the rear sprocket. |
