| Author | Message | ||
     Bykemike |
Can the cooling fan be changed on a 2008 Buell XB12 without pulling the shock back? I have heard it can but no love so far | ||
| Bykemike |
Ok, no big deal, 45 min and the fan is changed, had to remove the rear shock to do it. While I was in there I found, as predicted, a small leak in the back left section of the upper rocker box cover. It appears the engine tip forward job is going to be done in the next few weeks. I do not expect it to be hard due to some excellent write ups on this board. What else do I need to do while I am in there? Lower rocker box gaskets? Do not appear to be leaking now. I have looked for the upper box gasket kit with no luck, Harley Dealers? Thanks | ||
| Bykemike |
BTW, the more I work on this bike the more impressed on how easy it is to work on, good thing though, they are pretty needy compared to say..anything else!  | ||
| Ljivasiv82 |
Upper Rocker box is a common thing, my friend changed his recently and I'm gathering the supplies to do it within a month. HD wants $140+ for their Gasket Kit but this James Kit works perfectly with our XB12X and is apparently better quality. Read the reviews. You won't be using most of the kit, as it doesn't all fit our bike. Still half the price of HD stuff. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B009XIOZ0G/ref =ox_sc_sfl_title_9?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3TGC5XRRCX4 P2 | ||
| 651lance |
Lets compare apples to apples The gasket kit Ljivasiv82 listed is a top end kit and comparing the price to a complete engine gasket kit from HD. The top end kit from HD is $95.00. Yes it is more then the James kit but we see less issues with the rockbox center gaskets staying in place. I'm not saying that James Gaskets makes bad gaskets just some don't fit a well as HD. You don't need a top end kit only a rock box kit or just buy the parts for one box. | ||
| Bykemike |
Thanks for all the good information guys, I would do both front and back, can't imagine going through a few hours of tilting the motor and not get both. It might be the time to do the intake gaskets to I would guess. I have spent the last few hours on the bike (right after doing the fan) and I went about 130 miles and no CEL! Yeah!! | ||
| Ljivasiv82 |
651 Lance I would like more information. From a mechanic friend I was told these James gasket actually fit better, to quote him "they are an improvement over h-d gaskets and are thicker in the areas prone to poor sealing". I would like to know what you know and from where? I was about to order this gasket kit but would love to hear what you have to say. I was quoted around $140 for the Rockbox Kit, was I being ripped off? | ||
| Pontlee77 |
If it' the rocker box cover get the latest sportster gaskets, if you're gong to do both get 2 center gaskets and 2 outer gaskets, should en the be much. And they fit perfect and seal perfect. I have done it to 3 friends bikes. | ||
| Ljivasiv82 |
PontLee are you referring to an entire kit or only those two parts? Will this work? https://smile.amazon.com/James-Gasket-Harley-David son-Sportster-17049-07/dp/B007KPV6B0/ref=sr_1_1?ie =UTF8&qid=1482021964&sr=8-1&keywords=1200cc+sports ter+gasket+kit | ||
| 651lance |
James Gaskets and HD gasket both have a place in this world. In the past HD made some bad gaskets and JG capitalized on that. These days most of HD's late model gasket are great and that's all we use. I feel James makes better seals for shafts by mostly using double lipped seals. We use JG seals on shifter shafts when it's not getting covered by HD warranty. I've found that most of the aftermarket rockerbox mid gaskets are Just a hair over sized and they keep moving out of the proper position when installing the upper box. When replacing rockerbox base gaskets most people forget to check and make sure there rocker box base is flat. Replacing the gasket with a warped base is just asking for the gasket to fail again and again. Yes the HD gaskets kit cost a little more then the aftermarket kits out there. Remember the aftermarket top end and engine rebuild kits are made for XL's vs being made for Buell engines. The rocker box kits are mainly made for XL model not the XB models. Yes I work for a dealer and have since 91. I have my choice for gaskets and have too spend my own money on my own bikes on these gaskets also. These are my opinions and not our dealerships. | ||
| Griffmeister |
Whichever way you go, I would recommend getting a top end kit rather than individual parts. The first time around on my bike, I tried ordering just the parts that I needed. When they came in, the outer gasket was a totally different material than the inner one even though the part numbers were correct. This was through the HD dealer, by the way, so they came straight from the warehouse like that. I gave them right back to the parts guy and ordered the kit. | ||
| 651lance |
The small center rocker box gasket is white / clear color and the outer one is brown. That is the latest material color that there is for the XL / Buell. | ||
| Ljivasiv82 |
Does anyone have the HD Part Number for the top end kit? | ||
| 651lance |
Engine kit #17058-02D retail $146.26 Top end kit #17059-02B retail $95.26 Rocker box #17036-91A retail $63.67 | ||
| Ljivasiv82 |
Thanks Lance. I'm a bit of a rookie, hence these questions. I assume Engine Kit has Top End & Rocker Box in it? Top End Kit has Rocker Box Kit in it? Thanks | ||
| 651lance |
Engine kit 17058-02D will have all the seals and gaskets to rebuild the complete engine. Top end kit 17059-02B is all the gaskets and seals from the basically cylinder base on up. Rocker box kit 17036-91A is just the rocker boxes from the top of the head up. | ||
| Ljivasiv82 |
Thanks again Lance, very helpful I was able to track down the Rocker Box kit on sale for $50. Anyone interested in learning the different iterations of the Rocker Box Kit, read this post from AI in 2010. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/384 2/545648.html?1398125542 |
