| Author | Message | ||
     Vecchio_lupo |
My 99 S3 has started to leak at the base gaskets, rear mostly, and I am about to undertake the project of changing all gaskets and seals in the top end as well as my oil pump gear just out of principal (40k trouble free miles). I'd like to hear from people who have done this job before and learn from their mistakes and benefit from tricks and inventive tools. I have a shop manual and it appears I don't have to seperate the engine from the frame, but I'm open to advice from people who have done it. I am also trying to think of what else to change while its apart. (Message edited by vecchio lupo on October 22, 2012) | ||
| Onahog |
Make sure ya buy a good gasket set..The newer metal ones work the best... | ||
| Vecchio_lupo |
I was going to pop big money for the cometic set, unless I hear different from the BadWeb collective. | ||
| Blks1l |
I made a torque adaptor for the upper isolator mount bolt by welding a nut on an extra wrench that I had. It is good to have extra allan wrenches around to cut to lengths as necessary. If you don't have the special tool to get the wrist pin clips in and out it is easier to leave the pistons on the rods and get a ring compressor when it comes time to reassemble. I used Cometic gaskets last time I did this job. | ||
| Vecchio_lupo |
Never thought I'd have issues so fast... Cometic/SEP only list the blast,XB 12, and 1125 under Buell applications. I figure the guys on the tech line will say "Yeah just order a 99 XL1200 set for your tuber" but they did not say that at all. They said they only carry Blast, XB12, and 1125 in the Buell gaskets but I could send my old ones in and they would custom cut... REALLY, I assume I got the car gasket guy on the phone, so what do I ask for to fit a 1999 S3 Thunderbolt? | ||
| Buellistic |
Pull the wrist pins and leave the pistons in the cylinders !!! | ||
| Akbuell |
Try Cometic again, and ask if they have a crossover kit for an H-D p/n 17032-91 gasket kit, top overhaul. Might get a better response. That p/n is from my '01 X-1 parts book; should work. Dave | ||
| Onahog |
Just go to HD and buy a 2003 and down 1200 sportster top end kit as well as a set of STD rings...Refresh the bore with a hone,stick all new gaskets in and ur good ta go...The new style gaskets are metal crimp design like used in the twin cams,and work and seal very good.. Do it once and ur done !!! | ||
| Vecchio_lupo |
Thanks, just what I'm after. | ||
| Snafu5962 |
17032-91 is the part # | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
as Buellistic said, pull the wrist pin and leave the piston in, saves time and money. Cometic most certainly does work on these bikes, go with it, they are great kits with everything you need. Not cheap, but when you start looking at buying everything individually it quickly adds up. | ||
| 6gears |
Hope yours turns out better than the base gaskets on my 94 softail. Mine were weeping and I decided to throw some in it over the winter... $3K later... I had a big inch motor with a cam and new S&S carb. Only needed base gaskets, but I figured while I was in there, LOL!!! | ||
| Mcelhaney14 |
I just used a genuine james top end set on my X1 and so far it is dry as a bone. Really happy about it. They didn't list one for buell so I just bought a sportster set. | ||
| 46champ |
I did this job a couple of years ago. I was using a lot of oil quart every 1000 miles or so. Some out of the rear base gasket but most going by the valve seals. When you get the heads off it you have a lot of carbon build up that looks oily on the back side of the valve it is your valve seals. Replaced gaskets seals and rings with stock H-D parts havn't had a leak since. The only problem I had was getting the old base gaskets off cut them off little bits at a time. | ||
| Pash |
Never had a problem getting the piston and rings back into the cylinder with my fingers (and no spring compressor). Saves the risk of dropping the clip where you don't want it to go (even if you stuff the cases with your favourite HD T Shirt). As for gaskets, where I am not playing with squish clearances (where I use Cometic), I use stock HD stuff. If you are trying to get paper gaskets off, use some methylated spirit, a gasket scraper and a vacuum cleaner to remove the doubt from your mind. And put some breather pipe over the cylinder studs to avoid any damage to the piston. And yes, as 46champ says, whilst the heads are off, lap the valves and replace the seals. Just my opinion from experience. BTW, hi Joe! | ||
| Vecchio_lupo |
HI Nick, thanks for the advice. | ||
| Vecchio_lupo |
OK Boys, I tore it all down and the bore looks great. The paper gaskets have deteriorated, it has been 12 years and 38k miles. I've inspected the heads and they look real good. I think I can get by with just lapping the valves and reassemble. I don't have $350 bucks to throw at a machine shop as preventative right now. Opinions?? | ||
| Onahog |
Clean em up..If the guides are tight, do a hand grind/lap , put new seals on and ur good ta go..Id hone it an re-ring as well.Hb. | ||
| Cupcake_mike |
I just re-did my topend and re-ringed the pistons. Sent the heads off to NRHS, they did a competition valve job (basically cleaned them all up, replaced valves, seals and springs, and decked the heads). It wasn't much more than it would have cost me to just buy valves and springs from the dealer. | ||
| Vecchio_lupo |
Cupcake_mike, Did you get the stage 1, stage 2 light, or full on stage 2? Was there an across the board improvement in feel and performance? The stage 2 light is $750, stage 1 is $550, these prices are not bad, just hard for me to pay out right now, but I don't want to regret the cost cutting a year from now. I agree that re-ringing is easy enough, but do you think they have collapsed after only 12 years and 40k miles? | ||
| Jmartz |
I have 55,000+ on my bike. At least 4 times I have removed the top end to correct leaks. Every time, the cylinder to head, oil return area has sprung a leak. I have used the OEM o-ring system and a variety of aftermarket gaskets to no avail. I always replace the cylinder base gaskets. When I have not done it, they have leaked. I like to remove the pistons (aftermarket only as OEM HD have offset pins) and reverse them in order to alter their thrust sides. Doing the job w/o a spring compressor and rod immobilizer is a bitch. | ||
| Cupcake_mike |
I dont know what stage Dan did for me, other than "competition" as that is what was on the invoice. I told him it was a stock engined M2 and asked his opinion once he got them. I think it feels better, but really it wasnt bad to begin with...I had to pull the front head to repair a broken exhaust stud and I had a small amount of smoke on acceleration (as told by buddies, I never noticed), so I figured that I would re-ring and at least do the valve seals. While I had it apart (and I had already bought the upper gasket set) I figured why not send the heads off to them. It was less than $200 for what I got and that includes my cost to ship them there and the cost to ship them back to me. When you consider my cost for the valves and springs from the dealership is close to a hundred and a half all by itself, it really was a no-brainer. They look like brand new out of the box heads, even all the interior passages. NRHS has done some work for my dad on his pro fuel bike and I was more than happy with how they did on my "little" job. Mine is a 99' with about 35,000 miles (Message edited by cupcake mike on November 08, 2012) |
