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[hdctss]

I am getting the new design head gaskets,front and rear, after the second failure of the rear.  According to the mc the head gasket fails which allows oil to go down the cylinder studs and appear to be coming from the base gasket area.  This time I also had oil on the rear cylinder fins so I knew it was the head gasket.  Has anyone had a failure of these new one piece, non-laminated or riveted head gaskets yet?  4900 miles first failure 5500 miles second.

[Serkcus]

My HD mechanic called today to tell me there is no "new" gasket available from HD at this time.    He's going to start tear down to see what all it needs so we can order what parts are needed in time to hopefully get on the road when the snow disappears. He will E;mail me photos as he moves through the motor.    Ordered the IDS pulley today so I can send it out to be chromed. 

[ultrafxr]

My HD mechanic called today to tell me there is no "new" gasket available from HD at this time.    He's going to start tear down to see what all it needs so we can order what parts are needed in time to hopefully get on the road when the snow disappears. He will E;mail me photos as he moves through the motor.    Ordered the IDS pulley today so I can send it out to be chromed. 

Hmmm.  I know couple of folks locally and several on this site who have had a 'new' and as yet unnumbered one-piece head gasket installed. 

[nixobilly]

Yes sir!  The Service Manager/Tech  needs to contact HD Tech Support and get the new solid thick head gaskets -- they do NOT have a part number.

Don't ask how I know this.   

Mark

[Twolanerider]

Hmmm.  I know couple of folks locally and several on this site who have had a 'new' and as yet unnumbered one-piece head gasket installed. 

Jerry, we've read about these "new" somewhat mysterious head gaskets a few times here from a few people.  Don't remember anyone actually showing an image of one though.  Don't mean to be a doubting Thomas but doesn't it sound a little fishy?  A part they can get without a part number?  It's certainly far outside the norm anyway.  Unfortunately it smacks of something a service rep might tell someone to pacify concerns over a recurring problem.

That the story seems to have come from more than one location/dealership suggests there might be more to it than simple pacification.  But it certainly has to make one at least engage the sniff test.

[Twolanerider]

Yes sir!  The Service Manager/Tech  needs to contact HD Tech Support and get the new solid thick head gaskets -- they do NOT have a part number.

Don't ask how I know this.   

Mark

Mark, did you actually see them?  Since several from a few different locales have now shared this new head gasket availability it seems they really are out there.  HD being HD though, and their service staffs having the reputation they do, special unnumbered parts are a tough story to swallow without actually seeing parts though.

[hdctss]

I have seen them.  they look like a carbon paper? or kind of like a blackish aluminum foil that is maybe .020 inches thick...I know what I am thinking but just having a hard time explaining it

[Chief]

Mark, did you actually see them?  Since several from a few different locales have now shared this new head gasket availability it seems they really are out there.  HD being HD though, and their service staffs having the reputation they do, special unnumbered parts are a tough story to swallow without actually seeing parts though.

Thomas, there is a new gasket and it's not a riveted 3 layer steel gasket like the -07A variety. When everything is said and done, this should become the -07B gasket.

AJ got these installed into his motor a few weeks ago. The only way to get a set is to call Tech Services and have them ship them directly to the dealer as they are not in the system yet.

[Chief]

I have seen them.  they look like a carbon paper? or kind of like a blackish aluminum foil that is maybe .020 inches thick...I know what I am thinking but just having a hard time explaining it

As has been explained to me, the new gasket is a composite material which is why you're thinking carbon, shiny black sandwich.

But hey, I've never seen one.

[hdctss]

.020 may be too thick of an estimate, but it seems to be thicker than the multi-part ones that came out

[ultrafxr]

As has been explained to me, the new gasket is a composite material which is why you're thinking carbon, shiny black sandwich.

But hey, I've never seen one.

"I know nothing."

[nixobilly]

2Lane,  Yes I did.

The old one looks like three thin layers of metal joined in the middle by a ring.  

The new one is 1 piece and solid -- it probably is not made of it, but it looks like it is solid graphite (kinda of a dark grey).

The tech showed me the detail instructions from TS which had my VIN on it.  

It was a checklist comprising of items like:

 verify crank runout (with field for resulting variance)
 check head for oil deposits, valve guides, piston wear and oil residue,
 ACR operation (mine were replaced)
 and a few others that I can't remember.

The tech also showed me the packaging that contained the new head gaskets - it was in a manila envelope with my VIN on it (all the other replacement parts were in the normal HD clear bags with p/n on them)

The tech said he had to return the completed checklist and removed parts back to harley for analysis (hee haw).

Since the bike was still apart I looked at the heads / pistons and they looked clean.  I should have just paid for new rings but I didn't think of it at the time.

Mark

[hard10]

Mark, did you actually see them? ...

I did not actually see them either but my trusted HD dealer that told me they were new. Just like the first time they clearenced the rocker boxes, they would never lie to me... would they?

[rlavigna]

I just picked up my bike... The dealer installed the "new" head gaskets which came from HD tech dept and they do not have a part number yet [and they came in a plain manila envelope].  As soon as the weather gets a little better I will put some miles on and see if there are any leaks. 

[Twolanerider]

2Lane,  Yes I did.

The old one looks like three thin layers of metal joined in the middle by a ring.  

The new one is 1 piece and solid -- it probably is not made of it, but it looks like it is solid graphite (kinda of a dark grey).

The tech showed me the detail instructions from TS which had my VIN on it.  

It was a checklist comprising of items like:

 verify crank runout (with field for resulting variance)
 check head for oil deposits, valve guides, piston wear and oil residue,
 ACR operation (mine were replaced)
 and a few others that I can't remember.

The tech also showed me the packaging that contained the new head gaskets - it was in a manila envelope with my VIN on it (all the other replacement parts were in the normal HD clear bags with p/n on them)

The tech said he had to return the completed checklist and removed parts back to harley for analysis (hee haw).

Since the bike was still apart I looked at the heads / pistons and they looked clean.  I should have just paid for new rings but I didn't think of it at the time.

Mark

Thanks Mark.  This is confirmation of part and practice I'd not seen specifically before.  Of course it's obvious what it all sounds like too.  Beta testing.  You're just not being paid to be the guinea pig.