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[110tHunDer]

 
I rode Joy . . . er, uh, I mean my POS BLUE3 to work today.  While I was out at lunch, it started sprinkling, so I headed home and got my truck.  As I am wiping the few rain drops off that I rode through, I notice 2 verrrry small drips of oil on the garage floor.  I do a quick look around and under the bike, but don't see anything, so I chalk it up to the leaky transmission jack shaft seal on the SEEG (even though I can't remember ever having the SEEG parked where the 3 is and it does NOT smell like gear lube ), wipe it up, hop into the truck and go back to work.

Get home, eat dinner, go out in the garage to putz around with the SERG for awhile and notice this :

[110tHunDer]

 
It's really hard to get good photos in the dark garage, but I'm assuming this is the rocker cover gaskets?   It's leaking quite a bit though, so not sure.

[naitram]

i thought the rocker gaskets was a common issue on those

[SBB]

Change to Dino oil and everything will be ok.
Dino oil is the boutique choice of progressive "Vtwin" owners for this week.
Be careful though, the next cure of the week for what ails "Vtwin" owners may be memory foam for the seat!

                     

[110tHunDer]

Change to Dino oil and everything will be ok.
Dino oil is the boutique choice of progressive "Vtwin" owners for this week.
Be careful though, the next cure of the week for what ails "Vtwin" owners may be memory foam for the seat!

                     

How did you know I had synthetic in it?   You're a genius!   That's gotta be it then!   I'm gonna get that chit outta there this week!!  FTS!!!

[RedFXR2]

All the oil changes in the world won't stop a leak if your rocker box covers are warped.

And if there's no warpage, it may just need new gaskets.  Those could be original to the bike and are simply worn out.

It is very common on Evos.  Synthetic/dino oil has nothing to do with it.  I've had synthetic in mine for three years now and it hasn't leaked a drop..... since I fixed the warped rocker boxes that is.

There's a thread about this on here somewhere.

Take off the top cover and place it on a flat surface.  I mean either plate glass or a granite countertop.  If it rocks back and forth at all between diagonal corners, it's warped.  Use some sandpaper on the countertop, and lay the rocker cover on it and move it in a figure 8 pattern gently until it's flat.  You'll also remove the chrome from the gasket mating surface--a good thing.  check the middle piece as well but you can get away with a little rocking on it.  Doubt it's a problem

Once the tops are flat, get a new gasket set and put it all back together.

There's a slight chance that it could be the bottom rocker box gasket--between the lower rocker box and the cylinder head.  But most Evos suffer from the type of leak I first described.  Hope this helps.

[edit to add]  About Evos and gaskets--you may see some seepage at your cylinder bases.  The original HD base gaskets were paper--not good.  If they're not leaking yet, you can stall for time by being judicious about warming up the motor before taking off.  Let it fast idle, about 1000-1500RPM from cold until the rear rocker box is too hot to touch.  Not roasting hot, understand, just at the point where you can't comfortably put your bare fingers on it.  This will allow your cylinders to warm up gradually and go easier on the gaskets.  Regardless, it probably won't be too much longer before you're going to want to replace the base gaskets, if they haven't already been replaced.  Use Cometic or James brand base gaskets and still use the warm-up procedure I described.

[110tHunDer]

 
Thanks, Mike!   We were just giving Howie some crap about synthetic oil that trickled (no pun intended ) down here from another thread.

It really looks as though it is just coming from the bottom gasket, but as I went back out and thought about it while I did the tinkering on the SERG that I wanted to do, now might be the time to just start planning out a winter motor build on it, especially if it's just a matter of time on the cylinder base gaskets, too.   It's not like I ain't got another bike to ride!  I sure do like this one, though!

[Hoist!]

How did you know I had synthetic in it?   You're a genius!   That's gotta be it then!   I'm gonna get that chit outta there this week!!  FTS!!!

Since when did you ever listen to, or even acknowledge, moronic responses like that! Shame on you man!

And BTW, Mike seems to know his Evo's and offered real help! Not like some people who are so full of themselves, they can only offer useless ridiculous jibber jabber!!!

Hoist!

[Twolanerider]

Be glad it's the front cylinder Brian.  If it was the back one it'd take twice as much synthetic to leak twice as much in half the time and be four times harder to change.  At least that's what Howie told me.

[Hoist!]

Be glad it's the front cylinder Brian.  If it was the back one it'd take twice as much synthetic to leak twice as much in half the time and be four times harder to change.  At least that's what Howie told me.

Well, that's what I read on the internet somewhere! Gotta be true, right?

Hoist!

[HEADPAN62]

very common for the rocker box gaskets to go on the later evo's. They have upgraded metal gaskets..

[RedFXR2]

If you're going to the trouble of disassembling the rocker boxes, then I'd say go ahead and install new gaskets.  Just removing the top cover means loosening the center piece as well, so I'd replace any gasket I disturbed in the process.  And a new gasket set will include the vinyl umbrella valves for the center piece.  Go ahead and replace that too while you're there.

[erniezap]

I've had my share of rocker leaks on the 05 SEEG.  Must have replaced gaskets close to half a dozen times in the 51K on it...

Just remember, it's not leaking, it's marking its territory!

[110tHunDer]

 
   This thing's been so tight and dry as a bone so far, that I was hoping I might luck out.  Guess not!

[FXR2evo99]

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=1049.0;all

Regards,

Tim

[omgtkk]

Yep, When I got my FXR2 home I found the same puddle under mine.  ANd it seems like once they go, they really go.  It turned from a slow leak to a jail break in one or two heat cycles of the motor.  I didn't have the time or patience to tackle the repair myself, so I took it to a local independent with an excellent reputation.  He confirmed that they all do this eventually.  Said the government made the manufacturers take all the asbestos out of the paper gaskets in the 90's, so the gaskets just fall apart after a while.  He replaced BOTH front and rear rocker boxes with James Gaskets and told me "they don't leak when I get done with them".  2 1/2 hours labor and a few bucks in parts.  Not too bad.  Been dry since, but I only have a few hundred miles on it.  Make sure you do both cylinders if you are going to go through the trouble.

[110tHunDer]

 
Thanks, omg.  That is quite a spot under there.  I was wondering if the rocker cover gaskets could actuall leave that much oil, but I guess they can.  I had the bike out for a good run over the weekend, rode it to work twice this week, and all was fine until yesterday's geyser, so yeah, it seems once they go, they go quickly!

I learned about an indy near here from an ol' timer I met during my breakfast run last Sunday, so I may try to head down there tomorrow after a few hours at the office to see what he has to say.  Not sure the H-D dealer here would utilize the James Gaskets.   I will definitely do both front and rear at the same time.

[BADBUD]

I had a leak too. But it will be fine. Hoping for 120-120.
BadBud

[Sean M Cary]

I had a leak too. But it will be fine. Hoping for 120-120.
BadBud

are you doing gear driven cams?

[BADBUD]

Yes, S&S 585g. Reworking heads, boring .005 over domed pistons, 10.5 to 1 compression, compression releases, D&D fatcat.VROOM!!!!!!!! Hope to be back in the saddle in a week or so. Compensater nut came loose and screwed up stator. Bearing race on main shaft slipped a 1/4 inch or so, got lucky didn't get into 5th gear. Guess I am going to have to start acting like I am 54.-----------------------NOT

BADBUD

[Hoist!]

Nice mods bud!

Brian was talking about Evo Rocker Box leaks here on an FXR3. You guys will get more response to your TC questions if ya move this stuff to the Twin Cam Board.

That was an unthreadjack if ya haven't noticed!

Hoist!