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[naitram]

ride through the pain, and put on some new heads in the off season.... good excuse for an upgrade maybe some HTTC heads

[djkak]

.....I'm liking the "leave it be" solution, at least for now.

I'll just keep an eye on the oil level and maybe pull the plugs after awhile longer to see what they look like -- just generally monitor the situation, but not let it ruin riding season!

Thanks!

Sounds like a good plan to me.

Attached is a photo of a sparkplug from an '05 with confirmed valve seal issues; I don't recall which cylinder the plug was from.

djkak

[JCZ]

Brian you may remember back in late 04 (or was that early 05?) when I started posting that I thought my bike (totally stock except for exhaust and air cleaner) started using more oil then I thought it should but it wasn't smoking.  It seemed to run just fine.  Eventually, it used more and more oil till it got up to a quart every 1000 miles.   Anyway, long story short......it turned out to be the valve guide seals.  There was a history of that problem in 04 model years and I think some early 05s.

My symptoms were very similar to yours.......one plug (rear cylinder) kept ending up just like yours.

[110tHunDer]

 
What's involved in replacing the valve guides, anyway?  Do you have to pull the head or can you do it just pulling the rocker covers?

[Hoist!]

What's involved in replacing the valve guides, anyway?  Do you have to pull the head or can you do it just pulling the rocker covers?

Brian, the head gets pulled, taken apart and the guides are banged out with a hammer. The valve sits in the guide held together with the collars & spring retainers and the entire head must come apart. Hoist!

[110tHunDer]

 
Well, dammit, that's what I was afraid of . . . . fairly major surgery (read $$$$$$$$).

[Hoist!]

Well, dammit, that's what I was afraid of . . . . fairly major surgery (read $$$$$$$$).

Don's right, if you're not fouling or losing oil, don't worry about it and just keep an eye on it. Should be winter work, if anything. It won't lead to a failure. You'll start smoking if it gets worse. You're fine for now! Hoist!

[Fired00d]

Well, dammit, that's what I was afraid of . . . . fairly major surgery (read $$$$$$$$).

Brian,
If your bike is running fine now enjoy it. Worry about it if turns into a problem, not before.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[djkak]

Don, as far as oil comsumption, it's never seemed to drop from where it ended up on the dipstick after an oil and filter change.....

This is the head that was replaced, but they only replaced the casting.

Your replacement cylinder head would have come with seats and guides installed. If you are pushing oil through a valve guide, it is possible although unlikely at 17k miles that a valve guide has excessive clearance. The most likely issue is the valve stem seals need to be updated; that is if in fact you are pushing oil through the guide. For what it’s worth, if you are not having oil consumption issues, I would advise you not to mess with it.

It is my understanding that HD changed valve stem seals in 2005 and some early 2006 models. The change was to incorporate the lower valve spring collar with the valve stem seal; a one piece unit. This apparently caused some distortion, allowing the seal to pass some oil. The early one piece seals are black in color with a silver metal “seal ring” near the top of the seal. The next generation seal was black seal with a green seal ring. The latest seals are black on the bottom half and orange on the top half. The way I understand it, the black/orange seal is the one you want.

You should be able to remove the rocker covers and do a visual to confirm the seal arrangement that you have. Keep in mind that the black seals could be sealing just fine, and replacing them may not solve your spark plug issue. Again, if you are not using oil, I wouldn’t mess with it; JMHO.

djkak

[Twolanerider]

Screw it 103.  Rip that black and blue bitch apart.  Put it back together with new heads, rollers top to bottom, diamond cut and powder coat and a six speed.  That's what it'll take to fix that little oil consumption problem you don't have.  And maybe a chrome master cylinder too.

[djkak]

Screw it 103.  Rip that black and blue bitch apart.  Put it back together with new heads, rollers top to bottom, diamond cut and powder coat and a six speed.  That's what it'll take to fix that little oil consumption problem you don't have.  And maybe a chrome master cylinder too.

What he said!!! 

djkak

[Fired00d]

Screw it 103.  Rip that black and blue bitch apart.  Put it back together with new heads, rollers top to bottom, diamond cut and powder coat and a six speed.  That's what it'll take to fix that little oil consumption problem you don't have.  And maybe a chrome master cylinder too.

Brian,
This is coming from the guy that bought an extra set of heads so he wouldn't be down while this work is done.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Twolanerider]

Brian,
This is coming from the guy that bought an extra set of heads so he wouldn't be down while this work is done.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

And y'know what?  Given the performance that came out of every frakking vendor performing their own poor excuses for half assed service over and over and over again it was a phucking good thing there were spares to start with (not that I'm bitter or anything).

[Fired00d]

And y'know what?  Given the performance that came out of every frakking vendor performing their own poor excuses for half assed service over and over and over again it was a phucking good thing there were spares to start with (not that I'm bitter or anything).

My point exactly.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[110tHunDer]

Screw it 103.  Rip that black and blue bitch apart.  Put it back together with new heads, rollers top to bottom, diamond cut and powder coat and a six speed.  That's what it'll take to fix that little oil consumption problem you don't have.  And maybe a chrome master cylinder too.

I have been jonesing for the 6-speed recently.  So ,you're saying that will make my spark plug burn "normal," too?  SWEEET!