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[gremlush]

I have a 07 springer that was built June 07 and it has the {Cometic} 3 layer head gaskets on it ,as I can see the ribbets sticking out between the fins. We have always used Cometics { .030} on the 107" builds  {4 1/8 bore} and have had NO head gaskets problems. Cometic makes the S.E. head gaskets. My CVO manual say 200 - 220 cranking comp. 130 - 170 with comp. releases open. Thats a little high ! Drop in a Andrews 32 cams {.570 lift}that will back off your comp. a bit and a fuel  {box} to get your AF around 13.5 - 1 and hang on !

[FLTRCVO]

My dealer / wrench took my motor apart to check it out when the rear cylinder was leaking. The rear cylinder was porous, the dealer changed out both cylinders 17285-07A per the Motor Company , replaced both head gaskets 16801-07A and all other gaskets, orings, etc.

[HogBreath]

JD and I rode down to the dealer Saturday to check on the Jester. I still don't really know what he said, cept he'd never seen it before. At first I thought he discovered oil on top of the pistons, but he said nope. Oil was somewhere it wasn't supposed to be, so he's got a service rep coming to look in the next day or so.

The owner came by and said, You need a bike to ride? I'll give you one. I'm like..... give me one??? Hmmm lemme think......OK.

So, this morning I drove this one to the local coffee shop where all the old gezers hang out. They're asking me...JUST how many bikes do you own?? I thought, I'm really not sure, but, thought I should ride this one a little before the engine seized up for non-use.

[Torque]

I understand that HD is having problems with some early units due to head gasket materials used which caused leakage and eventual sleeve slippage. My buddy's Ultra Classic went down with this issue and the dealership is checking my VIN to see if mine also could have this problem. Dealers say the problem usually manifests around 7,500 miles or so.
Torque

[Chief]

As you might know, my CUSE2 went in for bad rear head gasket at 1,800 miles. I got the revised HG installed. I'm now at just under 5,000 miles and the problem returned a couple of weeks ago. I put it in the shop and we decided to do nothing right now.

The reason for doing nothing is because replacing defective parts with defective parts is a waste of money. HD is aware of the problem and is working on it, although there is nothing official on that yet. The plan is to wait a bit and see what comes out of the powertrain department to fix the problem instead of just band-aiding it.

While at the dealer, the bike was all cleaned up and the seep at the cylinder base was cleaned off. Rode 50 or 60 miles this weekend and the seeping/weeping is there again. It appears that the problem with the head gaskets starts slow and continues to grow with time.

We're heading to Gatlinburg this weekend. I'm interested to see what 500 or 600 miles will look like. I'm not worried about catastrophic melt-down, but sure would like to find a way to keep the oil on the inside.

[iski]

As you might know, my CUSE2 went in for bad rear head gasket at 1,800 miles. I got the revised HG installed. I'm now at just under 5,000 miles and the problem returned a couple of weeks ago. I put it in the shop and we decided to do nothing right now.

The reason for doing nothing is because replacing defective parts with defective parts is a waste of money. HD is aware of the problem and is working on it, although there is nothing official on that yet. The plan is to wait a bit and see what comes out of the powertrain department to fix the problem instead of just band-aiding it.

While at the dealer, the bike was all cleaned up and the seep at the cylinder base was cleaned off. Rode 50 or 60 miles this weekend and the seeping/weeping is there again. It appears that the problem with the head gaskets starts slow and continues to grow with time.

We're heading to Gatlinburg this weekend. I'm interested to see what 500 or 600 miles will look like. I'm not worried about catastrophic melt-down, but sure would like to find a way to keep the oil on the inside.

Hope it holds together, Chief.

How many miles do you have on your bike?

[skreminegul07]

My dealer / wrench took my motor apart to check it out when the rear cylinder was leaking. The rear cylinder was porous, the dealer changed out both cylinders 17285-07A per the Motor Company , replaced both head gaskets 16801-07A and all other gaskets, orings, etc.

How many miles you have on that repair now?  I'm still waiting on parts to do both jugs.  Thanks for providing the part numbers.  It's funny that the dealer is waiting on the cylinder kit which is 17458-07 which is the same number published in the parts book.  If you have a -07A gasket and -07A cylinder then the kit would also change to show the modifications to the components.

[Chief]

How many miles you have on that repair now?  I'm still waiting on parts to do both jugs.  Thanks for providing the part numbers.  It's funny that the dealer is waiting on the cylinder kit which is 17458-07 which is the same number published in the parts book.  If you have a -07A gasket and -07A cylinder then the kit would also change to show the modifications to the components.

I think it needs to be noted that the problem FLHRSE was having was not the usual problem we are all experiencing. He was getting oil coming through the side of the cylinder several fins below the top of the cylinder. This problem was attributed to a porous casting allowing the oil to pass through the metal. He was not getting the wet gasket and seep at the base of the cylinder.

[Chief]

Hope it holds together, Chief.

How many miles do you have on your bike?

Just under 5k.

[iski]

Just under 5k.

A little over 7k on mine and so far s'ok.  Wonder why some have this problem and others do not. 

Any 'official' word from the MoCo?

[Hoist!]

A little over 7k on mine and so far s'ok.  Wonder why some have this problem and others do not. 

Any 'official' word from the MoCo?

I think it's just because you're not up to it yet! So far, it's happened to just about every 110 I know of. Rich 07's bike's been fine for 6000 miles. We were up at Q's this weekend and I gave him the bad news. His head gaskets are fine at this point, but he's now seeping at the rear cylinder base. The design, whether it be the head gaskets, base gaskets, both, or something else, will probably cause this failure in every motor eventually. Until they determine the exact cause and fix it properly, it will continue to leak after it's repaired. They're just changing stuff to keep people happy now, while HD works behind the scenes to correct it properly. If they hadn't buried their heads in the sand about it months ago, it would have probably been taken care of by now. And since it's become epidemic at this point, they better damn do a recall. I believe they will all eventually leak. If you don't do many miles, and they don't have them recalled, the low mileage guys will get screwed, as their leaks will occur after their w.....ty is up!

Hoist!

[HogBreath]

As you might know, my CUSE2 went in for bad rear head gasket at 1,800 miles. I got the revised HG installed. I'm now at just under 5,000 miles and the problem returned a couple of weeks ago. I put it in the shop and we decided to do nothing right now.

The reason for doing nothing is because replacing defective parts with defective parts is a waste of money. HD is aware of the problem and is working on it, although there is nothing official on that yet. The plan is to wait a bit and see what comes out of the powertrain department to fix the problem instead of just band-aiding it.

While at the dealer, the bike was all cleaned up and the seep at the cylinder base was cleaned off. Rode 50 or 60 miles this weekend and the seeping/weeping is there again. It appears that the problem with the head gaskets starts slow and continues to grow with time.

We're heading to Gatlinburg this weekend. I'm interested to see what 500 or 600 miles will look like. I'm not worried about catastrophic melt-down, but sure would like to find a way to keep the oil on the inside.

Chief, mine was just like that in mid may. I'm thinking 6,000 miles or so. By July, it was spittting oil out pretty bad. I never did have to add any oil, but it was all over everything. It doesn't take much seepage to look like you lost a gallon.

[vagabond6542]

I think it's just because you're not up to it yet! So far, it's happened to just about every 110 I know of. Rich 07's bike's been fine for 6000 miles. We were up at Q's this weekend and I gave him the bad news. His head gaskets are fine at this point, but he's now seeping at the rear cylinder base. The design, whether it be the head gaskets, base gaskets, both, or something else, will probably cause this failure in every motor eventually. Until they determine the exact cause and fix it properly, it will continue to leak after it's repaired. They're just changing stuff to keep people happy now, while HD works behind the scenes to correct it properly. If they hadn't buried their heads in the sand about it months ago, it would have probably been taken care of by now. And since it's become epidemic at this point, they better damn do a recall. I believe they will all eventually leak. If you don't do many miles, and they don't have them recalled, the low mileage guys will get screwed, as their leaks will occur after their w.....ty is up!

Hoist!

I couldn't agree with you more. I think that they are aware of the problem, but don't wish to spend the money in correcting the situation. It's the matter of a few dissatified customers and the Accounts Receivable Journal. You would have gotten a notice in the mail by now for a recall. Just a thought.

[Chief]

Any 'official' word from the MoCo?

No, not yet. Hoping something comes along soon. I'm thinking the weeping I am seeing now may turn into real tears on the Gatlinburg trip.

[Steve_G]

Does anyone have contact within the MoCo who can comment on these problems?  It seems that problems are known by the people that buy the products, but we have to wait until the problems become an epidemic before the MoCo fixes them.  Maybe this is why we are seeing delays in the delivery of many of the '08 bikes.  -Steve