Both rocker boxes leaking

[Beltfed]

My front box has been "misting" for quite some time but my rear gasket just took a dump and is leaking oil onto my starter motor so I need to change them out. Is this going to be a huge expense taking it in or should I pony up the $60 some odd dollars that the dealer wants for the manual and try to do it myself?

[rottenralph]

i just spent an hour replacing the rear rocker box gaskets. It is a relatively easy job. I had to clearance my rockers for my high performance springs. The gaskets will cost you around 35 bucks and you will need to cut down one allen wrench to fit the rear most cap screw or use a ball end allen. 15 to 18 foot pound on the 1/2 inch bolts and I don't remember the rest. Buy the hanes manual and do it your self. It will be about 2 hours of labor from the dealership. Meaning several hundred dollars to replace.

[XL Custom 1200]

Like Ralph said, straight forward job. Just take your time and remember how you manipulated the rear cover off. so you can put it back in the same way. Oh, and dont forget the vacuum line from the carb to the Petcock after you put the tank back on, DOH!! Dont ask how I know, hehe!!

[blakjak]

Defintely a do it yourself job. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours and around my area a top end gasket set will run you about $55.

Buy the manual anyway. Its a good investment to have around.

[Beltfed]

Is there anywhere I can buy the manual online and just download it? The local dealers say it takes 2+ weeks to get in and my bike is a daily driver. I had driving the cage to work. I've got a $100 gift card to the dealer but would rather use that to buy parts and get the manual from somewhere else faster.

[blakjak]

I don't know about downloading it but zanotti's online can get it to you in less than a week or even ebay can do it quicker for that matter.

[kntalan]

maybe your outer rocker bolts are a little loose? you can check them first. the spec. for a 2003 xlh 1200 sportster is 120-168 inch pounds torque. The gaskets sit in a groove and are pretty thick rubber, so maybe just your bolts are loose. bolts are the four 3/16 allen head bolts on top of rocker cover.

good luck...Tom

[Ranger7]

Try Amazon.com got factory model specific manul for about 30.00 in 3 days

[PaulDM]

Just out of curiosity, if the rocker boxes are misting, mine are. Is there any place that rents flat plates so i/you could be sure the rocker box is actually flat and if it’s off a little bit correct it?

[racerwill]

Just out of curiosity, if the rocker boxes are misting, mine are. Is there any place that rents flat plates so i/you could be sure the rocker box is actually flat and if it’s off a little bit correct it?

use a pane of glass to check for flatness.....

Ww

[MotoGP]

They don't tighten rocker box bolts at the factory. Mine stopped leaking once they were tight.

[Beltfed]

They don't tighten rocker box bolts at the factory. Mine stopped leaking once they were tight.

Is that a joke? My bike has over 20k on it and it just started.

[MotoGP]

No joke. Also if you change gaskets look for extra nuts and bolts left inside.

[Casper]

Moto, you must've gotten a bad one then. I haven't heard of anyone who had a problem with their rocker boxes fresh from the factory; it's usually time or tinkering that cause it.

[Beltfed]

it's usually time or tinkering that cause it.

I can't tell what's the cause of mine. I know that it's a paper gasket thats in there but a couple of the freakin allen screws on the inside were all buggered up from some previous wrench that was probably using the wrong size allen wrench. The new gasket will be rubber right?

Tonite, I pulled the bike up into my little shop in the back yard, put it up onto the motorcycle jack, took off the seat and tank, stood back and got stoked and just had to take the top two rocker box pieces off. After I did that I got pissed at myself for not ordering the manual and gaskets yet. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a chance to hit up the dealer. I hate driving my truck to work, it's been broken into and vandalized too many times. I can't wait till my prozac on wheels is fixed and I can just ride into the front door of where I work and not have to worry about it getting screwed with.

[Beltfed]

I just won a service manual off of eBay for $19 and change. WOOT WOOT!!!!
I went down to the dealer today and got my gaskets. But I don't know if I got enough. I'm doing both cylinders. I have a total of 8 gaskets. Two small rectangular ones, then all of the gaskets for the 3 plates. Was I supposed to get anything for the bolts or do I just reuse the little rubber washer that were under them?

[Casper]

Congrats on the manual; that's dirt cheap! (I bought mine from H-D, and it cost me $100, so yes, I'm jealous!)

As to the rubber washers, the official recommendation of course is to always replace them to ensure the best seal possible. That being said, everyone I talked to when I did it said that as long as they weren't munched, they could be reused without any problems. I reused them, and they didn't cause any problems.

[Gone]

Just make sure you get the metal rocker box gaskets instead of the paper ones cause they will leak again. Heck with the metal ones you can reuse them again and they won't leak, like doing a cam change or head work.

[myrl883]

Great price on the manual!
As has been stated, it's an easy DIY job. The other thing to watch for is that the pushrods are different lengths - it's not enough to see. They have paint marks on them for identification. Note it when you take it apart, or if you're manual's arrived, the information is in there.

[MadMax25]

use a pane of glass to check for flatness.....

Ww

A pane of glass is actually not bad. Use new glass... and the thickest you can get your hands on. It should be well supported. Glass is a 'super cooled liquid', and sags slightly over time. One side is generally flatter than the other. Machine shops all have a granite surface plate which is usually flat to about 0.0001 ( one ten thousands ) inch per foot. A 12 x 18 x 3 inch thick one, can be purchased for way less than 100 bucks. Very heavy.
You don't use it very often, but when you need it, it's hard to substitute for.
If the rocker box cover is not completely flat, then you are stuck with the much-more-difficult-to-check-for-flatness upper portion of the engine.
BTW, my boxes are misting too !!!

[Beltfed]

A pane of glass is actually not bad. Use new glass... and the thickest you can get your hands on. It should be well supported. Glass is a 'super cooled liquid', and sags slightly over time. One side is generally flatter than the other. Machine shops all have a granite surface plate which is usually flat to about 0.0001 ( one ten thousands ) inch per foot. A 12 x 18 x 3 inch thick one, can be purchased for way less than 100 bucks. Very heavy.
You don't use it very often, but when you need it, it's hard to substitute for.
If the rocker box cover is not completely flat, then you are stuck with the much-more-difficult-to-check-for-flatness upper portion of the engine.
BTW, my boxes are misting too !!!

I work right next to a granite shop and we're always doing favors for eachother. I'll have to hit them up :D

[MadMax25]

Hi Beltfed,
The machine shop granite surface plates I was referring to,
are specially ground to be extremely flat. Ordinary decorative
or gravestone granite won't even be close to the absolute
flatness that is available with a properly ground surface plate.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Beltfed]

Hi Beltfed,
The machine shop granite surface plates I was referring to,
are specially ground to be extremely flat. Ordinary decorative
or gravestone granite won't even be close to the absolute
flatness that is available with a properly ground surface plate.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Bah blow my plan then! :smoke

I'm really debating just doing a 1200 conversion right now. I'm lazy and already have the tank and top halves of the rocker boxes off why not do it now? LOL I wish I had the time to do it. I'm tearing down my garage next weekend so I guess the extra CC's will have to stay on the shelf.

[LoneRyder]

My front box has been "misting" for quite some time but my rear gasket just took a dump and is leaking oil onto my starter motor so I need to change them out. Is this going to be a huge expense taking it in or should I pony up the $60 some odd dollars that the dealer wants for the manual and try to do it myself?

As probably already stated, buy the HD manual (The best hands down), get the METAL gasket set, and do it yourself. The rewards go way beyond the non-leaky rockers you will end up with.

Pane of glass? You guys are really taking your chances there. Get a machinist straight edge and check for clearance across the casting if you think you have to. Hell, a good ruler will work just fine. I highly doubt they are warped. Paper gaskets were a BIG mistake by HD and are the definite cause of your woes. Don't be surprised if your head gaskets end up leaking as well if they are still paper. The metal gaskets will stop oil even if you have a slight warp in the boxes. Just make sure you get all the paper off the boxes, spacers and covers. Use a single edge razor blade and a low angle to avoid scraping the aluminum machining. WD-50 will also help if sprayed on and left for 30mins or so. Use your fingers to feel for smoothness. Don't freak out if you can't get all that you see off, just make sure that it feels smooth to the touch, no bumps our deep gouges.. Take your time, you will be fine.

[Beltfed]

I haven't got my damned manual in the mail yet and I emailed the seller a couple days ago and the bastard hasn't gotten back to me yet. What's in there that's need to know in order to do this job?

[srrice40]

IMHO the most important thing to remember is to make sure both valves are closed before removing the rocker box. another thing. you will need to cut the hex tool down to practically nothing to get to the back bolt because it sits right under the frame. the best way to close out those valves is to remove the plugs, put the bike in fifth gear and rotate the back wheel until the valves are closed. you should be able to see the piston in the plug hole when the valves are closed. the manual also gives the torque values for the bolts.

[Beltfed]

Does anybody know the torque sequence for the bolts? I haven't started in on this project because my manual hasn't showed up yet but I'm F'ing tired of waiting.

[Beltfed]

WOOT WOOT!!! Manual didn't come yet but I decided to go ahead with it anyways. I can't live with out her. My wife calls my bike my "whore" and/or "mistress". I'd say the hardest part about the entire ordeal was 1. taking the 7/16" bolt out in the very back of the rear head and 2. scraping the old gaskets off. Thanks to everyone that responded!!!!!!

[LoneRyder]

Congrats bro! The best part is that it doesn't leak and you did it yourself! Nice work!

[milmat1]

I'm not able to read this whole thread, (Time)
But I wanted to say after repairing the leaking gasket be sure to check the Crankcase ventilation, Whatever type you have, If the crankcase can't breathe correctly She will force oil out of anywhere it can. Because the crankcase has a positive pressure !

This is the case of many older car engines, You know "It Just needs some Valve cover Gaskets" When Usually the engine has a large amount of Blowby causing pressure in the crankcase, And forcing oil out of everywhere....Just some thoughts !!

[mtl-XLR]

Moto, you must've gotten a bad one then. I haven't heard of anyone who had a problem with their rocker boxes fresh from the factory; it's usually time or tinkering that cause it.

Mine misted when new, dealer tighted the bolts and everything was fine !

[68B_Body]

how did you get a torque wrench to fit in there to tighten all the bolts? theres hardly any room to get an allen wrench to fit.

[Beltfed]

how did you get a torque wrench to fit in there to tighten all the bolts? theres hardly any room to get an allen wrench to fit.

I only used a torque wrench for the 1/2" bolts. Everything else I just snugged up to a point where I felt comfortable with it and used locktite on everything so I didn't have to worry about them backing out.