Rhys

I installed my new dobek on my roadking and got about 20 miles into the ride and got a head gasket leak. Does anyone think that its possible that the tunner could have caused a incorrect mixture in the cyclinder and caused this leak to occur. My bike only has 4,000 miles on it and I had no problems until after the install. Im being told head gasket problems are not that commen on newer bikes, so its just brings to question the tunner. It seemed to be very rich, as I came to stops I could smell it. I also had to reverse the polarity on my injectors so the tunner would work, and the guy at dobek ashured me that this was commen on my model. So has anyone eles had this happen or heard of it happening to some one?

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BUBBIE

Rhys,

Your Head Gasket giving up was due to No Fault of the Dobeck product.

This would be like saying the tranny won't shif correctly after I put on a new toe rubber on the shift fork...

OR I filled the gas tank with 100 octane etc etc

If you smelled raw gas , was it before the head gasket leak or after?

Smelling After would be because the cylinder was leaking it out Before gas fumes had a chance to burn.

Has anybody tried to TIGHTEN the head bolts (a No No) or any modifications before the Dobeck was installed?

A friend of mine would always try to tighten the bolts on his HD and the heads gave way under the process

I have NOT found ONE Bolt or Nut loose on my 09 since new...

What did the shop find about the gasket leak?

I would think it just let go IF nothing has been done to the bike on repair or replacement OR played with...

signed....BUBBIE

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Quite Often I am Right so Forgive me when I'm WRONG!!!.......

Rhys

I can see what you are saying, I wasnt blaming the tunner. I just wondered because of fuel and the head gasket is part of that cyclinder area. I didnt think it was so far off to say a shifter peg caused a tranny problem. Wasnt bad mouthing the unit just quious about rich and lean conditions and what that could do to a head gasket. The motor itself hasnt been touched. I have added ape hangers-hand and foot controls-V&H pipes-and a dobeck gen3. I have just had a few guys on here suggest asking. But not any motor mods, and I didnt touch the head bolts on the advice of someone on here. So a improper fuel mixture cant cause head gasket to go bad, but it can cause internal damage to the cyclinders? Is that correct? Thanks

Also the shop hasnt pulled it apart yet because they are swamped due to the Boogie & Sturgis, but when they looked at it they belived it was the head gasket. So I wount know for absolute shure until it has the heads off. I wont be going to the Boogie this year. Thanks for all the help and info

BUBBIE

all this below is MHO.....

Too Much fuel constantly being put into the motor is a Bad thing. Raw gas soaking its was down the cylinder walls will Wash Out the oil for lubrication, causing scored pistons and walls. This takes a really Rich Mixture and will be Noticed in many ways...

IF you have a lot of gas (Too Much) your exhaust will burn Black and you can see the problem.
Checking the plugs to see the color after you get the bike fixed, runing it for a 100 miles or so. checking the color of them then will tell you much...
IF black with carbon,,, way rich mixture,,, needs to be adressed.
It takes a large amount of fuel to Not Burn to do the damage like stated above...

I have never seen damage to a slightly over rich bike... Just extra carbon on the plugs and tail pipe ends.

IF a over flow of gas happens, like on a carbed bike, while NOT turned off at the tank and a bad carb float valve allows leaking into the engine while sitting over night or longer, flooding the motor with Raw Gas does wash out the lube oil around the rings and Damage when started. Contamination of the oil and filter will then need to be changed.

A motor runniing Way Rich can also have this problem and damage is there, usually over time.

On a FI motor like ours, the gas flow (pressure) is OFF when when motor is Off. So no gravity flow is able to leak past the FI system as PRESSURE is need to get the fuel into the injectors and intake.

HD's comes way too lean from the factory because HD has to jump thru EPA to get their bikes certified for sale in each state.

These Old Fashioned motors, Simple. Then with all HD's New electronic technology around it is a Big problem for many of us and to Fix them, is a big challange...
How and What can I do to Fix my bike? for most of us, it is TOUGH... Electrronics

I did not think you were bad mouthing the Dobeck product. IT Will work well for you and your bike ONCE you get that gasket problem fixed.

I do not think you will have any problem.
I know that Chris test EACH unit , setting it up for YOUR bike and rarely does he have any problems that would cause Disaster to your motor.
The small amout of fuel that is sprayed out to make your bike run Not Lean, is a very small amount.

I doubt you could set the Gen3 fuel Too HIGH to damage the motor without SEEING a Big Black amount and unburned fuel constant at the tail pipe and Fouling the plugs and it would just Not Run...

Good luck with the FIX and PLEASE post back under this thread when you get it repaired and running so WE Know.

signed....BUBBIE

__________________
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Quite Often I am Right so Forgive me when I'm WRONG!!!.......

Iceman24

I'd have to say the tuner's "innocent" in this situation...seems like the head gasket was going to fail eventually & maybe the added power fm +tuner just brought it on sooner...JMO.

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09 FLHX - Vivid Black
05 XL1200C - SOLD

Rhys

Well thats good to know, and I cant wait to get it done. I havent been able to ride this year but 200 miles. I will post all that needs to be done, and is done. Thanks all