Oh Great! Found an Oil Leak

[6shootr]

I'm installing the HD camplate upgrade with SE 204 cams. I'm using the existing pushrods and while tearing everything down, I notice a small leak on my front head. It's just an oil mark where the head meets the cylinder. Bike ran great just was doing the tensioner upgrade.

Bike is an 2003 FLHRI Road King with 28K and motor is bone stock except for a stage 1 upgrade. I wasn't planning on tearing it down to this extent.

1. Do I replace the one head gasket or do I do both?

2. If I do both should I use a .030 gasket with the 204's and will it make a difference? I've checked out the calculators but they might as well be in a foreign language. Don't know what they tell me.

3. If I just do the one gasket I'm guessing I need to use an OEM gasket to keep the tolerances the same between the two, correct?

Thanks in advance, this forum has been a huge help to me over the years.

 

[dbmg]

Advise doing both. You know what will happen if you only replace one...:s

 

[TQuentin1]

Before tearing the heads off, I would finish this job and get the engine back together. Then do a compression test and leak-down test to see if there is an indication that the head gasket is leaking. If not, clean things up, cross your fingers and just ride it.

If the head gasket is leaking, then you probably want to do a top end job - hone cylinders, valve job, rings, breathers, bushings, etc. Obviously, if you are doing this, it should be done to both cylinders.

TQ

 

[Jack Klarich]

Can you confirm the head gasket or rocker box, If you decide to do the head gaskets follow T Q s advice first, If you do the head gaskets do them both so your compression ratio will be equal, use Quality gaskets such as James or Cosmetic:s