Replace the Rocker Arm Cover Gasket 77 Sportster

[Webbtron]

I have to replace the front gasket. The bike is stock and there is room to get it off but I could use some moral support. I read some other posts and it appears that I can just remove the RACover by itself. The manual kind of lead me to believe the head had to come off also. This bike has been under a tarp for 10 years while I built up a business, now it's slow so I wanted to get her fired up again. I had 350 miles on before the gasket failed. I mention this because 10 years is a long time to be undr a tarp.

 

[HarryB737]

Sitting around, not in use for a long period of time is not good for a man or machine. I suspect the seal & gaskets have dried out causing small gaps to occur. If the seals haven't gotten too brittle... just a little ride time will resoften them up & reseal. In extreme cases you'll have to replace them. I'm not familiar with your year model engine, but did change the rocker box cover gasket on front cylinder of my '07 Sporty. "Cometic" Gasket Co has a great web site with exploded diagrams. They will have what you need. Advice...take your time, think it through, & you'll be fine.

 

[Webbtron]

Thanks for the reply Harry. I will check out Cometic. I burned a piston in 1988 so I had her rebuilt the following spring. Parts to handle unleaded gas, pistons, valves and cams were top notch for that year. I wonder what to look for when I get that far, just to kind of evaluate if a gasket is all that was hurt. However I got to start today I got about a week until blow-outs start.

Took about 5 hours including getting the parts...Ended up using James gaskets and buying the top end kit, kind of covering all the bases. There is a ton of room on the front jug. The rear would take quite a bit longer.

 

[Jack Klarich]

You may want to replace the rocker shaft gaskets as well as long as you have it off JMO

 

[Webbtron]

I have o-rings behing the rocker shaft nut. It looks like I can still get to those if the need arises but I sure didn't do it yesterday.

 

[Jack Klarich]

I have o-rings behing the rocker shaft nut. It looks like I can still get to those if the need arises but I sure didn't do it yesterday.

If you have not done the job yet, when you do it would be a good time to check the end play on the rocker arms and check the wear on the rocker pads

 

[Webbtron]

I had to dress the exhaust rocker pad a bit and the matching push rod but again I failed to "test " for end play. I can say that I thought it all felt good as I was fiddleing with the rocker. The marks on the rocker pad were easy to blend out with a fine file, mostly cosmetic. But the push rod I didn't feel as good about. It had a flat spot directly on the top and while I tried to make it look better it soon became obvious that I was not going to get away with cosmetic filing. I justified reassembly by telling my self that I could replace that later.

 

[Jack Klarich]

I had to dress the exhaust rocker pad a bit and the matching push rod but again I failed to "test " for end play. I can say that I thought it all felt good as I was fiddleing with the rocker. The marks on the rocker pad were easy to blend out with a fine file, mostly cosmetic. But the push rod I didn't feel as good about. It had a flat spot directly on the top and while I tried to make it look better it soon became obvious that I was not going to get away with cosmetic filing. I justified reassembly by telling my self that I could replace that later.

Good job how does it run?

 

[Webbtron]

She's running strong and very responsive. I rode about 50 miles today out on the flat Colorado prairie cruising 65 most of the time but eased up to 75 a time or to. It is very warm here so maybe 85° so it was a good test and no leaks......anywhere at this time. Thank you for asking.

 

[Jack Klarich]

She's running strong and very responsive. I rode about 50 miles today out on the flat Colorado prairie cruising 65 most of the time but eased up to 75 a time or to. It is very warm here so maybe 85° so it was a good test and no leaks......anywhere at this time. Thank you for asking.

Job well done ride safe, Jack