wet valve cover gasket after replacement

So two general questions, 

1. For those of you who have removed the air box and added pods, what have you done to the top of the breather where it there used to be a hose that ran to the air box?

2. I ran the old girl for the first time last night in probably 6-7 years. I installed a new valve cover gasket and after the 5 or so miles, when I got back I noticed the gasket was pretty wet with seeping oil. Should I re tourque the valve cover screws?

Thanks!

For the valve cover you should use an OEM gasket.  Torque the bolts down from the inside towards the outside, alternating from left to right.  Use a torque wrench.  About 75 INCH lbs should be plenty.

For the vent, 
1. Connect a long piece of hose that goes up and over the frame and out the back of the bike.
2. Run a length of hose from it to a catch can. This is more expensive than 1 and not really necessary unless you are racing.
3. Use a really short bit of hose and a K&N crankcase filter. This is a more expensive option and may leave a fine mist of oil on the engine.
4. Devise a system that pulls a light vacuum on the crankcase. Expensive and maybe complicated,  it you may gain 0.01 horsepower and it may attract sexy women.

Perhaps not as long as Skidmark
 

wrote:

For the valve cover you should use an OEM gasket.  Torque the bolts down from the inside towards the outside, alternating from left to right.  Use a torque wrench.  About 75 INCH lbs should be plenty.
 

I used 102 in-lbs as suggested by the manual. 

wrote:

For the vent, 
1. Connect a long piece of hose that goes up and over the frame and out the back of the bike.
2. Run a length of hose from it to a catch can. This is more expensive than 1 and not really necessary unless you are racing.
3. Use a really short bit of hose and a K&N crankcase filter. This is a more expensive option and may leave a fine mist of oil on the engine.
4. Devise a system that pulls a light vacuum on the crankcase. Expensive and maybe complicated,  it you may gain 0.01 horsepower and it may attract sexy women.

 

Thanks! I think Ill go with #3, I believe I may have a small filter pod laying around here somewhere....

Be careful torquing those bolts!  It is not uncommon to break them after a few install's and removals as they start to stretch.

Rick H.

If you want to go with the catch can option  It's real hard  and expensive 

First  , And here is the hard part ,,,, Drink a beer out of a can. 
Next   stick hose into can about 3/4  toward the bottom of said beer can.
Next   Take two zip ties and zip tie the beer can to the  frame in a upright position. 
    DONE

On my LTD I would tie the can to the rear footpeg  mount  .
A cop once tried to bust me for open container  but changed his mind and laughed once he looked closer and saw a rubber hose in the can  and a little oil mist on the lid

Dave

The final oil breather line  answer is to route the oil vent line to inside the chainguard and secure it there so oil can drip onto the chain .
Just make sure the hose extends past the front part of the tire and wheel  so over spray doesn't cause a wreck

Dave

wrote:

wrote:

For the valve cover you should use an OEM gasket.  Torque the bolts down from the inside towards the outside, alternating from left to right.  Use a torque wrench.  About 75 INCH lbs should be plenty.

 

I used 102 in-lbs as suggested by the manual. 

Yeah, that's fine.  Was it an OEM gasket?