[Boatswain]

I installed a set of Screaming eagle heads a couple of months ago and the blew a head gasket yesterday.
After tearing the engine apart I noticed the O-rings were wasted(a black sticky mess). These are the two o-rings on the alignment dowels. I remeber installing them on the bottom of the head gasket, and after seeing them I think maybe I should of put them on top of the Head gasket. Now last time I bought the gasket kit it only came with two small o-rings when the manual and the Parts book both call for four.
When I bought the screaming Eagle head gaskets the old instruction mentioned that the o-rings were not required but the book say they are. does anyone have any ideas?

 

[sonicskip]

If it's the 95" head gasket, do not use the o-rings.

Regards,
Skip

 

[WVULTRA]

As Skip points out, if your at 95" the o-rings are not used:

Gaskets provided in the 1550 conversion kit eliminate
the need for original head-gasket O-rings. For this reason,
DO NOT install the O.E. (original) O-rings (Part
No.11273) to top of cylinder dowels or severe engine
damage may occur.

Good luck!

 

[Boatswain]

A Big Thanks!

You Guys are awesome! I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!
Boatswain

 

[roadglide05]

Does this go for the .030 Cometic head gaskets also? No o ring?

 

[jim t]

now i'm worried. I bought the bike with the 95' kit on it. several thousand miles ago I did 37g-rivera pro s&s gear drive crane rollers springs etc. I have 169 & 170 lb. compression cold at last test and no leaks. I think I used the o-rings as per the book. Not having the installation instructions for the 95' kit. Should I be worried ? What kind of engine dammage?

 

[bigjon460]

blown head gaskets ... as the o-rings cause the gaskets to "stand off " slightly

 

[jim t]

thanks. i'll keep doing regular compression checks and watch for trouble. i am planning to go to1.9 or 2' intakes and finishin the polish on the porting we did on the last segment of the build. won't make the same mistake again.

 

[pa-glazier]

Does this go for the .030 Cometic head gaskets also? No o ring?

I installed the .030 Cometics on my 95" build. The instructions say to not use the O ring. The head gasket goes around the alignment dowels and seals this area thus eliminating the need for the O-rings.

 

[roadglide05]

I installed the .030 Cometics on my 95" build. The instructions say to not use the O ring. The head gasket goes around the alignment dowels and seals this area thus eliminating the need for the O-rings.

Thanks pa-glazier. Will be getting the gaskets in a couple of weeks. Guess it is in the instructions but good to know ahead of time.

 

[jbxmn]

o-rings

I did the same thing. Only one o-ring per jug is used. The ones that are all mashed up were not supposed to be there. That dowel is just for alignment. The service manuel tells us to install a new O-ring over "downside" cylinder deck ring dowel. That is rear dowel on rear jug and front dowel on front jug.

My head gasket went in the first few hundred miles. I pulled everything down and discovered the mashed o-rings and was very upset. The kit came with only 2 o-rings. I thought I was very lucky to have a couple of extra. Once again I outsmarted myself. Then I run my mouth and none of my friends will let me live it down. I spend a lot of time doing things over. Learning curve: I guess.

I did everything over and have put about 15,000 miles on the bike and have had no troubles.

I know how you feel. Good Luck!!

 

[HDWRENCH]

One thing that I did not see here is that you need to ignore the tq specs from the manual for head gasket. I use this for all head gaskets not just cometic. I go in 10ftlb increments. and you need to end at 41ftlbs. As I said I use this on all gaksets. If you do not I have seen base seepage

 

[Flight Risk]

Interesting thread. At 1600 miles, a couple of weeks back, I replaced the valve stem seals on my '05 Deuce. Upon removing the heads, I checked carefully, and there were no o rings on the dowels. When I reassembled everything, I put it together the same way, no o rings. This is on a stock 88.

 

[Boatswain]

I insatlled the Screaming Eagle Head Gaskets and I torqued them the specs in the book. 17ftlbs the a 1/4 turn but I went 1/4 inch past my mark on all head bolts. I have 95inch cylinders with Wiesco 10:5:1 pistons. I did not install the O-rings on the locating dowel or on the oil passage. When I look at the head gaskets as I took them off the other day all four of the O-rings I installed last time were much and they covered a 1.5 dia area. Please tell me I won't have to take it apart again because it is running so dam good.
Joe

 

[HDWRENCH]

That is most likely over tqed. I use a digital tq wrench and I have used a angle meter to see where you get 42 ftlbs, it hits right at 96-98 * that is about a 1/16 past the 90 mark. The tq builds VERY fast in the last few degrees. If you put a twist in the base o-ring I have seen them leak, I have seen a small piece of trash in the o-ring groove cause leaks, I have seen them get a very small nick in the seal and cause leaks. No way to know other than go back or live with it .

 

[Boatswain]

Well I guess I will go out and buy me a digital Torque wrench because I fill you are right. I put the bike together cold the gaurge temp was about 48 degrees which will also make a slight diffrence on the torque. I started the bike yesterday and it ran real well. but for now on I am warming it up before I go down the road no matter what the neibors say.
This is what I have done with the bike since I bought it new in Japan of all places:
95 Cubic inch using Harley cylinders and wiesco 10:5:1 Pistons
Changed the studs to the screaming eagle ones
Screamiong Eagal Heads
Screaming Eagal Head Gaskets
Vance and Hines Pipes
Crane HI 4tc ignition
Scrteaming Eagal 258 Cams
Delkron Cam Plate
Dorhtey Intake and breather system
Mikuni 45 with a 185 main jet and a 25 slow jet
I do need to change the clutch out or beef it up.
do you have any sugestion?

 

[HD Tech]

No more O-rings. The late model bikes have done away with the O-ring between the head and cylinder on all sizes.