Cylinder base issue

[PanScott]

Last January, I blew a front cyl base gasket. It was blown completely out at the oil feed area. It is a 56FL That has 63 outside oiler heads on it. The heads are fed through the can cover like a Knuck and had been together and running for years. When I took it apart it had 48-62 cylinder base gaskets which has the oil feed hole in it. It had shit chrome washers on the cyl base studs which I think smashed out and loosened up causing the base gasket to blow. I replaced the gaskets with 63-84 base gaskets to plug the oil feed hole, and bought proper heat treated washers. I fired it up today and damn it, it is leaking at the cylinder base stud. I gotta tear it down and am wondering, should I plug the feed hole in the case?

[Buddhahoodvatoloco]

Get it real hot, then torque it down again, see what happens then.

[RooDog]

There is no reason not to plug both oil holes, remember that there is also one for the rear cylinder too. I would suggest a small Allen head set screw, just be sure to flush out the chips before installing the screw and try not to screw them in too deep so as not to block the oil going to the lifters.....
....RooDog....

[RooDog]

BTW: The head bolts use thick 7/16 flat washers. The cylinder base studs call for 7/16 split lock washers, H-D # 7056. Those should not loosed.....
....RooDog....

[PanScott]

BTW: The head bolts use thick 7/16 flat washers. The cylinder base studs call for 7/16 split lock washers, H-D # 7056. Those should not loosed.....
....RooDog....

Exactly, the cyl bases had chrome flatwashers on it., I put Colony lock washers on it.

[1947ohv]

what type of oil pump is on it> Looks like a shovelhead? My original 65FLH is leaking at the front base gasket. Have replaced it once 15 yrs ago and started leaking again about a year later. I thought about pluging the oil drain holes also w/ JP weld. Panheads do not need much oil pressure. Everyone I know that has put a shovel oil pump on one wish they had not.

[Andygears]

Are the threads perfect on the stud? Maybe the old washers mushed out and damaged the thread. You should be able to screw, by hand, the nut all the way down without a washer. If the nut tightens but does not squeeze the jug/gasket you will leak. Often threaded studs and bolts become stretched from years of stress and heat cycles distorting the pitch just at the point where they tighten.

Also, caution should be used on the inner studs (between the cylinders), the front and rear studs (or bolts, ugh) can hit one another inside the case and break the aluminum.

Andygears

[nmaineron]

IDK, that seems to be alot of oil for a cylinder base gasket leak,and for it to keep happening makes me think that there may be something else goin on.
How's your deck surface? Crack in the cylinder? Not getting true torque values from base studs getting pulled. Ideally you shouldn't even need a base gasket.

[Buddhahoodvatoloco]

Showing off again, be smooth.

BTW: The head bolts use thick 7/16 flat washers. The cylinder base studs call for 7/16 split lock washers, H-D # 7056. Those should not loosed.....
....RooDog....

[Buddhahoodvatoloco]

Oh so true, a sagefull hint. Good job.

Are the threads perfect on the stud? Maybe the old washers mushed out and damaged the thread. You should be able to screw, by hand, the nut all the way down without a washer. If the nut tightens but does not squeeze the jug/gasket you will leak. Often threaded studs and bolts become stretched from years of stress and heat cycles distorting the pitch just at the point where they tighten.

Also, caution should be used on the inner studs (between the cylinders), the front and rear studs (or bolts, ugh) can hit one another inside the case and break the aluminum.

Andygears

[Frankenstein]

RooDog, you sure about the lock washers on the base nuts? seems like I remember pulling off flat washers from the cylinderbase, albeit special ones that were the width of a lock washer from what I thought were original equipment assemblies. I'm pretty sure I've still got some, somewhere around here in my piles of "stuff".
Just double checking, I could be all wet
DD

[awander]

The 41-54 parts book shows 7055 split lock washers, 7/16 x 11/16 x 1/16, on the cylinder base studs.

[RooDog]

I personally use ARP's Big Block Chevy con rod stainless 12 pt nuts and their lock washers on my built 1968FL.... And 12 pt head bolts too....
....RooDog....

[Frankenstein]

I stand corrected, thanks, Gents!
DD

[talldrifter]

I read somewhere that Harley plugged the oil feed holes in the cases when they switched to outside oilier heads with some sort of metal plug in the case that was not threaded. I'm also using outside oilier heads and since I am not splitting the cases I was worried about metal chips from cutting threads for plugs. I bought a cheap set of gasket plug cutters from Harbor Freight and used the 1/4" to cut a plug from a sheet of gasket material for each hole then cut another plug from some rubber sheet (1/8" ? thick) to put on top of the plug gasket to keep pressure on the gasket plug then the regular gasket on top. Winter cold has arrived and my freshly media blasted cylinders won't be painted until spring comes so I can't tell you if it will work. Figured it was worth a try and if it doesn't work they can be removed without difficulty.