Base gasket leak

[14Frisco]

I noticed my bike has developed a slight base gasket leak.  When I first noticed it it was bubbling/oozing a little at the rear left corner of the rear cylinder.  Later when I got home I also noticed the head gasket was wet in the same rear left corner.  So, I am thinking the head bolt or stud has got loose.  Would it be ok to just re-tighten the rear left head bolt, and if so, what is the chances of being successful?

This is a 1994 FLHR, 95,000 miles.  35,000 trouble-free miles since top-end rebuild 4 years ago.

[FXRocket]

Well, if you went that long without a base leak you are lucky....  I thought that was a feature until I did the pigtails.

[Norton Commando]

No, it's not ok to tighten the head bolt. Doing so will distort the cylinder and possible strip the threads in the case. The base gasket leak is not uncommon and is usually not serious; my '90 FLHS leaked for 60,000 miles. The head gasket may be a bit more serious. If it were me, I'd fix it.

[dave_9113]

Chances of success is not so good.  If you can live with it then OK, but I would replace the gaskets from base up.

[BluHarley]

My base gaskets, left rear and left front where the oil ports are, bubbled and drooled for 30,000 miles, it ran like a bear though.  Then I replaced the top end gaskets, had the heads worked over, put in new lifters and push rods, had the cylinders honed and new rings.  Now it sits in the shed with bottom end problems and that ruined my honing.  I miss my old leaky bitch, she was beautiful then.  Don't worry about the base gaskets, they're supposed to leak on old Harleys.  If the head isn't sucking air, I'd just put a sheet of vinyl under it and just ride.

[14Frisco]

Thanks for replies.
Well, I am not so worried about a base gasket leak - before the topend rebuild a few years ago I had a base gasket leak for quite a while with no problems until a lifter decided to quit.  But now, when I saw that the head gasket was wet, although no head-gasket-leak-sound yet, I am assuming the proper torque on that stud is no longer there, and that worries me.

[BluHarley]

Mine did the same thing in the same place, then I heard air, and figured it was time.  But tightening up my top end just finished off my crank pin.  The doc at the shop has been telling me all along my crank pin was going, and I kept saying NAWWW, it's something else.  Well, doc was right, and now it just grinds and throws shards up in my cylinders.  It's a real bummer.  It will be next summer before I can fix it.  sucks.

[alstar2]

that happened on my buddies  93 uc 122K mi.took it apart,regasketed
the base & head.it did it again.ended up it was a stud pulling out of the
case,even though it torqued down fine.so if you pull it check out those
stud heights & case threads.   east bay Al