2010 Ultra
S&S 89cc Heads
S&S 110 big Bore
S&S 551 EZ start cams
S&S Gear Drive
SE Adjustable Push rods
S&S Sidewinder exhaust headers into Reinhart mufflers
PC5 w/auto tune (OK, it's going on the dyno as soon as I fix this)
I installed the top end during pandemic. After about 1500 miles on the motor, an oil leak developed that was coming from the rear exhaust push rod tube at the head. I replaced the O ring with a HD unit. I ran my finger around the lip trying to feel for any debris or sharpness. Nada, so I put it back together though I didn't see any nicks, spit or problems on old O ring. Dry engine. I rode to Sturgis recently. It is 2000 miles from where I live. I did get a few drops again came down on the exhaust header pipe. Not much. I noted if I ran just a hair below 3K rpm, no drops. Right at 3K is where it starts to drip. I spoke to S&S at Rapid City HD tent. They gave me another set of O rings for the push rod tubes and said "there is a lot of oil up there when you do that"! I realize that, but does appear that it is leaking rear exhaust tube. Anything to look at? I am ready to pull the rear cover to at least have a look.
Do you run an open air cleaner? It may be coming from there and blowing back.
S&S tear drop set up on it, so yes it is open. I did take a rag and swabbed the inside of the cover at a gas stop and didn't pick anything fresh up on it, like a HD cover on a SE setup when the K&N get saturated. I will yank it of tomorrow to have a closer look. The bike is filthy having ridden through a lot of rain. It may make it easier to detect where drips is coming from.
Try this before disassembling it. Using a small diameter wooden dowel or something that wont bend the spring cup (that covers the tension spring where the clip fits between the head and that piece sits) on the pushrod tube, (while the clip is installed) tap your way around the perimeter of the top of the cup with enough of a hit to pop it and compress the spring. Often the clip will not seal the o-rings or corks evenly but tapping them down all around will even out the force all around and seat the seals. The rear tube will be slightly looser than the intake which tends to seat the o-rings better. Take care to not damage the top of the retainer when you tap on it.
I'll give that a go tomorrow! When I changed it out before on the rear exhaust tube, nothing seamed wrong with O ring that I removed.
Done and done. I will wait to see if it drips anymore. This leads me to thinking that I need to talk my bride into me just riding it back to Deadwood and back to Florida, then check for leaks!
When you replaced the O-ring, did you happen to look at the push-rod for wear marks, at the top of tube area? Depending on cams, and rocker support orientation, you can get the push-rod to hit the inside of tube(s) at high rpm, the tube will move a little causing a leak.
I have had issues with the S&S lower rocker box gaskets for the harley stock rocker boxes weeping. May want to check that. It It is it will run down and drip on rear exhaust
I did look at the push rod for the wear marks when I changed out the O ring from before. I noticed no marks on it at that time. It was a pretty healthy leak that seamed to go away after installing a new O ring, though I really did not see anything wrong with the original O ring. I assumed I had it fixed. No more leaking till I went on the Sturgis run, putting a lot of hard running time on it.
As far as the rocker box not sealing, I had used the gaskets that came from S&S. Are the Harley units better or worse?
If you use the stock rocker boxes then you have to use the gaskets that came with the S&S heads. Harley gaskets won't work. S&S heads don't have a breather channel on top of heads up to breather port. They use a thicker gasket with the passage cut into the gasket itself for using stock rocker boxes. The extra thickness is critical for breathing.