Lost a header bolt this week

[Midnight82]

Sometime last week while riding I sheered a header bolt off from the front cylinder. Since I ride with my iPod I didn't hear the raddle of the flange of the popping that started to happen. I noticed the problem when I tried (keyword TRY) to polish my headers this weekend.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope I don't have to rotate the motor to get this sheered bolt out. Pulling the headers would suck.

Pray to the Buell gods for me.

Lovingly,
Midnight aka Eric

 

[black_xb12r]

you can get the headers out without rotating the motor... you just gotta really be patient and wiggle them out... ive done it a few times now...

 

[dave_xb12r]

Damn that sucks.

 

[JJxb12r]

Do you remember how you did it? Did you take the front or back out first, or what???

 

[hula Buell]

Were they factory install or did you mess with them before?

 

[vanson1200r]

Stock exhaust? All mounts and tie-bars in good shape? What year?

 

[Midnight82]

I have an 04 xb12r with stock headers, aftermarket slip on. Motor mounts were replaced last April when the hole motor was rebuilt. (the only thing original in the motor is the crank shaft, heads and 3rd, 4th and 5th gear. Everything else was replaced.

 

[rndrkeagle]

Midnight,

I just went through exactly what you're looking at now... there are a couple things to think about as you approach solving this problem..

1. (probably most important too)... if you have a bolt sheared off on the front head... odds are good that there's a broken one on the rear too. (an engine rotate may be necessary in the end either way.

2. These bolts are stuck in there hard.... it's carbide steel torqued into aluminum and then it goes through years of getting hot and cooling every time you ride. They ain't coming out easily. I broke off a 3/6 inch EZ-Out in mine. Once that happened, the only fix was a machine shop, and they charged me twice the time (labor at $80/hour) to remove the bolt with the broken extractor as they did the bolt on my rear head that I hadn't boogered up.

3. Head removal will require a new top end gasket set... so go ahead and get that in advance.

Good luck... I know first hand how bad it sucks to be where you are right now.... you'll make it through with a little perseverance.

-Wade

 

[Midnight82]

Right on man, thanks for the tip

 

[xtreme6669]

Eric, before you get too far into it bring it by the shop and let me take a look....

-Nick

 

[Midnight82]

I caved. I dropped my ride off at Chandler Harley to have them worry about it.

I got WAY too nervous to start drilling into the heads.

 

[coastiespeed]

Rotating the engine isn't that difficult if you take it step by step. Althought it appears you've made up your mind. I had one of my front header studs break off a while back but I had about 1/4" sticking out so I was able to weld a nut on and back it out. That is the method I would recommend to anyone prior to drilling it out that is if you have enough stud sticking out. I remember seeing a drill guide some time ago it may have been on americansportbike.com i'm not sure. Maybe this will help someone out in the future...

 

[Midnight82]

That's a great idea Coastie, I wish I would have thought of that before I spent $100 getting that dumb thing backed out.

Either way I'm back in business now. [cool]

 

[Midnight82]

So, I had the front header bolt replaced by the Harley Dealership out here. Been riding for a month on it. Then I lost the front exhaust strap.

To get the new exhaust strap on, you have to drop the muffler off to get the front hanger down.

Too bad the rear exhaust strap was put on with the nut facing the pully. so I had to pull the rear wheel off, then the pully. Finally dropped the exhaust last night. But now I think I have a snapped header bolt on the rear cylinder. UGH.

Anyone have a fancy way to see the rear head without rotating the motor? I've got my bike stripped down as far as I can before the motor comes out.
Any thoughts?

 

[Midnight82]

Anyone?

 

[Miami78]

I'm no help on a way to view the rear head...maybe something like this?

http://www.hi-essentials.com/mm5/me...uct_Code=PMR1&Category_Code=INSPECTIONMIRRORS

When I put my exhaust on last week the nut was facing the pully, I just had to take off the primary sprocket cover and I could slip an extension in there to get the rear strap off...was yours not like that?

 

[Midnight82]

My strap was rotated downward just enough to where I couldn't snake it through.

 

[Midnight82]

Big thanks to Xtreme6669, After drilling the exhaust flange for 4 hours to open it up for my larger exhaust port studs, I was about to give up.

Last night I went over to his house and he drilled this pig out with his drill press and had me on my way.

Now I'm ready to start putting this bag of parts all back together!

 

[xtreme6669]

You make any progress on putting that beast back together? still planing to take a sick day to finish her up? [up]

 

[kajer]

almost sounds like my story

http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-Forum/General-Motorcycle-Chat/10K-service---FAIL