sssooooo MAD!!

[gtp3800]

ok so I spent ALL day taking my old headers off and installing the new ones. After an hour or two of getting the old headers off they wouldnt come off! I had them all unbolted and they would not come off no matter which way I moved them! finally with some scratches to the black bar up front I got them off and another hour of getting the new ones to fit on.

Such a pain!!!! So I finally finish and take it down the road just to realize, (I only have myself to blame) that I did not put the new gaskets on. So not I hear a ticking which im assuming is an exhaust leak.

i could not be more mad at myself right now. It doesnt help that I was in my garage for 6 hours when it was 95 degrees out all day.

Im considering bringing it to harley and letting them do it because im frustrated.

where can I get header gaskets?

 

[anrkizm95]

http://www.americansportbike.com/shoponline/ccp0-catshow/xb9sexhaust.html
or the dealer

 

[gtp3800]

which ones do I use? does it matter? the flat ones or the regular ones?

 

[Rhino1]

I know you've probably thought about this, but sometimes it's best to walk away from a problem, clear your mind, and come back to it later or even the next day. Especially on 95 degree days in the garage...

You've done it once--you can do it again. And you've probably learned a trick or two. Good luck.

 

[vtech007]

I feel for you, brother.

But - what? - you've never worked on your bike in the house? Yeah, just spread something on the floor, and wheel it in through the front door.

 

[G Diablo]

better to save urself a couple of $s, than to let someone else to the work. Especially since you have already done the work before

 

[gtp3800]

You've done it once--you can do it again. And you've probably learned a trick or two. Good luck.

yea your right. I know the tricks on how to do it without having the right tools now.

Unless you took a screwdriver and scared the gasket or the header had burs on it. As long as you evenly tighten down the header the gasket should be fine.

im seriously contemplating this right now. The thought of working on my bike in the airconditioned house next to the big screen has got to be the best idea. Chances are im doing it that way! Cuz its gonna be mid 90's here for the next week.

No, to be honest I didnt even see the old gaskets. As far as tightening them all evenly, I did the best I could without a torque wrench. I just did it by feel and made sure they were tight enough.

Yeah, just spread something on the floor, and wheel it in through the front door.

 

[Rhino1]

I used to work on my bikes in the living room during my first year of marriage. That "privilege" soon disappeared!

More Power to you if you can--nothing beats working on your bike in the carpeted comfort of your living room[up]

 

[GAXB9R]

My first bike was a 2000 Harley 883. i used to park it in the dining room at Fort Hood since we didn't have a garage. My wife didnt mind at the time, but that was our first year of marriage too. I did it for a while here back home with my Buell, because i didnt have a building. That soon changed and I got my building/shop

As far as getting frustrated it happens to the best of us. I about cut my finger off with the Dodge block i'm rebuilding and it was all due to frustration. I took a second to clean off all the blood and wrapped it with electrical tape and drank two beers. Calmed down and finished it. Remember we do this for fun so don't let it frustrate you to the point you wont like it anymore.

Good luck with the repair. I agree with

Unless you took a screwdriver and scared the gasket or the header had burs on it. As long as you evenly tighten down the header the gasket should be fine.

 

[d_adams]

Look at the top left side of the pic.

Yeah, 2 ton ac unit, in the garage. It's been 100+ here for the last week, some days it's been hitting 108-112 depending on where you look. My garage isn't insulated yet, might do that this fall but so far, I can maintain 75 in there with no problems. I'll be doing 5/8" drywall on the ceiling, 1/2" on the walls with at least R-13 insulation behind it.

This is the only way to roll when the temps get out of hand and you have stuff to do in the garage.

 

[GAXB9R]

YES [up] on the A/C. I have an older unit, but it gets the job done in my 12x14 building.

 

[gtp3800]

[up] That AC is awesome.

Well ill put new gaskets in it, I did not see any old ones tho when I took the old headers off. Maybe they were so corroded in there they fell apart. Either way ill try it with the new gaskets just to make sure. If I have a leak with the new gaskets then I dunno haha.

 

[Rhino1]

Make sure you have a good look in the exhaust ports--many times the exhaust gaskets hang in there. It is almost impossible for them to completely disintegrate. They went somewhere... And if you put new ones over the old, you'll have some bad leakage

 

[gtp3800]

yea ill make sure I get them out, they are probably molded the the base. Ill get them out. And this time the bike will be in the house hahaha

 

[bigflash1]

They are about the same color as the cylinder. Easiest way to tell if they are still in there is to see if there is a sharp corner in the hole? If it's sort of rounded in there where the pipe would seat, the gasket is still in there. I changed mine when I had the engine out, I cannot imagine trying to do it with the thing mounted still... No wonder you were frustrated!