Which rocker box gasket kit for my year

[tacklejunkie]

So I just bought my XB12R two months ago used, from a dealership. They said it would be in good condition but gave me the "as-is" paperwork to sign. I've bought a lot of new and used motorcycles in my time, so knew I'd probably be putting $1000 into it to get it back up to riding shape, as I've done with any used motorcycle that most people don't seem to do the maintenance on before they sell to you. The shop told me they checked over the brakes and oil and did a few things to tune it up (big fat lie). The brakes, for one, were completely shot. Whole bike would vibrate when you pressed the brake lever. They never so much as rode it around the parking lot to check if anything was wrong with it, and if they did, they sold it to me knowingly that it had problems.

The best part is, I'm still paying for the bike. lol.. While paying for tons of parts and doing all the labor to get it back into riding condition.

On the good side, it is a fun bike and I'm hoping it will treat me good once I'm done.

So the other day I finish replacing the front brake rotor, pads and fluids and take it out for a ride. Tried to change the oil first and realized I stripped the oil plug due to the manual has the wrong torque specs. My fan isn't running and my engine light is on. I knew pretty quick because this fan is normally very loud. I figure to check the fan fuse and sure enough, it's blown. So first thing I decided to do was go ride around and see if the fan fuse blows again. Of course, it does. So now I'm thinking I have a short. I go online and read about XBR's blowing fan fuses and realize I need to look for an oil leak..

..and there it is. My rocker box gaskets are leaking. Yay! Brakes, levers, time-sert repair kit, rocker box gaskets, batteries, plugs, tires and lots of loose unmaintained bolts later, I may get to ride this thing.. (Don't buy used motorcycles from Bob Lanphere's in Beaverton, Oregon)

Anyway, now to the question.
I have a 2007 Buell XB12R. Or so the title says. But the frame sticker says Oct06.
So is my bike a 2007 or a 2006?
I need to know this because, from what I read, there is different rocker boxes between the 2006 and 2007-2010 models.

What I need is a cometic part number for the rocker box gasket kit for the top and bottom rocker box gaskets so I can repair my bike. I usually do all my own work myself like this. Have done many Ninja and GSXR valve adjustments on inline four 16 valve engines with no problems, so figure I should be able to handle this... if I Can just get the correct gaskets to start with.

Any help anyone can provide would be excellent! I like this bike quite a bit. Much different than any of the Japanese bikes I'm used to. Just need to get all these dang bugs worked out so I can enjoy it. I'm a bit miffed at the dealership too. I know a lot about Jap bikes but they got me good when it came to buying this bike, my first American, which I didn't know what to look for as far as problems it may have had.

I did search up the answer to this question before posting it, but didn't seem to find anything that was very definitive. Thanks folks.

What I'm looking for is the correctly fitting size kit like this. I'm not sure if this is the right one.
This one is only $50
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/433-023
Has anyone had to do the XB12R rocker boxes and know which gasket kit it is?

I see these for $77
http://www.amazon.com/Cometic-Gasket-Top-End-Kit/dp/B000GVAID2

and these for $86
http://www.directcycleparts.com/gas...els-cometic-gasket-buell-firebolt-p-2887.html

But I think those come with extra gaskets I wont need.

 

[Negative]

The manufacture date in the VIN should show the generation your bike physically is ... The frame could have been made in 2006 for assembly on the bike (my frame says the same thing for my 2007 Yamaha R6 ... 2006 frame with a 2007 VIN) ... Honestly, I hate to say it but really the only way I can think of to be sure about what gaskets you'll need is to yank the ones in there out and use the number off of them if ya can ... =\

 

[lowkey]

Get the "James Gaskets" kit, it shows it comes with everything for the top end and people seem to have better luck preventing leaks from happening again with it over all the other options out there including the Cometic kit.

My kits on it's way for my 07 so I'll have to see for sure if it's everything or not.

07+ on Amazon

04-06 on Amazon

These can be had for about $75 bucks shipped if you google around with the P/N's

 

[lawdog]

Your bike is a 2007 that was manufactured in 2006. Very normal to have vehicles built in the year prior to the model year.

 

[buellmekg]

I just replaced my rear gasket also with the upgraded gasket kit I bought at Harley. Not sure if thats the dealer you purchased from but go back to them and give them some grief. You may get a free or discounted kit out of them.

 

[tacklejunkie]

Yeah I always try to avoid confrontation. I have the slip right here they made me sign saying "as is" all over it.

I'll just fix the problem myself and be on my merry way.

So I guess I'll order a gasket kit for a 2007 Buell XB12R and see if it is what I need.
I'll begin tear down on the bike today and take pics along the way to post.

Thanks for listening to me rant folks. [up] (and of course thanks for the input!)

 

[Negative]

Rant away man ... That sounds like a legit gripe to me ... And a very valid question ! ... and of course it's what we're all hanging around here for anyway honestly ... [up]

 

[tacklejunkie]

I also found this... I believe they are referring to XB's.. but I'm not 100% on that.
I'm pretty new to American bikes in general. Show me an import and I know what I'm looking at. lol

Looks like they are TRYING to make some sense of some of the gasket kits out there.
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/545648.html?1274315517

I figure I'll just rip it apart and go from there.

Also I have the ecmspy wiring harness coming so maybe I can figure out how to plug it in and check the engine light code and verify it's a fan error.

 

[Negative]

If you use the regular ECMspy and not ECMspy for mono or tunerpro, you should catch on quickly ... it's pretty user friendly and the learning curve isn't as steep as the other two ...

 

[lowkey]

So I guess I'll order a gasket kit for a 2007 Buell XB12R and see if it is what I need.

Did you look at the Jame's kit I posted? It costs about the same as HD charges for just the rocker box gaskets but it is the whole top end kit, everything you are going to need for about $75. Consensus from searching is they are the best option out there.

 

[tacklejunkie]

Indeed I did. I'll likely go with that option. Thank you! =)

 

[tacklejunkie]

Gasket kit ordered.

Estimated delivery: May 22, 2014 - May 28, 2014

Hopefully that's the right one. I like the "orange gaskets" idea.

The 28th happens to be my birthday as well. That would be nice to have this all buttoned up by then.
I guess I shouldn't ride it for a bit either at risk of the fan motor costing me another $75 on ebay when I cook it running it on 15 amp fuses like I'm doing now. I can park it and start tearing it apart. Stay tuned for pics. I like going inside engines. =)

 

[lowkey]

Who did you order from? Mine should be on my door step as of yesterday from Cycleplicity for the $75ish bucks shipped. I'm out of state for the weekend...

 

[tacklejunkie]

Not sure what vender they went through. Used Amazon. We'll see how it works out.
Looks about right. Haven't opened the engine yet to look myself. I need to study the engine rotate instructions etc.
I'm scared to follow the manual after it just directed me to strip the drain bolt. lol

 

[lowkey]

Yeah those torque spec's are wrong. here are the engine rotation how to/instructions.

 

[tacklejunkie]

Gaskets are here. I'll go rip the thing apart and see if these fit.
Was riding it around the last few days... sure corners pretty well! Took the chance on overloading the fan. I'll look at that and clean it up now too and take pics of everything.

 

[mmcn49]

Don’t know about the Genuine James Gaskets but the stock HD Gaskets are made of Low-Temp Silicone. A hot spot develops on the left rear corner of the rear cylinder head/rocker box. The hot spot cooks and chars the silicone gasket. When it turns to carbon it shrinks allowing oil to leak out.

There is a flat mating surface on both sides of the head and valve cover. Coat both mating surfaces with any grade of Hylomar. Hylomar is a flange and gasket sealant. Don’t bother coating the gasket but make sure you run a small bead along both mating surfaces.

When the new gasket cooks, chars and shrinks, Hylomar will prevent any future oil leaks.

 

[tacklejunkie]

Will do. I plan to take pictures of the failure that caused the leak. I have pics of what the leak looks like before hand also.

I'm just about to the engine isolating bolts. Got tons of pictures of everything. Will do a "DIY" when I'm done.. although It's gonna look a lot like the engine rotation DIY for the first half.

Taking a break for tonight. Hope to finish up tomorrow and work on the DIY tomorrow night.

Used to use Hondabond to seal up with head gaskets on the bikes of myself and my friends when doing valve jobs. Assume that may work too. Have some laying around..

About to crack the james gasket kit open and see what it looks like. Suppose no going back now. If it doesn't fit, maybe it will fit another forum member's year and I can trade =P lol

As a side note, looks like I'm gonna want a right side scoop, new exhaust, installing new plugs and have a few other things in mind. Got my ECMspy cable in from ebay... don't know how to use it yet. Need to read up on that when I have time. I also want to get new seat covering as the stock one is beginning to become un-stapled and fall off.

 

[mmcn49]

I don’t know about Hondabond. It may only be a gasket sealant and not a flange sealant. If so it many not last any longer than the rocker box gasket itself.

Hylomar has been around for a long time. I believe it was either developed by or for Rolls Royce for use on their jet aircraft engines. I first used it on my 72 Beemer, (which I bought new).

I used it to seal the rocker boxes on both of my 07 Buell’s.

 

[tacklejunkie]

OK I'll look for it at a local shop today. About to get started again
Just got the exh off and belt is freed up about to rotate this thing after pulling all the mounts.