Cam Cover Washer and seal

[Martin-Brighton-uk]

Hi all, just doing valve clearances while engine is still out of the frame. Other threads suggest replacing the fancy washer when doing it back up. The parts diagram shows two parts. A washer and a seal. Do you replace both?

 

[Gregger]

I have reused mine multiple times. The washer ends up sticking to the seal. It can be reused but for that price might as well order with the seals. I plan on replacing the seals next valve adjustment.

 

[Kevin frazier]

I like the one piece washer thats used on the touring, it crushes and I believe should be replaced. why does the roadster have 2 pieces listed? Curious bout that.

 

[Gregger]

Kevin, you're right, senior moment. Now that I think about it the seals were one piece with no washer yet the diagram for the Roadster shows a washer and seal. The Touring shows the seal with no washer. The part number for the cam seal, bolt and cover gasket are the same for Touring and Roadster???? Why a washer???? That washer would allow you to apply a bit more torque to the cam cover before the bolt bottoms out. Like I said, I haven't replaced the cam cover seals on my Roadster even though the covers been off multiple times. Those seals have never leaked. The last time I torqued the bolts down they bottomed out just as I hit the torque value. Maybe with new seals and washers they wouldn't. (I've got to check to see if there are washers stuck to the bolt heads)

 

[sonny]

I replace the seals and gasket each time i do a valve clearance check. which i do every 20,000 miles. My valve cover has only leaked one time (stock cover from factory) This time while the engine is out I have bought new bolts, new seals and the washers which is a first. My bike did not come with washers just the seals. (2015 rocket X) Figured i would give it a try and see how it works out. Bought the plastic chrome caps figure with the engine out I can fit them so that the first time I wash the bike one or two of them will not pop off.

 

[Martin-Brighton-uk]

My cam cover bolts follow the parts diagram.
Copper washer goes first on the bolt (T3550003 Washer 12 x 18 x 1.2) then the rubber seal (T1260309 Seal, Cam Cover, Screw, Twin Lip).

When tightened up, the copper washer embeds itself into the rubber seal so much you'd think it is one unit. I certainly can't separate them without destroying the rubber seal. This is the best one I managed to salvage to demonstrate. The rest were mullered, in fact the rubber stuck to the cam cover so much they tore to bits when picking them out of the cover. So new rubber seals and copper washers for me.
.

 

[Gregger]

On the Rocket, my seals were stuck in the cam cover. I never tried to remove them. Just changed the gasket and reinstalled. The America has the same cam cover seals and bolts (same part numbers). Those on my America were never replaced also even though I had the cam cover off at least 4 times. Never leaked. I did purchase 4 replacement seals for the America but never used them. At $10 each (at the time) I couldn't justify the replacement since the old ones still looked good. Given the fact the seals are not really holding back any fluids under pressure and the bolts and cam cover they seal up aren't moving, I figured I'd wait until they looked bad or started to leak. Replacing those seals on the Rocket or America only takes a minute per seal.

 

[sonny]

My cam cover bolts follow the parts diagram.
Copper washer goes first on the bolt (T3550003 Washer 12 x 18 x 1.2) then the rubber seal (T1260309 Seal, Cam Cover, Screw, Twin Lip).

When tightened up, the copper washer embeds itself into the rubber seal so much you'd think it is one unit. I certainly can't separate them without destroying the rubber seal. This is the best one I managed to salvage to demonstrate. The rest were mullered, in fact the rubber stuck to the cam cover so much they tore to bits when picking them out of the cover. So new rubber seals and copper washers for me.
.

The last four times that i replaced the cam cover the seals were replaced. Seals ordered had the copper washers as one with the seal?

 

[sonny]

On the Rocket, my seals were stuck in the cam cover. I never tried to remove them. Just changed the gasket and reinstalled. The America has the same cam cover seals and bolts (same part numbers). Those on my America were never replaced also even though I had the cam cover off at least 4 times. Never leaked. I did purchase 4 replacement seals for the America but never used them. At $10 each (at the time) I couldn't justify the replacement since the old ones still looked good. Given the fact the seals are not really holding back any fluids under pressure and the bolts and cam cover they seal up aren't moving, I figured I'd wait until they looked bad or started to leak. Replacing those seals on the Rocket or America only takes a minute per seal.

Replacing the seals allows for the correct torque on cover with the seals holding that torque.

 

[Martin-Brighton-uk]

I ordered the washers and seals yesterday from fowler's, just arrived now. Interesting that the washer was not in place on my 2011 R3R. There is a copper washer as part of the rubber seal. The other washer is in addition to ?