I've cracked open the rocker boxes on all three of the Harleys I own.
Can't leave well enough alone dontcha know.

Any way..Once the rocker boxes are opened each one has had that distinctive smell to the oil..I've never smelled anything else like it...fresh oil doesn't smell like that at all...anyone else know what I mean ?

 

I you mean the oil gets a smell from the byproducts of combustion, and thousands of hot cold cycles, yes.

 

That makes sense.....by products of combustion...hopefully the new valve job and seals will help with that.

 

Love the smell of castor bean oil.
Almost as much as frying bacon...

 

It won't hurt, but it sounds like you're trying to make a problem out of something that isn't.

 

I have a few Harleys and one old Indian from the 40s and 50s there is a distinct smell when you walk into the garage.. 60 wt oil with some old gasoline yea you either Get it or you don't ..

 

Some, but if it wasn’t for combustion you wouldn’t need to change your oil at the frequency you do now. It’s always going to get some past the rings. That’s why the differential in your car uses the same oil for 100,000 miles.

 

Nah..I'm not getting a valve job because of the smell..that's just part of the head porting..which is part of the 98 big bore job. it is kind of interesting busting open a low mileage 12 year old bike though. How does this look to ya..3500 mile motor , Bike is 12 years old. I'm the second owner. The first owner owned four bikes. I believe this was the original owners rally/parade bike.

 

Yeah..that's what I was getting at..god help me I love the damn smell of an HD motor.

 

Head gasket leak?