I just found this site today. Need help deciding whether to do top-end myself or hire it done. I have a '96 Ultra-Classic, has 51k miles on it. It is leaking oil from the base gasket. I can't decide whether to do the top end myself. I'm not going to bore out if I don't have to. Want to keep it 80 cu in. I feel that I'm fairly mechanically inclined, call me a weekend shade tree mechanic. To give you an example, I bought a service manual for my bike and took my bike apart to have it repainted and I got everything put back with no problems. I would appreciate any positive feedback. Thanks

 

Do it yourself, but I'd consider taking the cylinders .010 over with new pistons and rings just to freshen her up. JMHO.

 

Like bikergeoff said if you go to all the trouble to take the jugs off to replace the base gaskets might as well do it right. Not a hard job. How bad are the base gaskets leaking? I rode my old Dyna for fifty thousand after the cylinders started weeping. Just cleaned it up when it got bad.

 

I do everything (Well at least as far as the Bike goes) myself, If you have the sevice manual and parts breakdown book then your all set. If you are going to take it apart, you might as well freshen it all up. Otherwise you are just going to have to tear it back down again in the near future.

 

Take it apart, inspect the cylinder walls, make the decision. At ~130,000 miles my '87 Evo engine still shows much of the crosshatching, didn't burn any oil, and had great compression. Crack in the cases was the only reason it was pulled.

 

Thanks for the input. Do I get the gasket set from H-D or are they all the same and do I try to save a few bucks and order from a catalog book.
My ultra is fuel injected so do I run into remapping my power commander by boring it out.
And again do I order my pistons and rings from the dealer or are they all the same?
Hey pococj, it is really encouraging to know that I may get over 130k on my '96. cause even if my bike is old, if I can keep it running as good as it looks there is no reason to get rid of it.
I would also like to add that it does weep a little between the rear cylinder and the head which does concern me more than the leak at the base gasket because now I have some loss of compression. I think.

 

You think you've lost some compression? Going on that remark and some of the questions you've asked in your last post, I think it would be better if you got someone else to do it.

 

Gaskets - James or Cometic

Do a compression test, leakdown test. Inspect lifters, rocker arms.

 

If ya open it up, may as well top end it. There are boodles of EVOs running around over 150,000. Take care of it, they will take care of you.
James or Cometic gaskets.
I happen to like KB (Keith Black) pistons, but you do not have to buy HD. There are 'better' ones available. (?) Don't mean that HD is BAD, just that there are some really GOOD sets out there.
If ALL you do is redo the top end, see no need to remap. And as long as I had it apart, I'd be for new valve seals, check the seats, touch 'em up.

NOW ya know what 'winter' is 4. God gave us this 'down time' to 'up grade'.

 

If you do decide to bore it, don't let any clown with a boring bar do the job. Get the pistons first, and have the cylinders matched to them. Make sure that stress plates are used when boring the cylinders. In other words, find someone that does this on a regular basis, and has a good reputation for results.