So Hammer sent me a new CAM cover gasket for the 96 Sportster motor I had rebuilt, which looks the same as my 2003 CAM cover gasket which at first I thought was a mistake. After some research it seems the newer gaskets will work on older CAM covers but not the other way around. Sounds like there are holes that are supposed to be blocked off by the gasket depending on the year? IDK, I am seeing four different versions of the CAM cover gasket that says it will fit a 96 1200.
None of them match all the holes on my CAM cover. I think the 1st two are the correct ones but all would likely work. The last one pictures is the only one that doesn't block the port on the bottom that leads up to one of the bushings.
I am thinking this port gets blocked off for some reason. Anyone know why? I have searched a ton and am getting mixed answers. Very confusing with all this one size fit some gasket methodology by H-D.
The first two gaskets you pictured will work on 1991-1999 models only.
The second two gaskets you pictured will work on 1991-2022 models.
The difference, across the top, is due to the way oil passes between the lifters. In 1991-1999 models, there's a single long hole, beginning at the front of the oil filter pad, that connects all the lifters together and feeds oil to them. Beginning in 2000, oil instead passes through the cam cover on it's journey between the lifters.
The gasket that works on 2000+ models is backwards compatible though to the 1991-1999 models. So it works on 1991-2022.
You can never go the other way, though. If you run a 1991-1999 specific gasket on a 2000+, you'll lose oil pressure.
That hole on the bottom can be plugged or left open on all 5-speeds except the very earliest 1991 models, which need it. It dates back to how the 4-speeds oiled. Instead of passing oil directly from the oil filter pad to the lifters, feed oil came out of the filter pad through a hose that fed into the bottom of the cam box. It then passed into the cover through that hole, and went up through the cover to feed the end of the pinion shaft and the lifter oil galley.
Since the first handful of 5-speeds in 1991 oiled this way, the 5-speed covers initially got that oil passage, and on those, you need to use a cam cover gasket that doesn't block it. But your bike, being a 1996, it can be blocked, which most of your pictured gaskets do.
There was a change to the cover that eliminated this passage at the bottom of the cam cover, I believe that came out in 1997, could've been 1998, my memory is fading in old age.
When that cam cover was cut down, a boss was left at the bottom of the cover, and it was plugged with a screw and a copper washer. That hole is there as a remnant of the factory drilling the oil passage hole through the cover. The factory plugs it with a soft plug, but when the cover is cut down, that soft plug gets cut off. So when you cut those early covers, the hole must be plugged. The cutting job left a boss there so that there would be some material to thread the hole. it *looks* like a HAMMER cut down job, that's exactly what their CNC program does when cutting an early cover. I developed that process, long time ago. Retired now.
Thank you so much for this information. It was driving me nuts trying to get a straight answer. You are correct, it is a hammer cut down job, and they did plug the hole as you described. I ended up ordering the first gasket pictured above as I don't care for the idea of having all that extra gasket material hanging down in the CAM box. I guess you could cut it off maybe. IDK, I just went with what seemed right last night, but that extra hole was bothering me as it did lead up to a bearing so I thought I should get an expert opinion.
That hole on the bottom can be plugged or left open on all 5-speeds except the very earliest 1991 models, which need it. It dates back to how the 4-speeds oiled. Instead of passing oil directly from the oil filter pad to the lifters, feed oil came out of the filter pad through a hose that fed into the bottom of the cam box. It then passed into the cover through that hole, and went up through the cover to feed the end of the pinion shaft and the lifter oil galley.
Since the first handful of 5-speeds in 1991 oiled this way, the 5-speed covers initially got that oil passage, and on those, you need to use a cam cover gasket that doesn't block it.
So, my 1991 was made in October, 1990. It only has the one hose from the pump to the case integrated filter pad, so I can assume it's not one of the "very earliest" models? Although, it's supposed to have some kind of pressure regulator inside the cam chest, deleted after 1991. My FSM shows the direct feed to the lifters from the filter pad.
Did the "very earliest" 1991 models have two pressure hoses to/from the filter pad?
More 1991 trivia! Not sure Sportsterpedia even has that information.
John
Last edited by John Harper; Yesterday at 08:14 PM.
Yesterday | 09:21 AM
Cam Cover Gaskets?
