my mechanic at the dealer said , "do you warm it up before hitting the trhottle" i always make shure the rocker boxes fill warm enough before taking off[/QUOTE]

I don't understand this. How does a warm up ensure that the gaskets for the rocker boxes don't fail? I can understand that a warm engine expands and that might seal a little better before you put some throttle and circulate the oil a lot more, but as a preventive, I don't see it. Wouldn't this be happening in the automotive world also? Don't mind me I'm a harley noob.

 

It does happen in the auto world too, but most people rarely ever even lift the hoods on their cars nowadays to even look at their engine. Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing. And I highly doubt the techs doing the $20 oil changes at the quick lube places are going to say anything.

 

my 2010 Iron is going in for its 2nd rocker gasket replacement (leaking worse than it was the first time only 1200km later). Had them replaced due to leakage at 3900km.

I'm going to try warming the bike up more before I ride, but I don't like running it too long or it pisses the neighbors off.

 

Use Cometic Gaskets or James Gaskets. Problem solved.

 

Ditto. I just swapped my rear rocker gaskets this weekend. If you do it yourself, I recommend buying the flat wrench and the Cometic gaskets, all at DennisKirk.

Took me 3 hours and a half just for one cylinder but saved me $200 in labor :-)

 

I have replaced mine twice in 22K on my 07, takes about 3 to 4hrs (I'm sure a Harley can better that time by at least 25 to 30%).

The Cometic gaskets are identical to HD's gasket in "Material,durometer, and Shape", wouldn't be a bit surprised if they get their gaskets from Cometic.

I'd be curious to know what the James Gaskets look like.

 

At 14,000 miles, had a leak from the lower valve cover gasket, the one above the head, but below the top one.
I pulled off the top valve cover, perfect gasket there, original.
BUT, the front bolt (of three...the most forward bolt...) was loose, out of it's hole, bouncing around near the front rocker arm!
I screwed it back in and decided to run it with the original gaskets to see if that was the problem. Everything OK now, or at least, for now.

There's some touted Harley "hidden technology" for you...

I would NOT replace a good gasket, regardless.