Thanx, I'll give that a try.

 

You just take out the plugs have someone turn the back tire till it stops pushing air out and starts sucking back in, that's close enough to get the job done.

 

Got it all apart, VERY TEMPTING to take a grinder to the backbone. Good grief, if they just gave yah another 1/4 in. Anyway, missing the little rect gasket, gonna go get that + everything for the front too. Might as well do em both while it's apart + I'm aggravated. The gasket was folded from the factory, surprised it didn't leak till now (9K). Glad I got another bike. THANX for all the help, sure it'll be the same fight goin back together.

 

When I did mine, same, it was a bitch to get out, but was a lot easier getting it back in

 

What a PITA! The pushrods are holding the lower rocker box up about 1/4 in above the head on that side. I've verfified TDC, the pushrods dropped into the lifters about 1/4 in, + the tops are in the rocker sockets. Shouldn't that fit flush? The manual says somethin about opening a valve in the lifter. I pushed a wire thru the pushrod but didn't feel the pushrod go down. Could this be the problem, lifter still pumped up?

 

Being a 3 piece rocker cover set. You only needed to take the 4 bolts out on the top first to get the top cover off. Valve placement doesn't interfere with this procedure. Its like a metal wire puzzle to take off but it will come off.

Now if you took bolts off under the top cover by moving the top cover around to get to the bolts underneath it.

You opened a whole new can of worms.........

 

Well it's the lower gasket I'm replacing, between the lower rocker cover + head. So, I needed to pull the top, middle, + lower. It's the lower goin back together I'm havin trouble with. Seems the lower should sit flush to the head. I don't wanna torque the bolts + bend a pushrod. Wish it woulda been the top gasket, but no, all three for me.

 

Even with the valves collapsed the lower rocker cover will NOT sit flat. You need to tighten the rocker bolts in the proper sequence/pattern and torque specifications to get the rocker cover flat.

This is where the Service Manual is worth so much.......

 

I got a service manual, but it didn't say anything bout that not fitting. Here's a pic, if you're sure it won't damage anything, I'll torque it down.

 

You'll be fine. This below is right out of the manual.







.