Top motor mount/coil cover

[Raywood]

Well got the dreaded vibration again for the up-theenth time. My top motor mount/coil cover came loose again. This time while chasing the threads on the heads I found that my tap went all the way in over an inch and a half! The head bolt is only about an inch. After going through the coil cover and lock washer only about 1/4 inch of threads go into the head.
So, I went down to my bolt and screw shop and bought some bolts that were a 1/4 inch longer that the stock ones. I could have gotten 1/2 inch longer ones!
Used some blue loctite and put everything back together.
I bet with the longer bolts it will go a lot longer without coming loose again. Hopefully!!!

Later,
Ray

 

[KnotSo]

Great tips, I will be doing some checking this week, AND gotta do some clleaning.

Sposed to be in the 90's the next couple of days. Cannot miss that.

 

[Chopper Dave]

I had to put some blue loc-tite on mine too Ray....so far so good....3215 miles

 

[Gas Man]

That's a good idea... what size did you use Ray?

 

[Tim]

Sounds like a great tip, thanks for sharing.

 

[Franky Bones]

At least you got the warning sign...I never did...

My front upper motor mount just sheared off in the cylinder head. The rear tab on the coil cover cracked all the way through. I wish I got a warning sign. I've been without my bike since June 10. I'm going nuts.

 

[Gas Man]

I did this the other day... can you tell its been raining and in general crappy weather. Getting stir crazy and fooling around with some small projects.

Went a 1/2" longer on the 2 outside 3/8" bolts. No reason to touch the center bolt as the current bolt goes thru the top mount and the coil cover with a good 1/8" of thread clearing the coil cover undernieth.

$2.69 each in the chrome bolt section at the local hardware.

Now of coarse if you end up capping them with chrome caps from HD anyway... no need to spend the $$ on chrome. But get stainless so you don't have any rusting issues and rusty water drip onto the motor and primary.

 

[PROFLYER]

I'm gonna switch mine out before my trip. I just realized though that the plastic washers that go under the mount are missing....anyone have any idea what kind they are and where I could maybe find some locally???

 

[Fibersnake]

Good idea Raywood, by chance does anyone know what grade bolts the original are just to be on the safe side when replacing?

If not I guess-will try to locate some good Grade 8.

 

[Raywood]

I posted this thread almost a year ago. I was tightening those bolts down every month trying to keep them tight.
Once I put in the longer bolts I'm happy to submit that almost a year later and after a long trip across the country and up the coast I have yet to have them work loose again.
So, go with the longer bolts and never have them loosen up again!!!!


:flag: :flag: :flag:

 

[Raywood]

As for the washers between the coil cover and head; They are plastic/nylon and I assume they are for vibration absorbsion or something. Mine have been replaced a few times as they eventually melt.
I need to replace them again but may just remove them and bolt it up tight.

 

[dogvet]

I'm gonna switch mine out before my trip. I just realized though that the plastic washers that go under the mount are missing....anyone have any idea what kind they are and where I could maybe find some locally???

They are just fiberglass washers. I did a bunch of asking around one time and was told that they were insulators to keep the heat from transfering to the coil cover. I've left them out and haven't had any problems without them. Coil cover gets just as hot. I guess nobody thought of the heat transfewring through the bolt or the fact that the engine is right next to the coil cover.:lol: :lol:

 

[shovelcowboy]

I didn't even know about any fiberglass washers! I guess ignorance is bliss, but I will check more often for tight bolts. Thanks

 

[mcdoc1969]

hell yeah,longer bolts,good washers & red lock-tite.

 

[BBChopper]

No shit!! Good catch Ray!!!:2thumbs: :2thumbs:

 

[Slow Vince]

Coil Cover Washers

... while chasing the threads on the heads I found that my tap went all the way in over an inch and a half! The head bolt is only about an inch. After going through the coil cover and lock washer only about 1/4 inch of threads go into the head.
So, I went down to my bolt and screw shop and bought some bolts that were a 1/4 inch longer that the stock ones.

Used some blue loctite and put everything back together.
I bet with the longer bolts it will go a lot longer without coming loose again. Hopefully!!!

Later,
Ray
______________

At ~3600 miles, have not had any problems with these.

While adding head bolt covers, I found the metal washers to be cupped and slightly elongated. Also indentations on the coil cover.

Reassembled with new AN washers, and the same thing happened at only 20 ft/lb (right pic). These bolts are supposed to be torqued to 35 ft/lb according to the service manual.

Dont have access to "good" hardware up here, so bought some 8mm stainless washers, which are ~half again as thick as the originals. Enlarged the whole with Dremel to fit the 3/8-16x1" bolts (left pic).

These maintained shape at 25 ft/lb, but I stopped there. Did use Loctite IAW the service manual. There was no evidence of Loctite having been used when I first removed the bolts.

Macro photography is a bitch!
:loony:

 

[chopsteak]

Thanks. My top motor mount bolt keeps backing out. I have cleaned the threads and used red on it and it will periodically back out. It's amazing how bad the bike runs and feels when that bolt gets loose.

 

[K9husker]

Do you think this could be the cause of my higher gear chirpping when under power? The nylon washers or bolts?

 

[RomeoBaze]

Thanks, Bros! I did A LOT of riding this weekend, and somewhere I dropped one of my coil cover bolts, and I had NO clue what size they were....

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

Well got the dreaded vibration again for the up-theenth time. My top motor mount/coil cover came loose again. This time while chasing the threads on the heads I found that my tap went all the way in over an inch and a half! The head bolt is only about an inch. After going through the coil cover and lock washer only about 1/4 inch of threads go into the head.
So, I went down to my bolt and screw shop and bought some bolts that were a 1/4 inch longer that the stock ones. I could have gotten 1/2 inch longer ones!
Used some blue loctite and put everything back together.
I bet with the longer bolts it will go a lot longer without coming loose again. Hopefully!!!

Later,
Ray

Had trouble with that on my K-9 when I first got it. I was told by my wrench, the mechanic at the shop and several others to use RED loctite on that. When I did that I stopped loosing the bolts and I can still get them out when I need to (work for it but they come out.)

Mike