I'm Weeping again !!

[flathead1957]

OK Guys I need your expertise once again,

I have what will be for most of you here, an easy question. I have a 67 FLH. The Rocker screws are seeping out oil which coats the side of my bike when I ride it. I can actually start the bike and sit watching it weep. I tried loosening the plastic headed acorn nuts on the far side of the head thinking I would then be able to loosen that mammouth screw on the starboard side, (I had a boat,LOL) to no avail. It actually turned, but would not come out. I want to see what shape the "O" ring is in, if there is still one there. Am I on the right track here? FYI...It's the front screw on each head that is seeping oil.

[Jack K]

You should be able to give the rocker shaft end screw a sharp wrap with an impact driver and it will come right out. Shouldn't take much of a lick to spin it out. Put it back the same way.

[bmh]

For routine maitanence on shovels with your condition I have in the past removed the acorn nut and drifted the rocker shaft out enough to replace the O-ring. Make sure you don't let the threaded end of the shaft go inside the rocker box without keeping a drift tight against it or any shims on the shaft will fall off and potentially cause much more grief than you can imagine. The 6466W washer under the acorn nut should be replaced whenever the nut is removed or it will most likely be your next oil leak ( I avoid the chrome plated ones). As these have gotten hard to find over the years we have had good success with applying a very thin, even coat of blue silicone to each side of the washer and reassembeling, you can clean off any excess silicone with a paper towel soaked in denatured alchohol before it cures. The impact will work also, but if the end screws are the original straight slot type it will most likely bugger them up some. You could also remove the whole shaft ( remember to bring the drift the whole way through behind it ) put it in a vise with some copper jaws and remove the end screw with a suitable screwdriver or other tool.
Brian