JAMES GASKET

James Gasket Harley-Davidson Gasket Kits, Seals and O-Rings

The easiest way to shop James Gasket is by engine family, because the catalog follows the Harley-Davidson model line from Flathead to M8. We list about 1,330 James Gasket products, almost all in Gaskets, Seals & Kits (about 900). Smaller groups sit in the transmission Gaskets & Seals (about 175), Gaskets, Seals & O-Rings and Fork Seals & Gaskets.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum says founder James Clark started the James Motorcycle Parts Company in 1977 and that James Gaskets, Inc. was formed in 1981, making gaskets, seals and complete rebuild kits for Harley-Davidson engines and transmissions.

Complete and top-end kits

About 50 titles are full motor kits, and roughly 60 are top-end kits. Names carry the engine, the displacement and the head gasket type. Twin Cam has the 88 and 96 inch motor kit with 0.040 inch head gaskets and the 05-17 Twin Cam top end kit. For the Evolution there is the 92-99 motor kit with MLS head gaskets, and Sportster owners can pick the 91-03 complete kit. M8 has a motor gasket kit and a top end kit, plus single cylinder head and cylinder base gaskets.

Vintage engines

Older engines have listings too. The Flathead 45 inch motor kit, the Knucklehead top end kit, the Panhead motor kit and the Shovelhead complete kit are each listed by years. There are about 38 Shovelhead and 27 Panhead titles in all, including rocker cover gaskets.

Covers and transmission

About 200 titles mention cam covers, 135 mention primary covers and 33 are Derby covers, often in paper, foam or beaded versions and sold in packs of 5 or 10. Examples are the Twin Cam foam Derby cover gasket, 5 pack, the Sportster primary cover gasket for '04-'22 and the Twin Cam tap cover kit. Transmission titles run to about 110, including the 5-speed Big Twin top cover gasket and the 6-speed bearing cover gasket.

Seals, fork parts and O-rings

About 300 titles say seal. Pushrod seal sets, such as the Big Twin kit, sit next to umbrella valve seals for Twin Cam and oil pump kits like the EVO and Big Twin set. Fork seals are sold by tube size: about 8 are 39 mm, 11 are 41 mm and 6 are 49 mm, such as the 41 mm fork seals and the 49 mm fork seal kit. More than 150 titles are O-rings, including a 100 pack of oil screen and pump plug O-rings.

Intake and exhaust

Intake pieces include the Bendix, Keihin and Tillotson intake and carburetor gasket kit. In Exhaust Gaskets & Seals, exhaust port kits come in copper and stainless or chrome.

Picking the right gasket

Check the engine and year range in the title. Where a title lists no years, open the listing and compare the part number with your manual. Count the pack size as well, since the same gasket can be sold singly, in 5 or 10 packs, or in bulk.

James Gasket questions

What does MLS mean in a title? It is part of the listing name on kits with MLS head gaskets, so check the head gasket type before ordering.

Are gaskets sold singly or in packs? Both. Pack sizes such as 1, 5, 10 and 25 are in the title.

Do you list M8 parts? Yes, about 24, including motor, top end and cam change kits.

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