Motorcycle Repair: no oil to top end, sportster 883, oil drip


Question
QUESTION: I have a 96 sportster 883 with a 1200 kit. Blew a head gasket and noticed the head bolts were loose. I changed the gasket now i am not getting oil to the heads.When I opened the top to do the gaskets there was alot of oil on top.getting 20psi at the filter,oil splashes around above the lifters when I have the push rod covers off.the push rods and rocker arms are not pluged.oil pump flowing good.I don't if the oil problem caused the gasket problem or if this is something new. tried changing the lifters that didn't help.I also let the bike run for 10 minutes at a time to be sure oil had time to get up there.Double checked the gaskets and they are for that bike.Any advice would be greatly appreciated. thank you jay

ANSWER: Your head bolts were probably loose from the gasket being blown, not a oil problem.
How do you know you are not getting oil to the top end?
Mike

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I had the rocker covers off with the bike running both exhaust rockers have a few drops of oil drip here and there but thats it. I tryed putting the covers on and running it then pulling them back off and I never have any oil puddles or anything.

Answer
It takes quit a while to get alot of oil to the top end and you might not be giving it enough time. If you were not getting any oil in the top end you would be getting alot of rattling. Since you didnt make any changes to the top end, except for gaskets, you should be fine since you have oil pressure
Good luck and happy riding
Mike