tappet trouble . . .

Agree with HRK 100%, Those paper ones won't last,they were junk on Evos and Shovels have a little more "shake" in them than an Evo
Good quality gaskets and locktite and you can have a leak free Shovel.
Had a '76 FLH years ago built for torque,the only leak it had was the chain feeder,so it still got to mark it's spot

They sure do like to mark their territory LOL. OK, fellas, I'll search around some more. Tattoo took one look at my gaskets, laughed, and threw them in the trash! I had Cometic ones the last time and had no problems.
Tranny still leaks but that's another issue .

I had Cometic ones the last time and had no problems.
LOL, You know what to get again then,eh?

I have a set of steel Cometic base gaskets on order from J&P that should be here any day. Also have a new front exhaust rocker arm & shaft on the same order. Wondering if I'll need to get the rocker arm reamed to fit the shaft . . .

I do have one question: what's the torque on the base nuts? Nothin' in the book about them. Last time I just tightened them by guesswork and they didn't leak. I got lucky . . .

If the rocker arm rotates freely on the shaft,you should be good to go,if it's tight or binds then ream it.
I did a little search for torque specs on base nuts and found 35lbs is spec but a lot go to 40lbs and recheck after a couple of heat cycles.
Don't take those specs as fact though,it was an innernet search I did,no actual experience myself. The '76 was done by a Pro and I sold the '79 before I got into it.
The guys on Shovelhead Forum should be able to give you a definite answer.

man that shovel still kicking jb ass . and i guess he forgot i made his intake and spacer for his cv carb . and kirby had done his nose cone and cam lol!