cam chain tensions

[MadMax]

There is a very real issue with the 99-06 tensioners - easily avoidable if you check them regularly. I've sent you a PM.

[Phil]

Indeed there is an issue. We include an inspection free on every 20,000 service & every 20,000 miles thereafter.

If you have badly worn shoes Harley now sells an excellent kit that upgrades the bike to the new hydraulic style. It makes it fix it & forget it.

It is also cheaper than the cam repair kit. We have installed dozens of them.

[banquo]

Originally Posted by Phil

Harley now sells an excellent kit that upgrades the bike to the new hydraulic style.

It is also cheaper than the cam repair kit.

Just about to go in and do the 40,000 check. have been noticing a whirring noise of late, so have some suspicions..

What are we comparing here Phil?

Is there are a part number for the entire hydraulic conversion, as a complete kit, and what do you mean by the 'cam repair kit'?

At the moment, although I'd like to go the hydraulic route, I'm assuming that the cheapest fix is to change the shoes when they need it. I have stock cams, and if I get 40,000 miles out of a set of shoes, do I really need to look at the expense of a hydraulic conversion?

[grbrown]

Originally Posted by Phil

If you have badly worn shoes Harley now sells an excellent kit that upgrades the bike to the new hydraulic style. It makes it fix it & forget it.

It is also cheaper than the cam repair kit. We have installed dozens of them.

Phil,

That is what I was hoping to hear when I wrote my previous post! My Dyna has not done very many miles, but its useful to know that for later in its life, so thanks!

[Phil]

Originally Posted by banquo

Just about to go in and do the 40,000 check. have been noticing a whirring noise of late, so have some suspicions..

What are we comparing here Phil?

Is there are a part number for the entire hydraulic conversion, as a complete kit, and what do you mean by the 'cam repair kit'?

At the moment, although I'd like to go the hydraulic route, I'm assuming that the cheapest fix is to change the shoes when they need it. I have stock cams, and if I get 40,000 miles out of a set of shoes, do I really need to look at the expense of a hydraulic conversion?

One at a time Jake. Usually by the time you are hearing whirring the inner shoe is pretty far gone, maybe down to metal.

If it is that bad our experience is that the oil pump & cam plate have been compromised.

There is a cam repair kit that has a new plate, pump & cams.

The hydraulic upgrade kit has a re-engineered cam plate, all new style hydraulic tensioners, chains & the upgraded oil pump (8% better flow, 22% better scavenge). Part number 25284-08, it is $429.95 here.

As I recall it is around a hundred dollars cheaper than the plain repair kit.

Two. Are you better off? depends how far the tensioners are gone. If they are very worn all that worn plastic & sometimes metal has to go somewhere. The only obvious places to me are that it is lurking around in the cam plate, oil pump or oil pressure relief valve. In which case we replace them.

The upgrade is fix it & forget it.

[banquo]

Thanks Phil. I was wondering what the cam repair kit was and what you get with that, for comparison.

I'll just have to hope that the whirring's not that... There was virtually no wear at 20,000, so I was quite relaxed about it - until now...

Seriously thinking of fitting the hydraulic one when the time comes (on recommendation from someone else on here), but hope it's not right now.

Surprisingly, it's not that much more expensive here... So, maybe some cams and the new kit is in order. I wouldn't feel happy uprating the cams with the stock tensioners, but that's just a gut feeling.

How big a job is it? Any worse than removing the stock cam plate, and changing the bearings and tensioners?

Yes, I know that's far too many questions, but the nights are getting dark, and I'm entering my anally retentive phase...

[Phil]

Originally Posted by banquo

Thanks Phil. I was wondering what the cam repair kit was and what you get with that, for comparison.

You get the same, but old style plus a set of stock cams.

Originally Posted by banquo

I'll just have to hope that the whirring's not that... There was virtually no wear at 20,000, so I was quite relaxed about it - until now...

That is a good thing. The issue is more in my experience about a batch of shoddy product. We see some 99 or 2000's with high miles & very little wear & some with 10,000 miles worn right out.

There are two schools of thought. One says that the plastic was bad in a whole batch. The other is that the chains were incorrectly polished causing the excessive wear.

Originally Posted by banquo

How big a job is it? Any worse than removing the stock cam plate, and changing the bearings and tensioners?

Yes, I know that's far too many questions, but the nights are getting dark, and I'm entering my anally retentive phase...

Same job, just slightly different. PM me your email Jake & I'll send you a pdf of the instructions.

[Matt FXDX]

Dont know if there of use to anyone but i have a pair of stock cams of my 2001 TC, they have done 19.000mls and are free to a good home!...

Feel free to PM me if there of any use!...

Cheers
Matt..

[kenny]

Only done 11,000 miles so should have plenty of wear in them, will check on the 15,000 service.
Plan to go to America next year will pick up a new set then. Thanks for all your advice and imformtion, yet again outstanding.
Kenny

[pastyman]

phil can i pm you my email addy for that pdf aswell please