Thread: Motorcycles

Originally Posted by Grazor

Front 19" twin disc, rear 16".
Missed a SE cam plate and pump etc that came up so depending what's been done will probably just do cyco tensioner shoes and check cam bearings and ride it while I gather parts.
Real PITA getting stuff here atm with shipping backlogs.

What's wrong with the one you have?

Originally Posted by engine46

What's wrong with the one you have?

Remember they were having problems with the spring loaded chain tensioners on the first twin cams? The SE and S&S plate is the hydraulic set up.
Bike still in transit so won't know till it gets here, but if the tensioners haven't been done they're 22 years old and probably very brittle.

Originally Posted by Grazor

Remember they were having problems with the spring loaded chain tensioners on the first twin cams? The SE and S&S plate is the hydraulic set up.
Bike still in transit so won't know till it gets here, but if the tensioners haven't been done they're 22 years old and probably very brittle.

I understand. It depends on the miles on it. I did mine at close to 43k miles because i knew how many miles they would go before going out and they were beginning to come apart. My extended warranty was almost out so I did it because I got paid to work on my own bike. You will need some basic specialty tools just to replace the tensioners. If it has less than 40k, you might get away with just doing the tensioners w/o replacing the bearings or more specialty tools and an arbor press are needed to replace the cam bearings along with an inner cam bearing remover and installer plus the ones needed to remove and press the new cam bearings in the cam support plate. It's usually best to do everything while you're in there if possible but if they aren't coming apart yet, you can get by with just replacing the tensioners. It depends on your tools and $$$.
First you will need to remove the rocker boxes and rocker supports to take the pressure off the valve train so you can remove the cam support plate w/cams or cut the pushrods with bolt cutters and put adjustable pushrods in it. Then you will need something to hold the lifters in place. I have some pieces from large paper clips that worked and I also have magnets to hold the lifters in when they became available or the lifters will fall through. I have a tool that slips over the tensioner so you can turn it to remove the slack off the timing chain and place a pin through them to hold them while doing the work. I also have a nylon part that goes between the timing gears to lock them in place for torquing. Also the tapered pins are for oil pump alignment which is a must. They are used diagonally one way or the other, it doesn't matter. You then torque the oil pump screws diagonally as well in an X pattern. It's always best to have a factory service manual handy. I had some old parts and took pics which are pretty self explanatory.

These are special tools needed just for the tensioners.


These I made from paper clips before the magnets came out. I spread them apart a little plus I ground the bottoms more pointed so they would grab the lifters better. They sometimes would fall out so putting something like rags inside the cam chest to hold them in helped. Each one held 2 lifters in place.


These are the magnets which work better but some aftermarket ones are weak. Mine are from Harley.


This is a special tool that goes over the tensioner and you turn it with a wrench or socket until you can put a pin in place to keep tension off the cam chain. There is a hole in the support plate just below the H where the pin goes and another one for the tensioner on the back side.






These tapers pins are for the oil pump alignment.


This is the nylon block that locks the cam gears in place so the bolts can be torqued.


From there everything goes back in place. The factory says the cam bolts are a one time use but that was just so they could sell parts. I have re-used them and never had a problem. Make sure to have red and blue Loctite. Use the red on the cam bolts and the blue on the oil pump and cam cover screws.

Here's a pic of the cam cover torque sequence.I had issues trying to upload above.

Cheers Steve, would rather sort now and bearings are cheap enough. Like I said, someone spent money on it so may have been done already.

Originally Posted by Grazor

Cheers Steve, would rather sort now and bearings are cheap enough. Like I said, someone spent money on it so may have been done already.

I hope they did because like i said, it requires special tools along with conventional tools.

Originally Posted by engine46

I hope they did because like i said, it requires special tools along with conventional tools.

My son is a motorcycle mechanic and my nephew works at a Harley mechanic shop so will get it sorted no doubt.
But you could send me all those old tools that you don't use anymore...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkhH...CristiCristian

That had me laughing, Tom!!!

Here is a good one