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[Mikey]

I was ordering parts and showed a local HD tec my oil pump which was scored from the tensioner failure. He recomended removing and cleaning the oil pan. Has anyone else done that or been advised to do that?
Please advise,
Mike

[Fired00d]

First I've ever heard of that. I guess there could be the possibility of stuff getting there, and being the tensioners are plastic the magnet wouldn't catch them.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[110tHunDer]

First for me, too.  The tensioner stuff wouldn't stick to the drain plug, but any of it that ends up in the pan should still come out with the oil.  I think the way the flow of the oil through the motor goes, though, that all but the teeniest particles will end up in the filter.

[hogasm]

Just run some oil in the filler while the plug is out. A few quarts of oil is alot cheaper and easier than pulling the motor.

[DCFIREMANN]

When your tensioner's go bad they are at that point picked up by the oil pump. That is where most of the scaring in the pump comes from. The oil is then pumped to the filter. I see no need to pull the pan. Anything that is in the pan will come out when you drain your oil. Any thing metallic will get picked up by the magnet on the drain plug.

Be Safe

THE DAWG

[Friddle123]

I would do it.
Pay now, or pay later.
I went thru it.
Piece of plastic rolled around for a year, then pow.

[Bagger]

Can someone explain the outcome(s) of cam chain tensioner(s) failure please?  In my mind, it is catastrophic for the engine.  From what I'm reading here, that isn't necessarily the case.  Is this one of those "It Depends" situations?  I am a huge advocate of preventive maintenance.......even though industry trend is moving toward condition based maintenance.  When it comes to my stuff, I'm not industry.  I tend to overmaintain just so I don't run into situations like this.  Still, I'd like to know the outcome(s) and if there would be any warning signs of impending failure.  Thanks.

[110tHunDer]

Henry, it's not really the failure of the tensioners that causes the catastrophe, it's that the material from the tensioners going through the oil pump causes the pump to fail.  The reason for switching to the gear-driven cams, is to get away from the chain and tensioners to avoid the damage and failure to the oil pump.

You may get some warning before pump fails if you have your eyes glued to the oil pressure gauge, but it probably won't be much, even if you do.

[Bagger]

Bagger,
If you pm me your personal email I will send some pictures. I have trouble attaching pics here.
Mike

I'd appreciate that.  PM on the way.  Thx

[Bagger]

Henry, it's not really the failure of the tensioners that causes the catastrophe, it's that the material from the tensioners going through the oil pump causes the pump to fail.  The reason for switching to the gear-driven cams, is to get away from the chain and tensioners to avoid the damage and failure to the oil pump.

You may get some warning before pump fails if you have your eyes glued to the oil pressure gauge, but it probably won't be much, even if you do.

Thanks Brian.  Does the tensioner shoe failure mean there is no longer tension on the chain?  Does that cause problems due to slack.....like jumping gear teeth?  Since the shoe is worn away, wouldn't the chain "eat" the tensioner arms and spring?  Or break the chain.......which would be REALLY ugly?  Again.......purely to satisfy my curiousity.  I don't intend to get into this situation.  Gears are going in between 15-20K.  I just gotta know.  Thanks.

[Midnight Rider]

Thanks Brian.  Does the tensioner shoe failure mean there is no longer tension on the chain?  Does that cause problems due to slack.....like jumping gear teeth?  Since the shoe is worn away, wouldn't the chain "eat" the tensioner arms and spring?  Or break the chain.......which would be REALLY ugly?  Again.......purely to satisfy my curiousity.  I don't intend to get into this situation.  Gears are going in between 15-20K.  I just gotta know.  Thanks.

Henry...I think once the shoes start really disintergrating, it all happens pretty quickly, so you'd know well before the chain ever broke.  But every time you ride the bike, some material from the shoes gets eaten off, but not chunks like in the end.  The good synthetic oil helps the wear.  I think it was Fr8trn who did his cams not long ago and his shoes were fine.  You just don't know, and HD will not fix it 'till it's broke, hoping that most people will not get to that mileage point in two years.

JCZ had his go out on a long road trip...he could probably tell you how it all happened...there was a thread on here from him about that at some point, but it may be gone now.

[hd-dude]

Once the shoe material wears or breaks away the pieces get sucked up into the oil pump nad then sent to the filter. The likelyhood of them getting past the filter are slim unless it is pretty dirty and is bypassing. When the shoes wear the chain can them come into contact with the shoe mounting arm, when this happens the noise is substancial as you have metal to metal contact.
Here is a link of some damaged shoes:
http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php/topic,3120.0.html

A good preventitive thing to do is when changing your oil cut open the oild filter and inspect the filter media. If you see tan/yellow/orange particles there you have the issue now. Here is an link of a thread that discusses this:
http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php/topic,3166.0.html

For what its worth I have taken many many cam cavities apart and found that the bikes that run a synthetic oil since new show less wear on the tensioners than with dyno oil. If you plan on changing out at the 15k mark you should be ok but I would not go much further than that..

[110tHunDer]

Thanks Brian.  Does the tensioner shoe failure mean there is no longer tension on the chain?  Does that cause problems due to slack.....like jumping gear teeth?  Since the shoe is worn away, wouldn't the chain "eat" the tensioner arms and spring?  Or break the chain.......which would be REALLY ugly?  Again.......purely to satisfy my curiousity.  I don't intend to get into this situation.  Gears are going in between 15-20K.  I just gotta know.  Thanks.

Henry, I'm not aware of one that's gotten that far before the pump crapped out.  If it did, you'd have some metal to metal contact with the chain and the shoe that would be sure to make some funky noises.

[Mikey]

H-D dude,
Nice article on oil filter opening. I checked mine at 15k and 20k and I didn't see anything although I wasn't as thourough as the article. I developed this oil leak at 21k so I decided to check the tensioner also. I think the numbers on the Freedom cams from Joe got me thinking gear drives. I trust your judgement on the oil pan.
Thanks,
Mike

[Mikey]

tensioners