Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[copout221]

 Here is my situation. Took my 07 FLHTCUSE2 to the dealer a few days ago to get my 575 cams and new pushrods installed. They called me today and advised me that my bike needed an entire new motor due to a pinion gear (don't know what it is) being out of specs. They noticed the problem after removing the cam cover. Dealer said if the problem is not repaired I will have major issues in the future so I am without a bike for this weekend unless I pay them for a rental (that blows). They said the new motor should be in by Mon or Tues of next week and I should have the bike back towards the end of the week. My questions are:

1. Why didn't I notice anything wrong with the bike during the past 2200 miles ? It has been running and idling perfectly.

2. Could this pinion gear have been damaged by me in any way ? If so, how ?

3. Could the dealer have possibly damaged it and is not telling me the truth ?

Thanks to all the experts who can shed some light on this !!

[nidan]

I would take the weekend off and go with the new motor and be glad they caught it.
Other than 2 days loss of riding and a new break in you may benefit from anything the factory has improved on in the interim and not shared with us.

[Talon]

Well I'm no expert, but I don't think there's anyway to tell how it happened. Just have to bite the bullet and get the new motor! The bike was running, but who knows for how long! I don't know what a pinon gear is, I'm thinking since they were in there to change the cams, they might have been talking about the crank sprocket that drives the the primary cam. If this was bad and somehow messed up the end of the crank then they would have to tear down the entire motor to replace the crank, cheaper for them to put in a new motor. That's my guess.

[RedDevil]

I would take the weekend off and go with the new motor and be glad they caught it.
Other than 2 days loss of riding and a new break in you may benefit from anything the factory has improved on in the interim and not shared with us.

concur...go with the new motor, regardless of the reason...it's kind of irrelevent now, you need and are getting a new motor...run with that.
Cheers ,
 

[Fired00d]

Take the new motor. If it was a factory defect or the tech did something either way something is wrong and it's going to be replaced. One thing I would ask them (Dealer/MoCo) is will the new motor have my VIN stamped on it?

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[SPIDERMAN]

Take the new motor. If it was a factory defect or the tech did something either way something is wrong and it's going to be replaced. One thing I would ask them (Dealer/MoCo) is will the new motor have my VIN stamped on it?

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Absolutely They have to give you a new motor with your VIN or they'd be on the hook for a complete new bike. The only way a dealer can be involved with non-matching VINs is in the case of the customer signing off on it (think H-D/JIMS 120) and then as I understand it in some states, some dealers require you to straighten out your registration before they deliver the bike to you. On the Reman motors, even where they ship you back a Reman'd motor with your VIN, the letters RM become part of the VIN on the motor. It is my understanding in a warranty sitation, that the motor has to be shipped back to the factory and the cases destroyed and all other parts inspected. Those that are deemed ok will be put into the Reman program. This is similar to a replacement frame from a wreck or other problems where the dealer cuts the neck off, ships it to the MoCo and junks the rest, only in this case, the factory wants the complete motor because most of it is likely to be reuseable.

Just my $0.02

B B

[Fired00d]

Absolutely They have to give you a new motor with your VIN or they'd be on the hook for a complete new bike. The only way a dealer can be involved with non-matching VINs is in the case of the customer signing off on it (think H-D/JIMS 120) and then as I understand it in some states, some dealers require you to straighten out your registration before they deliver the bike to you. On the Reman motors, even where they ship you back a Reman'd motor with your VIN, the letters RM become part of the VIN on the motor. It is my understanding in a warranty sitation, that the motor has to be shipped back to the factory and the cases destroyed and all other parts inspected. Those that are deemed ok will be put into the Reman program. This is similar to a replacement frame from a wreck or other problems where the dealer cuts the neck off, ships it to the MoCo and junks the rest, only in this case, the factory wants the complete motor because most of it is likely to be reuseable.

Just my $0.02

B B

I thought that was the case, but them getting the motor so quickly was making me wonder. Seemed to be awful quick for them to stamp it and build. Maybe they are already built and they have a machine that can stamp a VIN in then.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[copout221]

 Good Points from all. I just cannot understand how they cannot extend a courtesy to me for a service loaner at no charge. I brought them a bike with an estimate of $375.00 to install the cam. Now if I fork over $75.00 per day for four days or more I am just screwing myself. In addition, this dealer is over an hour away from my home so I don't have the luxury of just picking it up and dropping it off over the weekend for a day or two. If they provided a loaner for me I would not be that unhappy BUT I have an annual bike event this weekend that I took off work for and my wife really looks forward to. THIS SUCKS !!!

[Twolanerider]

Good Points from all. I just cannot understand how they cannot extend a courtesy to me for a service loaner at no charge. I brought them a bike with an estimate of $375.00 to install the cam. Now if I fork over $75.00 per day for four days or more I am just screwing myself. In addition, this dealer is over an hour away from my home so I don't have the luxury of just picking it up and dropping it off over the weekend for a day or two. If they provided a loaner for me I would not be that unhappy BUT I have an annual bike event this weekend that I took off work for and my wife really looks forward to. THIS SUCKS !!!

CO, it's certainly unexpected and an unhappy surprise to find out a motor is trashed.  Unsettling too on such a nearly new bike.  But at least you found out as you did rather than going down the road sometime and having it lock up. 

It's no doubt frustrating to unexpectedly be without the bike too.  Loaner vehicles are a courtesy though.  Not a requirement.  I can certainly understand a business owner's liability concerns that may choose against offering a loaner.  Especially in a case where the replacement seems to be happening so unexpectedly quickly.

Sometimes we're better off just declaring victory and moving on.  Getting a new engine, that wasn't even known to be needed, no questions asked, and in a pretty good hurry seems a pretty good definition of victory.  Especially when compared against the hassles and travails that others have had to go through to get far lesser repairs handled under their own warranties.

[ccr]

OK,  So you need to pull a Scot

Who has a spare bike they can lend a buddy in need?

Do you have any buddies that you know of who have a spare bike they can lend you for the weekend?

Can you do the weekend event in a cage?

Good luck with whatever solution you choose, and I am happy for you that you will get a new engine.  Sounds like they caught it just in time.

[copout221]

CO, it's certainly unexpected and an unhappy surprise to find out a motor is trashed.  Unsettling too on such a nearly new bike.  But at least you found out as you did rather than going down the road sometime and having it lock up. 

It's no doubt frustrating to unexpectedly be without the bike too.  Loaner vehicles are a courtesy though.  Not a requirement.  I can certainly understand a business owner's liability concerns that may choose against offering a loaner.  Especially in a case where the replacement seems to be happening so unexpectedly quickly.

Sometimes we're better off just declaring victory and moving on.  Getting a new engine, that wasn't even known to be needed, no questions asked, and in a pretty good hurry seems a pretty good definition of victory.  Especially when compared against the hassles and travails that others have had to go through to get far lesser repairs handled under their own warranties.

TLR
 I totally agree and you help me put this into a better perspective. Thanks !!!

[07 CVO]

Good Points from all. I just cannot understand how they cannot extend a courtesy to me for a service loaner at no charge. I brought them a bike with an estimate of $375.00 to install the cam. Now if I fork over $75.00 per day for four days or more I am just screwing myself. In addition, this dealer is over an hour away from my home so I don't have the luxury of just picking it up and dropping it off over the weekend for a day or two. If they provided a loaner for me I would not be that unhappy BUT I have an annual bike event this weekend that I took off work for and my wife really looks forward to. THIS SUCKS !!!

CO,

I had an engine replacement on my 07 SEUC at 1000 mile service interval and my dealer gave me a FREE loaner for the entire time my bike was in for service which was over 2 months and he stated that not to worry because he was billing the MoCo for the loaner, because the engine was under warranty. I also do know they do have a stock-pile of engines per-built waiting for just these situations. They do need a few days to put a VIN on the engines and to ship the engine out to your dealer, and your dealer will have to return your engine to the MoCo for them to do analasys on what went wrong.

Mark

[copout221]

OK,  So you need to pull a Scot

Who has a spare bike they can lend a buddy in need?

Do you have any buddies that you know of who have a spare bike they can lend you for the weekend?

Can you do the weekend event in a cage?

Good luck with whatever solution you choose, and I am happy for you that you will get a new engine.  Sounds like they caught it just in time.

 One of my buddies has a deuce that I may hit him up for. If that doesn't work out I will just concentrate on my grass this weekend   . I just got off the phone with the dealer who basically told me that they were really surprised that the MOCO didn't want to inspect the motor before authorizing a replacement. He said that it was odd and led him to believe that they know this issue exists and are not asking any questions after checking the VIN and production date. However, he didn't think I would have my bike back next week. Oh Well !!!! I also spoke with the service manager about the loaner issue and he is working on it and will call me back. I have my fingers crossed but am not expecting magic.

[copout221]

CO,

I had an engine replacement on my 07 SEUC at 1000 mile service interval and my dealer gave me a FREE loaner for the entire time my bike was in for service which was over 2 months and he stated that not to worry because he was billing the MoCo for the loaner, because the engine was under warranty. I also do know they do have a stock-pile of engines per-built waiting for just these situations. They do need a few days to put a VIN on the engines and to ship the engine out to your dealer, and your dealer will have to return your engine to the MoCo for them to do analasys on what went wrong.

Mark

 The free loaner thing is the issue right now. My local dealer said he would have offered one as soon as the problem was found but this dealer doesn't offer them any more and $75.00 per day add's up fast !!  I also called my local dealer who said he may be able to get me something to ride for the weekend. He couldn't guarantee an FL but anything will do (even an 883  )

[Twolanerider]

TLR
 I totally agree and you help me put this into a better perspective. Thanks !!!

It is so easy to get wound up in these affairs; especially when they surprise us like this.  It is very easy to know right where you're coming from.  And if the delay were extended; weeks and weeks, or even months I'd be far more concerned about something to replace the ride during the downtime also.  But just a few days; at least for me that makes it a far iffier proposition.  Congrats on getting the new motor.  And congrats on what sounds like a shop that does what it needs to on warranty problems without hiding behind company reps and all the other nonsense that we hear about all too often.

Your initial reason for taking it in begs a question though.  After break-in is finished on the new engine you going to go back in for the cam work again?