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[Montanakid]

With the newer Hydraulic Cam chain tensioners is there a rule of thumb on when to open up and check for wear? I'm coming up on 20 K and gonna be servicing soon.Just wondering how some of you have been monitoring yours?

[hd-dude]

From what i have seen you can most likely get 50 K out of them before inspection.

[prodrag1320]

as a big fan of gear drives & not a fan of either early or late tensioners,ide check them every winter (we`ve seen the late units fail WAY under 50K)

[cvobiker]

I check mine every spring....  15-20 mins of time is no big deal    considering the consequences if they do fail. 

[naitram]

I check mine every spring....  15-20 mins of time is no big deal    considering the consequences if they do fail. 

what is the procedure to inspect?

[petewerner]

as a big fan of gear drives & not a fan of either early or late tensioners,ide check them every winter (we`ve seen the late units fail WAY under 50K)

Sheesh prodrag!! Look at your bike, it will take a long time at 1/4 mile sprints to get to 50,000 miles...I agree with U about checking earlier, but dude U need to check yours every other mile or so!!!   


j/k

[Boatman]

what is the procedure to inspect?

Not to start trouble but I can't see 15 to 20 minutes.  Have to pull exhaust and cam cover.  Can barely see inner shoe even with a dental mirror.

We are also talking about the old spring loaded tensioners and the late model hydraulic tensioner.

Poster is asking about newer hydraulic tensioners.  Have 23k on mine and will keep running (on a 2010).    Lifter will probably fail before tensioner on my bike on what I have been reading.

[hdbrad03]

I had one that was over half worn at 10K miles. HD warrantied the part.

 


     Brad

[grc]

As long as it's a Harley, you can rest assured it won't be 100% reliable (or even close).  So while the new style tensioner system is an improvement, there is nothing I've seen that says it is foolproof.  As Brad mentioned, some folks have had them fail very early.  Others have had them misassembled from the factory, and I'm not convinced they really solved the chain quality issues they had with the old style parts.  The new chain is a roller chain that in theory shouldn't chew up the shoes like the old style chain often did, but Harley and it's suppliers have many ways to screw up the best theories.

IMHO, I'd be inclined to add a couple items to the 25k checklist just based on the failures being reported over the past few years.  I'd add a check on the tensioners and a very thorough check (or replacement) of the lifter rollers and bearings.  Checking the tensioners is relatively easy (I don't buy the 15 minute claim though, since most exhaust systems interfere with removing the cam chest cover), but removing the lifters for inspection or replacement is a little more involved. 


JMHO - Jerry

[eleft36]

They do fail.
Mine started making a different sound about 50 miles away from home. It also began to run different, set up a vibration on the way home.
With almost 36,000 miles I planned to change the lifters, oil pump and install Zippers dual piston tensioner and I had already purchased the parts.
When I opened the CAM chest I found the problem. The primary chain was slack and the links were worn razor.
The slack adjuster plastic was gone down th the medal cylinder. The failure was the spring in the tensioner, it was reduced to 3 little pieces. 

Al

[eleft36]

The chain slack must have beat the plastic so much it disintegrated.

My guess is it happened in the 50 miles on the way home. Our total ride was 421 miles and it was running and sounding fine until shortly (about 15 miles) after lunch where our group broke up in Wingdale NY.

Al

[porthole]

guess the new version is a lot like the old.

LTBawb's 05 had wiped out tensioners and oil pump at 12K or so.
My slightly newer, same model/year at 25K looked like I could have used them at least another 25K.

With almost 30K on the new style I will be looking at it over the next several months since I have the other side of the bike apart may as well just forget the rest of the riding season.

[prodrag1320]

Sheesh prodrag!! Look at your bike, it will take a long time at 1/4 mile sprints to get to 50,000 miles...I agree with U about checking earlier, but dude U need to check yours every other mile or so!!!   


j/k

your kidding right???!! like ive got cam tensioners in my nitro bike,right.im talking about street driven twin cam motors,jeez

[porthole]

your kidding right???!! like ive got cam tensioners in my nitro bike,right.im talking about street driven twin cam motors,jeez

Sheesh prodrag!! Look at your bike..........

j/k

Just Kidding