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[North Georgia Hawg]

You were given some very BAD advice to run gear-driven cams with .009" crank runout...that's pushing the limits, and would wreak havoc on your valve train with gear-driven cams. Harley specs now say up to .015" runout... But that's with chain-driven cams, and that's still way too high in my view.

I am not surprised. I would never run gear-driven cams unless the bottom end had been plugged, welded and balanced to .003" max, and ideally .001"...

Good luck. That shop should pay to get your engine running right again...

Ken

[CVO2FIXUP]

 Hey Ken, we did not know it was out that much before we started. We were hoping it was with in that safe speck. When the chest came apart all this was discovered.  The builder freaked and would not even put it back together again with chains, never mind gear driven set up. So now the engine is getting pulled and everything that you mentioned is getting done. I was hoping for a fast ( 3 day max ) cam swap and tune, now I am with out a bike for 2 to 3 weeks.   Better that a metal grenade going off in the engine I guess.

 Ernest.    

[North Georgia Hawg]

Hey Ken, we did not know it was out that much before we started. We were hoping it was with in that safe speck. When the chest came apart all this was discovered.  The builder freaked and would not even put it back together again with chains, never mind gear driven set up. So now the engine is getting pulled and everything that you mentioned is getting done. I was hoping for a fast ( 3 day max ) cam swap and tune, now I am with out a bike for 2 to 3 weeks.   Better that a metal grenade going off in the engine I guess.

 Ernest.    

Good deal, Ernest! With a proper bottom end, your rebuilt engine should perform very well.

But honestly, a good builder would have checked the runout BEFORE installing gear-driven cams...

Again, good luck.

Ken

[Banana man]

You are very lucky that you caught it before it blew up or you would be replacing
a lot more parts.

[GregKhougaz]

     

          The human defecatory material interfaced with the air propulsion mechanism!     

[Rooster]

Maybe runout was ok at the time but changed over time

[Midnight Rider]

Good deal, Ernest! With a proper bottom end, your rebuilt engine should perform very well.

But honestly, a good builder would have checked the runout BEFORE installing gear-driven cams...

Again, good luck.

Ken

There's a misunderstanding going on here...he stated that the cams he bought were to be installed, and when the mechanic opened the cam chest, he then discovered the issues.  No cams were ever installed prior to opening the cam chest, they were just purchased TO install.

[JKM]

ernest, where are you in canada and who is doing the work?  i'm in toronto and did my lifters and cam bearings 2yrs ago below 5k miles to avoid any issues.  did the heads this past winter and checcked the crank run out again and it was only 0.003.  I'm well below 10K miles, but at least I feel a little better with S&S lifters and new cam bearings in the motor

[North Georgia Hawg]

There's a misunderstanding going on here...he stated that the cams he bought were to be installed, and when the mechanic opened the cam chest, he then discovered the issues.  No cams were ever installed prior to opening the cam chest, they were just purchased TO install.

AHHHH... now I see. Thanks, Terry. I missed the "looks like we caught it just in time" in the OP's post.

I wonder why the whole cam chest was in such bad shape... could the crank itself do all that damage?

Ken

[CVO2FIXUP]

ernest, where are you in canada and who is doing the work?  i'm in toronto and did my lifters and cam bearings 2yrs ago below 5k miles to avoid any issues.  did the heads this past winter and checcked the crank run out again and it was only 0.003.  I'm well below 10K miles, but at least I feel a little better with S&S lifters and new cam bearings in the motor

  Hey there, I am in Toronto as well.  ( would love to live ells where though )    The shoppe that is doing the work is called Aviation Motorcycle Company. The Builder is Raphael Kroll. He uses Patric from J-Precision ( in Quebec ) to do all his head work, cylinder boring, and crank work.  Shoppe is at Lakeshore and Cauthra. Check him out, very competent and patient guy. Very customer friendly shoppe as well. Never ever will there will be a scratch on your bike that was not there before. That is of great value and piece of mind. Cheers.

[Trapperdog]

You were given some very BAD advice to run gear-driven cams with .009" crank runout...that's pushing the limits, and would wreak havoc on your valve train with gear-driven cams. Harley specs now say up to .015" runout... But that's with chain-driven cams, and that's still way too high in my view.

I am not surprised. I would never run gear-driven cams unless the bottom end had been plugged, welded and balanced to .003" max, and ideally .001"...

Good luck. That shop should pay to get your engine running right again...

Ken

Did they raise it from .012?

[North Georgia Hawg]

Did they raise it from .012?

Sorry, my bad. It's .012" in the case, and .005" in a truing stand - in my '12 manual anyway.

Ken

[CVO2FIXUP]

Are you guy's for real!! 0.012" run out on the rank is considered normal?? Did you guy's see the end of my crank, it's chewed to smithereens. And that is with 0.009" If I let things go until next year ( After bike week ) my whole engine would of bin toast!!  How can HD let this type of run out be acceptable. I guess they will continue doing it until they get tired giving away replacement engines to pissed customers eh!

 I have a question for you, I know what is involved in redoing a crank. Balancing and welding. But what is a "plug' and where / what does it plug on the crank. A pick of it would be awesome. Cheers.

[CVO2FIXUP]

 Huge difference between the 255's and the 585's    The 585's are 20" taller and you can see the longer duration on the lobes. I hope they are quieter dew to the smoother curve on the lobe.  We will see, or hear that is.

[Trapperdog]

Huge difference between the 255's and the 585's    The 585's are 20" taller and you can see the longer duration on the lobes. I hope they are quieter dew to the smoother curve on the lobe.  We will see, or hear that is.

No pic, but pretty much it's a hole is drilled between the press fit joint after trueing and a metal dowel is inserted and welded preventing any slipping at the press fit.
My runout was .008 for 70K miles before it gernaded. My cams and lifters were so toasted they made yours look new. Motor still ran though, just sounded like a rock tumbler