Erratic Oil Guage
#22
10-11-2015, 10:02 PM
I just called HD for craps & giggles to see what they would charge for this job. Their Master Technician with many years, certs, and etc... says I must replace my cam plate with billet, new oil pump, etc. Minimum cost will be $1200 before he sees what other damage has been done to my engine. I guess I'll be doing it myself after all. I'm more cheap than I am lazy. I did my own cam swap in my 2011 Ultra so I know the work isn't difficult. I just no longer have a good place to do the work like I did at my last house and many tools still in boxes somewhere. So I need to assemble a parts list:
New oil pressure relief spring/valve (not sure I know how to properly buff/polish)
New adjustable push rods (since I'll be cutting my old ones)
Gasket kit
New cam tensioners if needed
fluids
Anything else?
New oil pressure relief spring/valve (not sure I know how to properly buff/polish)
New adjustable push rods (since I'll be cutting my old ones)
Gasket kit
New cam tensioners if needed
fluids
Anything else?
Last edited by jaxdwg; 10-11-2015 at 10:04 PM.
#23
10-12-2015, 01:48 PM
I just called HD for craps & giggles to see what they would charge for this job. Their Master Technician with many years, certs, and etc... says I must replace my cam plate with billet, new oil pump, etc. Minimum cost will be $1200 before he sees what other damage has been done to my engine. I guess I'll be doing it myself after all. I'm more cheap than I am lazy. I did my own cam swap in my 2011 Ultra so I know the work isn't difficult. I just no longer have a good place to do the work like I did at my last house and many tools still in boxes somewhere. So I need to assemble a parts list:
New oil pressure relief spring/valve (not sure I know how to properly buff/polish)
New adjustable push rods (since I'll be cutting my old ones)
Gasket kit
New cam tensioners if needed
fluids
Anything else?
New oil pressure relief spring/valve (not sure I know how to properly buff/polish)
New adjustable push rods (since I'll be cutting my old ones)
Gasket kit
New cam tensioners if needed
fluids
Anything else?
1. If the tensioners look good, you should be able to remove the pressure relief valve without removing the cam plate; I do it from time to time. With the pressure variance you see, it doesn't appear to be stuck but sticking. Remove it, polish it up with a Scotchbrite pad, fine steel wool or emery cloth, lubricate in and slide it back into the bore. It should fall out on its own weight.
2. If the valve is stuck and/or the tensioners don't look so good, time to R/R the cam plate. I would do it anyway just to replace the tensioners with better hardware like the CYCO tensioners; about $40 on Ebay. If the OEM tensioners are anything but pristine, minimal wear, no pitting or cracking, you could leave them for now per the option above but plan on replacing them at some point in the not to distant future.
3. As Scott mentioned, once the cam plate is out, if you have an extra $250--$300, this would be a good time to install a bolt-in cam set like the S&S 509 or Andrews 26; JMHO but I like the S&S 509 in a TC88. You don't need adjustable pushrods with either of those cams but that is your call. Or, you can remove or raise the tank, remove rocker covers, loosen rocker support plate (unload valve springs first, i.e., make sure they are closed) and R/R pushrods from top.
4. At 45K miles, a new set of lifters would be a good idea; CompCam VThunder 850.1 lifters are good hardware and economical; about $60 to your door.
5. If you don't have funds to purchase the inner cam bearing R/R tool, you can go "caveman". Rent the blind hole puller from Auto Zone to remove the bearings and, if you have installed cams, use an old cam to tap the bearings into place. If cams are not replaced, you will need to fabricate a tool to tap the bearings into place. Find a wooden dowel with an OD close to the ID of the cam bearings and drill a similar size hole into the end of a 1.75" closet rod and glue a piece of the dowel into the end of the closet rod and you have a bearing install tool. Freeze the bearings over night, liberally apply assembly lube to the bearing and boss and tap them in numbers facing out. The critical step is getting the bearing started straight in the bore.
6. You will need the two O-rings between the case and cam plate and the o-ring between the oil pump scavenge port and the case.
7. Read the section in the service manual on oil pump alignment. Plugs out, rear wheel off the ground, trans in 5th gear, two pump bolts in finger tight and tightened while rotating the rear wheel.
8. Be careful torqueing the cam plate fasteners at the locating dowels at the 8:00 and 2:00 locations; easily stripped so torque to the low side of the spec.
I think that's got you covered.
#24
10-13-2015, 02:48 PM
#25
10-13-2015, 02:50 PM
Seems to me that you have a couple of options.
1. If the tensioners look good, you should be able to remove the pressure relief valve without removing the cam plate; I do it from time to time. With the pressure variance you see, it doesn't appear to be stuck but sticking. Remove it, polish it up with a Scotchbrite pad, fine steel wool or emery cloth, lubricate in and slide it back into the bore. It should fall out on its own weight.
2. If the valve is stuck and/or the tensioners don't look so good, time to R/R the cam plate. I would do it anyway just to replace the tensioners with better hardware like the CYCO tensioners; about $40 on Ebay. If the OEM tensioners are anything but pristine, minimal wear, no pitting or cracking, you could leave them for now per the option above but plan on replacing them at some point in the not to distant future.
3. As Scott mentioned, once the cam plate is out, if you have an extra $250--$300, this would be a good time to install a bolt-in cam set like the S&S 509 or Andrews 26; JMHO but I like the S&S 509 in a TC88. You don't need adjustable pushrods with either of those cams but that is your call. Or, you can remove or raise the tank, remove rocker covers, loosen rocker support plate (unload valve springs first, i.e., make sure they are closed) and R/R pushrods from top.
4. At 45K miles, a new set of lifters would be a good idea; CompCam VThunder 850.1 lifters are good hardware and economical; about $60 to your door.
5. If you don't have funds to purchase the inner cam bearing R/R tool, you can go "caveman". Rent the blind hole puller from Auto Zone to remove the bearings and, if you have installed cams, use an old cam to tap the bearings into place. If cams are not replaced, you will need to fabricate a tool to tap the bearings into place. Find a wooden dowel with an OD close to the ID of the cam bearings and drill a similar size hole into the end of a 1.75" closet rod and glue a piece of the dowel into the end of the closet rod and you have a bearing install tool. Freeze the bearings over night, liberally apply assembly lube to the bearing and boss and tap them in numbers facing out. The critical step is getting the bearing started straight in the bore.
6. You will need the two O-rings between the case and cam plate and the o-ring between the oil pump scavenge port and the case.
7. Read the section in the service manual on oil pump alignment. Plugs out, rear wheel off the ground, trans in 5th gear, two pump bolts in finger tight and tightened while rotating the rear wheel.
8. Be careful torqueing the cam plate fasteners at the locating dowels at the 8:00 and 2:00 locations; easily stripped so torque to the low side of the spec.
I think that's got you covered.
1. If the tensioners look good, you should be able to remove the pressure relief valve without removing the cam plate; I do it from time to time. With the pressure variance you see, it doesn't appear to be stuck but sticking. Remove it, polish it up with a Scotchbrite pad, fine steel wool or emery cloth, lubricate in and slide it back into the bore. It should fall out on its own weight.
2. If the valve is stuck and/or the tensioners don't look so good, time to R/R the cam plate. I would do it anyway just to replace the tensioners with better hardware like the CYCO tensioners; about $40 on Ebay. If the OEM tensioners are anything but pristine, minimal wear, no pitting or cracking, you could leave them for now per the option above but plan on replacing them at some point in the not to distant future.
3. As Scott mentioned, once the cam plate is out, if you have an extra $250--$300, this would be a good time to install a bolt-in cam set like the S&S 509 or Andrews 26; JMHO but I like the S&S 509 in a TC88. You don't need adjustable pushrods with either of those cams but that is your call. Or, you can remove or raise the tank, remove rocker covers, loosen rocker support plate (unload valve springs first, i.e., make sure they are closed) and R/R pushrods from top.
4. At 45K miles, a new set of lifters would be a good idea; CompCam VThunder 850.1 lifters are good hardware and economical; about $60 to your door.
5. If you don't have funds to purchase the inner cam bearing R/R tool, you can go "caveman". Rent the blind hole puller from Auto Zone to remove the bearings and, if you have installed cams, use an old cam to tap the bearings into place. If cams are not replaced, you will need to fabricate a tool to tap the bearings into place. Find a wooden dowel with an OD close to the ID of the cam bearings and drill a similar size hole into the end of a 1.75" closet rod and glue a piece of the dowel into the end of the closet rod and you have a bearing install tool. Freeze the bearings over night, liberally apply assembly lube to the bearing and boss and tap them in numbers facing out. The critical step is getting the bearing started straight in the bore.
6. You will need the two O-rings between the case and cam plate and the o-ring between the oil pump scavenge port and the case.
7. Read the section in the service manual on oil pump alignment. Plugs out, rear wheel off the ground, trans in 5th gear, two pump bolts in finger tight and tightened while rotating the rear wheel.
8. Be careful torqueing the cam plate fasteners at the locating dowels at the 8:00 and 2:00 locations; easily stripped so torque to the low side of the spec.
I think that's got you covered.
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