1995 FLSTC Softtail Heritage Classic. 80" Evo, no internal engine work, tons of miles. Not sure about prior mechanic's ability... as an example, the air filter was screwed in using red loctite and the primary was half empty after a starter replacement.

There's primary noise, the chain might be a touch on the loose side, but he was told by a couple folks it sounded like the compensator. Through the inspection cover with a prybar and very light pressure I was able to move the sprocket about 1/8". Normal? Indicate nut is loose? indicate nut is tight but spring is crapping out?

I was able to deflect the chain 3/4" easily with my finger, not loose, the shoe moved that easily, would have sworn mine had more tension than that.

Advice? I've installed and swapped them outright before, checking one on an Evo, no.

 

Compensater or the stator rotor had shelled out the splines the early evo's did that .

 

Thanks! Doesn't seem to have any radial or rotational play, just axial, would that cause that as well? What would that be, remove outer, remove comp. nut, remove comp. assy. and inspect?

Trip

 

Yep , better safe that sorry . Grab the clutch pack and see how much you can roll it back and forth watching the comp. sprocket and the rotor . Shouldn't be able to move the comp. any just some chain slack , if it does it's shot .

 

Gotcha! From the inspection cover it didn't move rotationally, but in and out from the motor was pretty easy to get it to move. We're pulling the primary this sunday, was kinda late yesterday and I'd already done a bunch of work and was ready for a beer.

He better remember all this when it comes time to do my forks next month

 

When you get it apart be sure to check the front crank bearing & seal. Pay special attention to the orientation of the seal as it looks like it is in there backwards. Then when you get it all apart wiggle the shaft up & down and see if any oil seeps out around the bearing which would indicate the bearing is spinning inside the case and your case is fubared. But you may be lucky and just the springs are collapsed.

 

What a bad and good spring pack looks like...

 

The one on the left is bad? Looks lower to me... is there another test besides visual?

 

I had a real bad knock at idle last week. Took the primary off and put a breaker bar on the compensator nut. Sure enough, it was loose. Torqued it to 165# and the knock went away.

 

Was listening to it again last night, it's very irregular, not sure if it's the nut, or chain is real slack, or something else... we're tearing into it Sunday, gaskets and oil sitting here waiting. Gonna be fun after the St Patty's day party Saturday night.

Trip