I have been planning on doing the SE compensator upgrade, but just had not got around to doing it yet. Yesterday morning about 3 miles from my house I started hearing a "ROCKCRUSHER" type of noise from my primary, so I turn around and took the bike home. After work last night I took it apart and found out that the shell that goes around the compensator came apart and large pieces of metal took at trip between the compensator teeth and the primary chain. So much for putting off SE upgrade. I ordered new SE compensator, new primary chain, new tensioner, new inner primary bearing and seal and all gaskets, bolts, fluid ,and locktite, including shipping for $450.00 from Zanotti. The bike is a 2008 Ultra with 34,780 miles, only engine mods are cams and stage 1. Moral to the story is, if you are thinking about the SE compensator, don't delay, it could leave you stranded. I am just happy that it happened close to home and not 3 weeks ago when we were riding the Dragon and Cherohola.

 

You're lucky you caught it. Is the noise unmistakable? The reason I ask is that I am experiencing what I consider to be slack in the drive train and I think I am hearing rocks in a can when the bike is hot. I am going to change the primary fluid and adjust the clutch and I thought I'd remove the primary cover to take a peak inside. I suppose if the compensator is going it is noticeable. I am not an experienced "wrench" so I hope I can determine if I need a new S.E. compensator by looking at the stock one. I have a 2007 FLHRS.

 

Mine did about the same thing two weeks ago on my 07 (53,000 miles) on the interstate about 30 miles from my dealer. Only had to wait for 45 minutes for HOG towing too. Dealer replaced the stock with the SE compensator for $100 and the $50 deductible on the EWP!! I am happy. The bike runs so much different (less noise and much tighter drivetrain).

 

Oh my

 

The noise mine made was unmistakeable when it failed, as I said in my originial post, large pieces of metal (3 to 4 inches long by 3/4 inch wide) broke off the shell and then went around between compensator sprocket teeth and the primary chain. It sounded like someone rattling bolts around in a coffee can, it was loud. I have no idea what it would have looked like if I inspected it a few days ago, it may have looked normal to a visual inspection, but now the best way to describe it is "shrapnel". My opinion and my experiance is if you own a 2007 to 2010 bike you need a SE compensator if you want piece of mind.

 

Nice to have noticed it so close to home, and not in the mountain
valleys where cell phone coverage does not exist.
Recently had mine replaced by an indy... and now ride with fewer worries

 

I had a 08 FLSTN and a 08 FLSTC and both compensators went out around 45,000 miles. Mine, the FLSTC, went and I had it replaced with the bearings. Minimal damage to mine. The wife's, the FLSTN, well when it went it took everything. Complete rebuild of tranny to replaceing stator. My brother has an 08 FLSTF and I am telling him to get it fixed before he has an issue but he is stubborn. If you are reading this and have not replced the compensator with the SE version I suggest you get it done soon. I would hate to see your post about how yours went out and the damage it did.

 

Seeing is believing, here are some pics of the stock compensator, you can see in the pics how it came apart and two of the pieces went between the chain and the compensator sprocket.

Surprisingly there was little other visual damage except some scraping on the inside of the primary case.

I am replacing chain and tensioner and inner primary (trans mainshaft) bearing and seal also. Parts should be here tomorrow.

I do not thrash this bike, I also do not baby it. The stock Compensator is just plain crap, this should not have happened. I rode my 03 just as hard for 60k and never had a problem from the primary.

 

Ouch! I see that the compensator is different than on the TC88. I was going to suggest pulling the rotor to clean any metal to keep the stator from shorting out, but, it looks as though it is part of the compensator.

I had the starter jackshaft seal go by having the inner spring of the seal fly all over the primary. Little peices of pig tail looking metal. After putting it all back together the stator goes a week later. Coincidence?? Not sure but I had littel pig tail peices of spring stuck to the rotor magnets. Not sure if the stator was on its way out already and just happened to die a week later or of the metal helped short it. You may want to check.

Good luck,

Neil
RDMC

 

while mine was torn apart for the 103 build we put in the s.e. compensator and i'm glad i did. i remember when my 08 was new every once in a while when hitting the starter i'd get this sound that sounded like someone whacking my primary cover with a 2' long piece of 1x4 pine. i no longer worry about my primary acting up with the s.e. compensator.