2001 E-Glide. 30k+ miles, 95 SE kit, 211 cams, burnouts, blasting away sporties...I've ridden it hard and abused it, but Im young and dumb. Gotta learn some how. TO get to the point. My inner is gone, metal to chain, i started hearing top end noise and noticed less power than before last summer and shut it down, focused on my IH project and last week i opened it up. I am at a point now where i have heard, and read different things regarding my runout. I am really unclear as to what it may actually be. I measured from 0.0010 to 0.0050 on different areas along the bearing surface on the shaft. I have a dial indicator, and I know how to use it...I am trying to stay within my budget of 800 to get it all done and would like to get some opinions as to what i should do.
I have found an early version of the hybrid kit 25284-08 for a pretty decent price. (less than HD's 25284-11 kit) my lifters look ok, but i would want to replace the inner chain b/c it is metal to metal. I can provide photos. IF I WERE to put gear drives....can i get away with them assuming they would be noisy?
I would estimate that my runout is @ .004 I realize they "suggest .003 max"

Has anyone run them at this or greater and what could i expect?

I hope someone can steer me clear because i am confused and just want to put this back on the road. Tired of riding my sporty...
Thanks Alot in advance...

 

bump to the top

 

I've known a few folks that put gears in TC's without even measuring the runout and the bikes were not the 99-02's with the better forged cranks. Nowt a problem with them. Having said that, you have an 01 with a forged crank. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you would probably be fine. You can measure backlash and get an oversize or undersize gear as needed. I would also put in new lifters and inner bearings.

 

thanks dawg, i was hoping you would see this as i have perused many posts with your input and see that you know your shiz....I was thinking i am border line and wanted to make the most robust decision for my pocket book. I have been dealing with alot of flaky **** lately who give opinions based on when the next score is...anyway, to push this back up....
Has Anyone put geardrives on anything with a 0.004+ runout and had problems. Just curious. Like i stated, i can pull the trigger on the hydros but would rather deal with a little noise and go for the tried and tru gear drives..

That being said...i just assembled, ran, and sold a 59 xlh and never checked or thought of checking any kind of run out and that is all gear drive....maybe more forgiving but really?, I dont thing so....

Please post opinions, Help me spend my money wisely, I have been doing my homework for a few weeks now, Now I am asking for help.
Thanks,
Joe...

 

oh yeah, inners for sure as i have the gapped early style...but to add to the dilemma, my bearing surface(where you measure runout) is worn, not to the fingernail worn, but you can see a definite wear mark surrounding the oil hole in the main...I can post pix for those whom are curious or need definition...
Thanks again...
joe

 

Have you done CCP and compression leak down tests? Have you drained the oil and opened up the oil filter? I ask because you may have had a lot of metal going through the engine damaging it--the power loss you experienced is suggestive of more than a tensioner failure.

I'd confirm the health of the engine first before addressing anything else.

Carl

 

If your tensioner is that far gone there is a good chance the oil pump has been damaged, that & the fact that the oil pump in the hydro conversion is better than the early model pump, I'd go that way. Plus you're never gong to get gear drives & everything else you need for $800.

 

no, havent done a leak down test, although i have a tester i made for a V8 would have to see if the plug base is the same. I am unclear as to your refernce to a CCP....I have changed the oil @ 2x a season (midwest) and noticed that the oil had a metallic sheen to it, Never cut open an old filter but was cognizent of changing both. About 2 years ago i had issues with the oil psi gauge jumping but wrote it off as running Amsoil and changed the oil to regular dino 20w50 and never saw it happen again. Not sayin this wasnt the problem. When i opened it up the outer ridge of the inner wear plate was under the pick up of the pump body, seems to me as if it was getting sucked up and then dropping down into the chest back and forth etc...if i am going with a new cam plate and pump i should be somewhat okay since i did more than regular oil chg intervals.(i hope)I plan on dropping the pan and cleaning it out too. The manual says to replace oil line which would also be NBD...

I beg to differ, I have a line on a few sets new @ 635$ minus the plate which i realize you have to get....

But my question still remains....
Has anyone put gear drive in anything + 0.003 and up, and what where the results....? Is this just a safety factor?

If money where no object...(3 years from now)...I would pull the crank, have it welded and trued and install geardrives and be done. Just Sayin'

 

So nobody has put geardrive cams in if they are over 0.003 runout?

Not even for ***** and giggles or they got a used set cheap?

 

I had my Indy do a gear drive conversion when the tensioners failed on my '02 Ultra (in 2010). Total cost for P & L including new oil pump, billet cam plate, and new dyno tune was just shy of $2K.

As far as noise goes, I didn't notice much difference. The S & S cams he went with performed better than the SE 255's I had in it...picked up a couple hp and trq. Liked the driveability better too. It was a 95", 10.5:1 forged pistons, & SE heads.

My opinion is... If you're planning on keeping the bike for a long time - do the gear drive. If not, just replace everything worn & go with the new style hydro adjusters.