TC88 Cam Chest DIY and Final Decisions
#11
fair enough. Saw some videos that used a special tool, always worth asking!
That is pretty much the plan, probably will pull the rocker covers to check the breather stuff and would prefer to re use the stock pushrods. Like you said, save that money and buy lifters with it. What is the rockout you describe? My breathers might already be the metal ones, but Want to check as I do notice my air filter gets black kind of quick.
I did read some people getting frustrated with the covers going back together! Got the harbor freight 20T press for Xmas so want to put it to use, even though sounds like it is SLIGHTLY overkill for this job lol.
Stopped by a local indy yesterday, just to get a price for them to do it to help sway my decision. Guy was pushing the upgraded cam plate HARD. quoted 1100 in parts (this was before he mentioned getting lifters) and would do the total job for 1500 (also before lifters). That would include messing with the carb, but with lifters it would come in around $1650. So his labor was only $400 ish, but I am sure he would be making money on some of the parts and not sure I would want to shop up with all the parts I wanted and say "here ya go". So I estimate he would be doing it for about $550 labor which is similar to a different quote I got. I could drop that price by $500 by not dropping the upgrade obviously, but this guy was saying "it's just not the right way to do it" lol. I get it though, guys who do it all the time only want to put stuff in there that wont have any problems. He also wasn't a fan of SS as a whole, and recommended the mackie 510 cam. Havent looked at that much but seems like most 510 cams are a little too much cam for the 88 in stock form (from what I have read).
Pretty convinced its time for me to do this myself. I always work on my own stuff to save money, thought this was going to be the exception, not looking like it lol.
OP my advice to you would be to go with the cyco shoes, replace the inner bearings while you are there (not difficult). If you are going to work on the breather stuff at all, I would just re-use your solid pushrods. If you don't want/aren't going to pull the rocker covers off, the adjustable pushrods are a good way to go, and fairly straight forward (ask me how I know).
I think the 509 cams are a good solid cam, especially for what you are doing.
I think you should be okay with your lifters the way they are. If you think they are getting noisy, just replace them. It's an easy thing once you get the pushrods out and the cam chest disassembled. If you are having some rocker noise, that would be an argument to pull the breather covers off and install the Rockout or something similar, and get the new metal breathers in there. Then you could reuse your pushrods, and spend the money on new lifters.
I think the 509 cams are a good solid cam, especially for what you are doing.
I think you should be okay with your lifters the way they are. If you think they are getting noisy, just replace them. It's an easy thing once you get the pushrods out and the cam chest disassembled. If you are having some rocker noise, that would be an argument to pull the breather covers off and install the Rockout or something similar, and get the new metal breathers in there. Then you could reuse your pushrods, and spend the money on new lifters.
That is pretty much the plan, probably will pull the rocker covers to check the breather stuff and would prefer to re use the stock pushrods. Like you said, save that money and buy lifters with it. What is the rockout you describe? My breathers might already be the metal ones, but Want to check as I do notice my air filter gets black kind of quick.
You don't *need* the cam press kit, you'll just have to deal with the oddball shape of the cam plate pressing the bearings. It just makes things easier.
https://www.amazon.com/Davidson-1999...=tc88+cam+tool
The pushrod tubes go back together on either the first or the 50th try. No big deal.
https://www.amazon.com/Davidson-1999...=tc88+cam+tool
The pushrod tubes go back together on either the first or the 50th try. No big deal.
Stopped by a local indy yesterday, just to get a price for them to do it to help sway my decision. Guy was pushing the upgraded cam plate HARD. quoted 1100 in parts (this was before he mentioned getting lifters) and would do the total job for 1500 (also before lifters). That would include messing with the carb, but with lifters it would come in around $1650. So his labor was only $400 ish, but I am sure he would be making money on some of the parts and not sure I would want to shop up with all the parts I wanted and say "here ya go". So I estimate he would be doing it for about $550 labor which is similar to a different quote I got. I could drop that price by $500 by not dropping the upgrade obviously, but this guy was saying "it's just not the right way to do it" lol. I get it though, guys who do it all the time only want to put stuff in there that wont have any problems. He also wasn't a fan of SS as a whole, and recommended the mackie 510 cam. Havent looked at that much but seems like most 510 cams are a little too much cam for the 88 in stock form (from what I have read).
Pretty convinced its time for me to do this myself. I always work on my own stuff to save money, thought this was going to be the exception, not looking like it lol.
#12
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#13
#14
#15
A lot of shops around won't do work with customer-supplied parts. I was told it was a liability/warranty issue.
Sounded like bullshit to me, but I didn't want to have to convince a joker to take my money. Finally found a couple places that didn't mind.
Moral of the story...shop around...
Sounded like bullshit to me, but I didn't want to have to convince a joker to take my money. Finally found a couple places that didn't mind.
Moral of the story...shop around...
#16
I would highly recommend having the oil bypass system tested ( plunger, spring, and seat )
I just checked mine and the bypass opened at 35 psi and closed at 15 psi....it was leaking thru out the pressure range!
This is not enough oil pressure!
2015 FXDB 6000 miles. I,m reworking my cam chest before it goes back together.
I just checked mine and the bypass opened at 35 psi and closed at 15 psi....it was leaking thru out the pressure range!
This is not enough oil pressure!
2015 FXDB 6000 miles. I,m reworking my cam chest before it goes back together.
#17
I would highly recommend having the oil bypass system tested ( plunger, spring, and seat )
I just checked mine and the bypass opened at 35 psi and closed at 15 psi....it was leaking thru out the pressure range!
This is not enough oil pressure!
2015 FXDB 6000 miles. I,m reworking my cam chest before it goes back together.
I just checked mine and the bypass opened at 35 psi and closed at 15 psi....it was leaking thru out the pressure range!
This is not enough oil pressure!
2015 FXDB 6000 miles. I,m reworking my cam chest before it goes back together.
#18
This seems to be a VERY common issue. Fortunately, its a simple fix. Just smack the plunger against the seat with a hammer and punch to peen the seat. I'm planning a cam chest overhaul this winter also and assume the oil bypass on the new support plate will need help regardless of which one I use. I am especially concerned with low rpm / low pressure leakage as I like a low rpm idle.
I have also read people complain about wood cams being noisy...with poor oil pressure no wonder!
I built my own test fixture and although reforming the seat with a punch and hammer helped it still leaked.
I had to change the plunger taper by precision grinding the plunger and shimming the spring .050"
Now no leaking and 50 psi pop off with 35psi reseal. Now to finish my bearing install tools.
#19
Yes, I have seen that. As soon as he got into the bypass valve issues, I recognized the problem and fix from my time in manufacturing various knife-edge, cone, and radius seat sealing parts in fluid and gaseous systems. We used to peen cone seats as a standard practice.
I don't have the equipment you do so I'll peen it and if still leaks, I'll use a polishing paste and grind the seats like an old school valve job.
I don't have the equipment you do so I'll peen it and if still leaks, I'll use a polishing paste and grind the seats like an old school valve job.
#20
I will be installing a baisley spring when I have mine apart. I'll check how the plunger is doing while I'm at it.
So, been getting new toys in the mail. SS509 cams came, SS premium lifters, cyco pads and gasket kit (has some stuff the cam kit is missing since I am going through the rockers), got the rockout rocker inserts, and also got studs/12 point nuts for the holes that like to strip for the cam plate. Waiting on inner bearing puller. Might order oil alignment pins and cam/crank locking tool. Understand I might not need them, but they are pretty cheap for piece of mind.
Going to drill oil drain holes when I'm in the rocker boxes. I guess most people just grease up a .125" big and drill them on the bike?
Also, dont have a factory manual but a buddy has one. Decided to look on ebay to see if I could find one just to have, but the cheap beat ones are still around 90 bucks. Found a guy selling the digital copies for 10 bucks. He ships you a CD with it on there, but also sends you a link to a digital download which I wasnt even expecting. Pretty cool. Will have to look at it on my phone or a tablet, but not that bad.
Did some reading through the manual, I think I got this.
So, been getting new toys in the mail. SS509 cams came, SS premium lifters, cyco pads and gasket kit (has some stuff the cam kit is missing since I am going through the rockers), got the rockout rocker inserts, and also got studs/12 point nuts for the holes that like to strip for the cam plate. Waiting on inner bearing puller. Might order oil alignment pins and cam/crank locking tool. Understand I might not need them, but they are pretty cheap for piece of mind.
Going to drill oil drain holes when I'm in the rocker boxes. I guess most people just grease up a .125" big and drill them on the bike?
Also, dont have a factory manual but a buddy has one. Decided to look on ebay to see if I could find one just to have, but the cheap beat ones are still around 90 bucks. Found a guy selling the digital copies for 10 bucks. He ships you a CD with it on there, but also sends you a link to a digital download which I wasnt even expecting. Pretty cool. Will have to look at it on my phone or a tablet, but not that bad.
Did some reading through the manual, I think I got this.
Last edited by briharley; 02-05-2019 at 06:46 PM.
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