I tried posting this in the tech section and got no help so here goes again....
So I went for a ride Saturday for an hour or so and was getting on the highway when I heard a loud clanking noise that sounded like a bolt or nut had rattled out of the motor on the outside left side and banged its way down the motor until it fell off and somewhere in there was a tin can type of crunch. the guy behind me told me (after we got home) that he saw a puff of white smoke come out my exhaust when it happened. So I rode home on the highway after doing 75-80 and didnt notice any performance issues but when I got off Every few seconds randomly I heard a subtle clank in what sounded like the left side (primary) of the bottom end. Got home parked the bike and today pulled the primary cover off and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Its a 99 fxdx with screamin eagle heads pushrods tranny bearings se 260 cams I run synthetic in the motor and primaryI pulled the timing cover off and inside the timing cover there is a round cut inside the cover that lines up with the bolt that goes to the top gear but the bolt is tight and there is no wiggle on the gear. Any help with this would be geatly appreciated. heres a couple pics from under the cam cover

 

I think you need to pull that camchest apart and check your cam bearings, inner and outer. If one of them let loose it could cause the sound you were describing not to mention lateral play in that bolt pushing it into the cam cover. The 99-01 models had faulty outer cam bearings, while you have it apart if funds allow you might as well go gear drive (if runout checks out) or with the SE hydraulic tensioner setup with new cams.

Good luck, hope you get it back on the road fast!

 

Thanks. it doesnt seem like there is any play in the bolt but shouldnt there be something on the right side of the chain too?

 

You are right, I missed it. There is a black plastic guide that holds the right side of the chain in place, I have not heard of one of those breaking up, but it looks like yours did. I wouldn't drive that bike another inch without cracking into it and flushing everything out.

Here is a pic of the black part:

 

Yeah ... there's a nylon or hard plastic (ABS?) shoe that rides on the right side, too ... it clips into the shouldered apparatus on the right side ....



Not sure what you're experiencing ... but, sounds like if something is not already seriously wrong, then something is going ... on its last leg ....

Wish I could be of more help ....

R/
'Chop

 

Are you guys sure these are on the 99's or were they added after the sensor was removed in 2000? either way its been waaaaay more help than the dumb*** tech at the dealer. A friend of mine works up front and he brought me to the "head tech" I explained to him what happened and showed him the pics and he said he had never seen that and didnt see anything wrong if there was no play in the gear I could "take a chance" and have my motor torn apart and pay all the money for nothing. or he said if he were me just put it back together and ride it. ...RETARD

 

I am 99% sure it should be there. The 99-01 are the same, mine has the sensor. The only main difference by looking is that "half circle" looking thing sticking off your top sprocket, it is the trigger for the sensor.

 

Sounds like it time to pull the cam plate an replace all the tensioners, bearings and check your oil pump

 

The '99s had it ... just checked a technical drawing (exploded diagram) ... you can see pretty clearly on the photo of your cam plate the space where it goes ....

You can see that the spring-loaded tensioner is pushing the chain in more than the other two photos posted ... the opposite side chain is stretched taut unlike those with the shoe on the other side ... might actually be changing your timing ever so slightly (maybe a degree +/-) ...

R/
'Chop

 

I would be terrified about all that chewed up black material floating around in the engine