03 to 88 cam chain puzzle
 

Have an 03 wide glide 36,000 miles figured it's time to check and replace the tensioners. Got new bearings, gasket kit and new tensioners. Now peeps are telling me the stock oil pumps were lacking and I should upgrade the pump, cams, lifters blah blah. Any others out there with experience in this issue? Thanks in advance

No reason to replace the stock pump if it is in good shape.

I have an 05 fatboy. When I went in to replace the tensioners...I used Harleys upgrade kit to change out the cam plate, tensioners,and HV oil pump...plus since I was there I did cams , bearings, lifters and pushrods...no sense doing thing twice

There is absolutely nothing lacking with that oil pump, if anything the people telling you so are lacking in intelligence. If you're happy with the way it runs and just want to do some preventative maintenance, inspect the tensioners and replace them if needed.

I just went through this on my '06. I opted to keep the plate/pump, did the Cyco shoes, lifters, cams, bearing update, and cams.

Right on.
We have MANY even 117" and 124" builds running with the OEM pumps and plates, and may have installed 8 or 10 total fancy anodized cam plates since 2000.
Scott

I just did the job as well on an 02. I went in through the top and:

Replaced the plastic breathers with new stamped models

Retained stock pushrods

Installed tensioner Cyco tensioner shoes

Installed inner cam bearings B148

Installed Baisley LMR2 oil pump spring

Installed S&S Standard lifters

I did not have to change the outer cam bearings because I didn't remove the cams from the plate. I had a friend who is a machinist make me a tool so I can install and remove the secondary tensioner without removing the cams.


I have about 200 dollars in the whole job. You can get one of those hydraulic conversion kits if you want but it's still gonna eat that secondary tensioner faster than the primary side. The conversion kit retains the silent chain on the back side of the cam plate.

No need to change the oil pump if it isn't damaged. The larger volume pump was designed to supply the hydraulic tensioners. If you stay with the spring version there's no need.

I agree on the pump,nothing wrong with stock.but I wouldn't use stock tensioners,go with the CYRO units at least (ide do a gear drive,personally).I would also go with a set of S&S standard lifters

Thanks all for your help off to inspection and then we'll see

Agree with everything said but have 2 words for ya.

Gear drive.