I have owned a 2004 EFI FLHRI Road King for two months and lost the engine. Failure due to cam sprocket breaking and causing havoc with the belt tensioner.

My mission is to decide on what to do on overhaul, i.e. rebuild as stock but upgrading to gear drive cams or adding new jugs to get to 96ci and new gear drive cams. Or new motor? Money is a consideration but I want a bike with at least the power I had along with the fuel mileage as it was as a almost stock bike - has Rush pipes, fuel pack, and upgraded breather.

Really would like to hear what others have done as I know I'm not the only soul to lose an engine.

 

Gear drive specs require less than .003 runout on the crank........gotta find out what yours is before you can decide that.

 

Either a 95 or 98"er. You can get nice power out of a 95" build and still maintain reliability....

 

Did you pull the cams and check how the bearings look?

 

very true

 

On that 2004 model, I'd be suspect of the crank scissoring.
Scott

 

Hi from the UK and welcome to HDF. Sorry to hear about your problems, that really is a darned nuisance.

As you can appreciate, the engine probably needs a total strip, to thoroughly clean it prior to rebuild. That leaves as many opportunities for 'improvement' as your imagination will allow! Personally I would consider contacting someone like Hillside (above!) to talk things through, along with the options for your rebuild. I suspect they can give several priced options for you to toy with. Out of the current gloom the sun will eventually shine!

 

Welcome to the forum on your VERY first post.
If I were you I'd just buy a whole new motor if you can afford it?
Get an S & S 124 and don't look back.

 

Never lost a motor but have built a few from the bottom end up. Looks like a Centex home in the background and I am guessing the OP lives in Texas; maybe around the corner from me; who knows.

Depending on what part or Texas, several knowledgeable machinist, porters, builders are available to assist in solving the problem. If the OP has the mechanical skills, tools and motivation to take on the rebuild as a DIY project, a bottom end up rebuild would be a fairly cost effective solution.

Pull the complete motor and box up the lower crankcase/wheels and send to Darkhorse for crank true/balance/weld. Timken conversion would be a plus but I have had success with smaller builds using the HD Lefty bearing on both sides of the crank. The choice is a cost/benefit question for me. Probably looking a $1000 plus.

Depending on how long the motor ran after the event, the top end may be salvageable as is but boring to 98" for about $600 would be a nice power upgrade.

With the crank rebuilt, gear drive cams become an option but so does the SE billet cam plate, hi capacity pump, roller chains and hydro tensioners; cost is a toss up. Personally, gears would be my choice but dealer's choice on that one for the OP.

Send the heads out for a cleanup, street port, etc. for about $500 and install a suitable cam set for $300. Now fuel management becomes necessary, so add another $150-$200 for a Power Vision license from a local tuner; another $300 for the tune and another $150 for gaskets, oil, filter, etc. and the OP would be all in for about $3,500 mas o menos and have a strong running bike.

Of course, there are possible variations on the theme depending on availability of funds and the OPs mechanical skills and willingness to take on a DIY project, which is really not that big a deal. Farming out the work to a competent shop would probably add about 10-12 hours of labor at $100+ an hour.

 

Not yet but will - thanks.