S&S TC3 Oil Pump - worth it?
 

Finally got into the cam chest of the '01 FXD (23,700 miles, stock stage 1) to inspect tensioners and check TIR. The tensioners were intact, lifters and oil pump looked good, a little scoring on the pinion shaft but nothing major. Runout is .004. Was thinking gear drive to do away with tensioners forever, but will now stay with chain. Since I need to open it up to check tensioners, there's no preference on hydraulic upgrade or Cyco shoes.

The only real issue is the engine tends to occasionally spit oil out the breathers, the breather pads were good and soaked when I took the top end apart. Externally vented.

All of which got me thinking about oil pump upgrades to improve scavenging.

Putting parts lists together, a cam plate upgrade (new Harley oil pump) with Andrews 21N cams comes in at about the same price as S&S 509 chain cam with Cyco shoes and TC3 oil pump (310-0640). Keeping the stock oil pump with the 509 drops the price $400. Not even thinking about bargain pumps off ebay.

So is the TC3 worth it in this case, or am I just as well off with the stock pump?

When I went 88 to 98 I used did the upgraded cam plate, oil pump and hyd tensioners from HD. I run 8lbs at hot idle and 32lbs down the hwy.

My stock cam plate, relief spring and pump, with Cyco shoes, S&S 509 has low 30 psi. No oil / breather problem or anything I can think of. 'course I ride like a old man. How do you ride your FXD?

ridealive: Like the bike.

Don't waster your money. Stock pump is fine for a stock or even moderately built motor.. Think about it if you want to try a 117 or 124 ci kit.

Daytona/Drag Specialties high performance pump and Cyco shoes. Very cost effective and works very well.

Thanks. Considered it, but reason I asked about the TC3 is it specifically is advertised as handling excessive runout. Four thou isn't awful, but not great and not going to get better with time. I've found nothing on how the Daytona pump handles runout. Might be OK.

Trying to keep this a reliable, fun bike for what it is. Cams and intake/exhaust are all she's getting.

as long as your pump is in good shape,id use it.get some CYCO pads

Yep, the plan is 509s and Cycos and miles. Thanks for the feedback.

rob: I ride it like the guy who has to fix it. 😎

Pushrods still available?

I actually just did that, used the TC3 pump and camplate. Went with Andrew's 26g cams, s&s lifters and kept original pushrods. You can tell it was built well, oil pump seems to be beefy and you can tell it the rotors are bigger then the original. I could see the cast aluminum harley set up looked cheap compared to s&s set up.

Now as far as performance, I cant tell a lick of difference as far as it pumping more or less. I dont use an oil pressure gauge. It never really leaked from breathers. I could tell the Andrews 26g cam is better then the se203 cam I was running. Seems to turn on earlier in the rpm range and kept pulling closet to 4700-5000 range. The se203 seemed to die around 4300. Long story short, I had the money and it made me feel good. No regrets.