ok I will try to summarize what's going on at the end I have a couple of questions that I would like answered from someone who's actually done this.

I purchased a used bike from a dealer they didn't say anything about the cam chain tensioners. At the time I knew nothing about it. Then I figured it out. I checked them they're not super bad but not super good either so I wanted to get them replaced. Dealer refuse to just replace the tensioners and wanted five grand to do the hydraulic replacement or upgrade is they call it. I got pissed because I thought it was stupid to spend five grand on a used bike. So then they said they would go ahead and do it but they wanted a grand to replace the cam spring tensioners.

I took it to an independent motorcycle shop after I left the bike I got a bad feeling. He charged me 650 to change the tensioners. Well as soon as I got home I pulled the exhaust off and the cam cover and he had replaced the outer tensioner but not the inner as you know you can pull the inner up quite a bit and you can see if it's Worn.

I confronted independent motorcycle shop guy and he tried to claim that his brother was helping him and he thought his brother had put the new cam chain tensioner in the tool. Which I call b******* because even the homemade tools on YouTube have the face exposed you know if it's used or not. I got most of my money back so now here I am and you can see the picture with all the stuff I got to do the job. I am not going to replace any bearings unless they look bad I'm not going to press out the cams. I'm just replacing the inner tensioner the outers already been replaced like I said above.

I welded up a tool like on youtube to remove tensioner without having the cams pressed out.

So I've watched a lot of videos I don't see any complete videos. The closest I have seen is the s and S video but in that video he doesn't realign the oil pump??

So here are my questions number one should I pay for the fix my hog video is it more informative.

Second question I'm very mechanical but I'm not up to date on electrical stuff electronic or whatever. My old Triumph has points coils condensers a zener diode and a heat sink to dissipate the unused electricity so I know when it's going to spark. However on this Harley with all the electronic stuff I assume I cannot be 180 degrees off as long as I line all my timing marks up, I'm assuming the timing must run off the cam and not the crank, so am I correct as long as I line up all my timing marks I won't be a hundred eighty degrees off?

Please don't give me grief about not replacing the bearings or upgrading my cams. I thought about replacing the lifters but the way I see it I would never have taken this apart if it weren't for the cam chain tensioners so all I want to do is get that replaced that's all I just don't want to mess up. I am pretty mechanical I've split the cases on my old Triumph I didn't have the tools to pull out the bearing races so I took it in to have stuff done I couldn't do but I am mechanical I Believe I Can Do This I just want to have all my ducks in a row. Thank you

 

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In my opinion, the Fix My Hog videos aren't worth the money.

I am very familiar with changing spring loaded cam chain tensioners and would be happy to talk with you on the phone, I'm on EST. PM me and I'll give you my number, it's not a hard job but there are a couple of things that are important, like installing the oil pump separate from the cam plate, studing the two doweled holes on the case, aligning the oil pump etc.

Depending on the year of your twin cam it may have a cam position sensor (wire going into the front of the cam chest cover) and a crank position sensor (left side engine case, in line with the oil filter). The cam position sensor was deleted in 2001 and subsequent twin cams time solely off the Crank Position Sensor.

As for timing, upon re-install if the cams are lined up line to line (or dot to dot) and the pinion shaft sprocket and rear cam sprocket are lined up dot to dot it's impossible for a TC to be out of time.

 

Don't by the Fix My Hog videos; totally agree with Nomadmax on that. If you feel you need some guidance, take advantage of his offer to discuss the project. Looking at your tool it would appear that you could modify the handles so you can lock the handles when the tensioner is unloaded. If you do that, you can remove the tensioner without removing the inner cam chain and the cams will stay "timed". If the inner cams are aligned, dot to dot per Max, it is impossible to disturb cam timing. Both the rear cam and pinion sprocket can only be installed one way. Take note of Nomad's comment on the camp position sensor, if you have pre 2001 model.

I see the oil pump alignment pins and and the Service Manual, the pins are good but use them in conjunction with the pump alignment procedure in the S/M. Per Nomad, oil pump should be installed separate from the plate, primarily to insure proper fitment of the oil pump spigot into the crankcase scavenge port; getting the spigot in the port properly and with a new o-ring will minimize the potential for sumping which often results from a first time cam/plate/pump R/R. BTW, don't see the scavenge port o-ring or the cam plate to case o-rings. I also see the spring clip chingaderas to hold up the lifters as well as rocker box gaskets; the spring clip holders have a way of letting go at the wrong time and letting the lifters drop so having the rocker box gaskets handy is a good idea. The magnets work to hold up the lifters.

I don't disagree with Nomad on studding the two doweled holes in the case but don't believe it will be necessary. I have changed cams in both my bikes several times in a season looking for the right cam and have never stripped one of those holes but I have always torqued those two fasteners to the lower end of the torque spec; not a bad idea but IMHO, if the low end of the torque spec holds with a bit of blue Loctite, all good.

I to think it a mistake not to replace the OEM INA inner cam bearings with a set of full compliment Toyo/Torrington bearings. The parts are cheap and you will be kicking yourself in the *** if one of the OEM bearings fail down the road which will result in major damage and they have a history of failure. Not a pandemic but why take the chance.

Assume you are replacing with CYCO tensioner? If the outer that was replace is OEM, it should be changed to CYCO as well.

 

All of what Don said ^

It wouldn't hurt to upgrade the breathers or add a Baisley spring either. I wouldn't leave INA caged inner cam bearings in the engine, replace them with B148s for next to nothing.

 

Good call by Nomad on the breathers and Baisley spring. If the bike is '02 or earlier, the head breathers are the POS plastic ones and should be tossed and replaced. In addition to the Baisley spring, pull the pressure relief valve/piston, polish it up so it moves freely in the bore and work on the tapered end that seats in the plate for a good seal to minimize pressure leakage. Baisley also offers a replacement piston with a wider sealing surface that can be sort of lapped in to the seat like a valve to the seat. A bit of extra work but while you are at it, why not?

 

 

Thanks for the replies,i am going to take nomadmax up on his offer. I have new inner bearings but no puller installer,i put one in my cart on ebay for 85 dollars, i will say i am aphrensive about putting in new bearings, i have read a few stories of them falling apart being pulled out and then fall in cranckcase.😐

 

We'll get your machine right

 

Go to the low end of the spec on the plate bolts to crankcase. The ones that go into the holes with the dowels are prone to pulling threads/stripping out.