Alright I've got an 04 Roadking that was bought new by a friend of mine. He took excellent care of it and changed the oil every 3k miles with screamin eagle sythetic. I bought it from him in 2010 with 26k miles. I've got 39k on it now.
I came back from a long trip in October 2011 then the bike sat for a few months as I ride my Shovelhead locally. I went to start the bike up in December 2011 and the oil light was staying on. I assumed it was just the sending unit. I got a new sending unit from the dealer but the light was still staying on. I removed the sending unit all together and started it and not a drop of oil came out.
So the bike had oil pressure then sat for a few months, then didn't. I'm thinking something such as a relief valve is sticking. But I've got 39k on original cam tensioners so I went straight for those. The outer is about half worn but the inner was gone! My chain wasn't hitting the metal on the tensioner but it was damn close! I caught it just in time. I pulled the oil pump out and everything looks great. I can't really pin point my lack of oil pressure. Anyone have any ideas? I'm kind of leary putting it back together as is (but with new cam shoes) but I just don't see anything wrong.

 

Don't know what corrective measures you have taken but you have some work to do. Sounds like you are have opened up the cam chest. I would bet that some of the tensioer material in the relief valve bore has caused the valve to stick; you need to free it up. Take it out and polish it with a Scotchbrite pad. Replace the spring with the Baisley LMS-002 spring. Replace the inner cam bearings with Torrington B148s. Drain the oil and look for pieces of tensioner material; most is probably in the oil filter but if it went into bypass,s some may have gotten by. Get the Rogue Scavenger so you can do a complete oil change and flush the complete lubrication system. Use Shell Rotella 15W40 and run it for 100 miles and change oil and filter again; replace the oil with your choice of synthetic.

 

Thanks for the advice. I've had EVO's and Shovelheads apart but this is the first time in a TC so this is new to me. I researched that spring you suggested and that looks like a nice addition. The lower pressure one like you mentioned.
I wasn't expecting to find tensioner material in the engine but maybe I'm wrong on this. I figure those shoes have been wearing down for the last 8 years so I didn't think there'd be anymore in the engine now than any other point. Am I wrong on this?
I just knocked the roll pin out of the cam plate that holds the relief valve in. I got the spring out but I can't get the valve itself out. I'd say it's stuck. I tried a magnet and tapping on the cam plate. Now I've got carb cleaner soaking in the bore.
The pieces missing off the sides of that tensioner aren't in the engine. They broke off as I was removing the tensioner from the came plate.

 

Only if/when the filter went into bypass.

If you have a heat gun, apply some heat to the outside of the relief valve bore; sometimes a little heat will help. Look for a stonger magnet also. When the valves get stuck like that, they can be a b!tch to get out.

 

I don't have any reason to think the filter went into bypass.

And I'm having a lot of trouble getting that valve out. I might have to just get the SE hydraulic tensioner cam plate, Ugh. I already have new tensioners from Harley that I bought in 2010. I knew this day was coming. lol.

 

I'm going with a newer conversion (96) in mine my tensioners wasn't to bad but the more I thought about it they bad to go.The SE OR FUELING kit are way over my budget,found a 96 complete plate/pump with very few miles for a benjamin $$.Just another option for ya Good luck

 

Tensioner material in the oil filter could have build up enough pressure to open the filter bypass; maybe, maybe not. But if you don't see any tensioner material anywhere else, mayb not.

That relief valve will come out, you just hav to be persistent and creative. If you haven't tried the heat gun, please give it a shot before throwing in the towel. Remember that if you do pick up a later OEM plate/pump, you will need to buy a set of conversion cams; the early cams won't fit with the later plate.