OK so am in the process of buying a 02 FXDP with 24k miles on it...i know i will have to check the cam chain tensioners and i know about the cam plate with the oil pump upgrade, my question is... Can i just upgrade the tensioners only to the hydraulic or do i need to do the whole plate so the hydralic ones fit? Also, is there an upgraded spring tensioner now...i saw the ones by V-twin MFG but it seemed the same old stuff....
I don't want to keep this bike for a long time, maybe a year or 2 so i think i will put about 10-15k miles on it...
Should i just install the OEM ones in and ride it? I am looking at cost here only because i have to do other upgrades to the bike as my wife will be the primary rider...
I can do the cam work myself, just wondering which is best way to go...
I am not looking for performance uopgrades either...
Wadda ya think?

 

No you have to replace the plate too. If you dont plan on hanging on her that long and if the shoe's are bad just replace the oem shoes for cheep.

 

Based on your plan; replace the OEM shoes with the CYCO shoe. It's a better material and will last longer and about half the price. The problem with the OEM shoes is that they can fail instantly and without warning. Also replace the inner cam bearings with the Torrington B148s while you are in the cam chest.

http://www.harleydavidsontensioner.com/

 

I saw some on Ebay rebuilt with this material and some from V-twin Mfg with something like this... i will check them when i get the bike... Motor on the bike sounds like a sewing machine and just whirs along, not even any valvetrain noise, at, all...They also said that the 2nd time around the chain might be polished a bit and might not eat through the material as quickly???I guess i will find out.
My wife wants a Heritage but all i can afford is this bike for $5000.00 it's got floor boards and a windshield so all i have to do is add saddle bags and clean up the dash pad with either a cutom made one or i will take the existing one and cut it down and have it chromed...Little cut n paste...

 

If you are going into the cam chest you should do the inner and out cam bearings as well. Replace them with Torrington B-148's as the INA bearings that Harley uses are inferior. The bearings are inexpensive as well but you do need a bearing puller to get the inner bearings out and a press to get the bearings out of the cam plate.

 

I have read several posts on this subject and I am still confused. I have just over 35K on the bike. Bought it with 28K on it this past Feb. Engine was replaced at 7500 miles. When should I be looking at these to check? Is there an easy way to know if they are worn out? What happens with they let go? I do have ESP, is this covered?

 

Wearing them out is not the issue; some have lasted 75K miles before being worn past the service limits. The service manual recommend replacement when 50% of the wearing surface has been consumed.

The problem is failure; chipping, breaking and/or premature wear. I have two bikes, the tensioner were very near failure on the '05 at 12K miles when I upgraded to 95" with cams. The inner tensioner on my '02 was OK at 25K miles but the outer was worn down to the metal when I tore the engine down to build a 107".

A catastrophic failure can result in oil pump failure which can result in an engine melt down. The damage done depends on the failure and how quick it is caught and corrected.

At 35K miles, you should check yours but I would at least replace them with the CYCO tensioners and upgrade the inner cam bearings as well. Heck, while you are at it, install a set of SE204 cams.

ESP should cover but why go through the hassle and downtime.

 

Cam tensioner hell!

 

Actually, the only ones that look bad are the top set. The others don't appear to be cracked or chipped, have worn evenly and still within service limits.

 

screw the hyd. upgrade,go with a gear drive cam set up