K&N RK-3909 High FLow Kit Install (w/ problems)-FLHRi ’02 Road King

Ordered the PCIII and K&N high flow from Fuel Moto (RK-3909 for ’02 Road King etc.). PCIII came pre-mapped for V&H slip-ons and the K&N. Install was easy as it turns out (but not without problems with the K&N kit) and was well worth the $411 bucks. AWSOME, easy, high value mod.

It pisses me off that the K&N install was so far off and could not be done following the instructions. I had to modify the “must be followed” instructions after an hour + of weasel dickery following the K&N instructions. Fifty lashes with a clutch cable to the guys that wrote them.

Since I had problems, got really pissed off, was going to send the kit back because I thought it was the wrong one, I am posting the process and procedure I had to follow. Hopefully, it will save some of the less mechanical brothers some time and aggravation. It is actually pretty simple when it all fits (everything is easy if you know how to do it).

Problems installing the K&N back plate:
[/b]I could not install the back plate according to the directions supplied with the kit. It was impossible. The main problem is that the holes that mount the back plate to the throttle body have almost zero clearance- they are the same diameter as the screws + .001”. That meant that everything else had to match up perfectly, which it did not! Also, the throttle body gasket holes are just a RCH smaller than the mounting holes- meaning there was some interference from the gasket material.

Instructions say to install the rubber velocity stack first, then loosely install the cylinder spacer/ bolts. Then install the back plate onto the throttle body. Right. That wasn’t going to happen. The plate just WOULD NOT f#@king align to the throttle body ( while attached to the cylinder and while bending the **** out of a monster thick rubber piece to gain clearance to tighten the now not aligned throttle body screw).

After about an hour of weasel-dicking-around with the throttle body screws, (per the instructions), I took it all off, including the rubber stack, and screwed the back plate to the throttle body to make sure the holes lined up. Throttle body holes were perfect.- but holy $hit the breather bolt holes in the back plate were at lease 1/4” out of alignment. I thought the plate was SNAFU, but as it turns out, the manifold/ throttle body has a bit of flexibility (because it was WAY not aligned).

Anyway, I’m not a mechanic, have not verified the correctness of my method and make no claims of how appropriate it is or how it will work for your application. There is a possibility of breaking the manifold.

This is the way I had to do it (15-20 minute install):
[/b]

1. Remove all the stock stuff. The throttle body (TB) gasket should stay attached to the TB.

2. Install the three 1.5” aluminum spacers onto the back plate.
Remove and save the stock breather bolts. Install and tighten the supplied breather bolt extensions/ washer into the cylinder with a little thread locker.

[size=3]3. Practice installing the rubber velocity stack onto the backing plate a couple of times. Note how the rubber stack bottom groove fits into the back plate and note the location of the notches in the stack that will later align with the throttle body screws.&

 

I installed the RK3909 on my Street Glide, absolutely no problems. Went right on as per instructions.

You probably got a bad kit.

 

"Bad kit" is what I thought when I saw the misalignment on the back plate. I suppose I COULD have a bad kit- who would know- thats why I went ahead and installed it. Maybe I got a bad manifild alignment?

KB

 

It's not the most perfectly aligned kit I have ever seen. When you raise the lip of the rubber velocity stack to find the screw hole your not over whelmed with daylight coming through cause the gasket isn't perfect either.

The important thing is you figured it out and got it working.

 

i put a 3909 on my F.I. dyna and had no problems at all . have you talk to K&N they are good people and will take care of you.

 

I havn't talked to K&N because its installed now. I wouldn't want to un install off, but it wouldn't hurt to call them. Its not perfect, buts its on...