Have a friend with the 2005 Electra Glide Classic. The primary area is making a lot of noise. I inspected the primary chain for proper tension and that appears to be good.

So my question is should we just replace the Compensator Spring pack or upgrade to a newer or better one? If there is an upgrade which or what would you suggest?

Any help or options is appreciated

 

They typically at idle sound like a rotary tiller in a creek gravel bed. Kick it up to 2000 rpm so engine smoothes out. If it sounds fine, or of course running down the road sounds fine, don't waste your money. The old ones back when the metal was case hardened .060 of an inch and the manual chain adjuster are bulletproof.

The uneven idle of a Harley due to the two cylinders not being exactly 180 apart cause a slight uneven pulse. That is what causes that racket from the unmachined surfaces. I do realize to some, that uneven noise is maddening. Depending on mileage, the chain probably has some uneven wear that makes it louder. However, if adjuster still has travel and play falls within the tolerance (5/8-3/4), it's fine.

Ignore it or just fall for the tin men bs. Your choice. You can quiten it but you are not going to make it better. Using Formual + non detergent gear oil will make it last a lifetime.

 

I understand the noise that a V Twin makes. According to the owner it wasn't making the noise it is now when he bought the bike about 6 months ago.

I listened to it and when you shut the engine off you can still hear it rattling inside.

So that is why I ask the question which way should we go, stock or an upgrade?

 

If you can still hear it rattling after you shut it off, it needs more then a compensator. That's what you call a death rattle if it makes noise after you cut it off.....Never heard one do that. Guess if it does not have a lot of miles, it could clunk slightly but remember the compensator works both directions about 30 degrees.

 

The last 05 FLHTC I worked on had the teeth on the 38 amp rotor give out. In the pic below, the bad one is on the right and the new 45 amp one is on the left. Made some weird noises when running.

 

Have one of those. The alternator rotary once striped is driven by compensator spring. However, f you let it slip long enough, that face you see with the spot wear lets the sprocket move over and nip the chain with a tic noise. I started hearing mine in slow turns. That also gives the appearance the compensator nut is loose even if it's loctited in position. However, it made no noise when I turned bike off.

 

Pull the outer and make sure the bolt didn't come loose. Pre-07 bikes were not known for compensators going bad.

 

On of the problems with the 03 up to 06 motors was when they went to to straight rollers on the left crank bearing, they got the bearing, rotor, comp stack-up wrong.. The nut bottoms out on the crank before everything is tight. As the guys are showing the stripped rotor splines, its a good example of not enough clamping pressure. The fix is to trim 0.060 off the end of the nut. New torque procedure also..

 

I'd be surprised if its the compensator, but the only thing to do is dismantle and inspect.

 

What Max says.

Back in the day, the MoCo even offered spacers; .030", .060" and .090" IIRC, that fit between the comp nut and the cover to "shorten" the comp nut. The DIY fix was to shave .030"-.060" off he comp nut per the attached sketch. The stack up dimension Max makes reference to would not allow the required clamping pressure to be applied even though the specified torque had been applied to the comp nut. I have never had the problem but did shave .030" off the comp nuts in my '02 and '05 bikes as a preventative measure.

The Bellville spring stack may rattle with high mileage and can be replaced. I have tightened up Bellville springs by removing a spring pack from an old cover and adding one spring to the rehabilitated spring pack.

Of course, there could be something else going on but the comp assembly would be good place to start.