My wife has a 2001 Fatboy 51k miles. We had the timing chain tensioners replaced per recommendation of our local HD store. Now it sounds like the motor has a knock at low RPM. I was told by a tech it might be the compensator?? Do these motors start knocking? They they trough rods? It has always been ran on synthetic oil. My Street has always been ran on synthetic and the cam bearings took a dump at 38k miles and ruined the motor. Any thoughts on what the noise might be?
Thanks,

 

Dayum...you've been catchin hell. I do know that best thing you can do for any HD is getting rid of the chain and tensioners and going with a gear drive cam, dang shame dropped that kind of bux especially to end up with engine noise.

Hope ya luck gets better and I see tha snake tha bit ya, I'll shoot it.

 

I am not even sure if the tensioner replacent even had anything to do with what appears to be a slight engine knock. Just trying to figure out if it is a rod knock or possibly something else?

 

When the compensator nut gets loose it sounds just like a rod knocking. It sound like that's what your problem is to me. Easy fix. An easy way to tell is to put the bike in gear with your foot firmly planted on your rear brake slip the clutch just a little with a tiny bit of gas and see if the noise goes away.

 

Seriously doubt it's a rod, the 1999 to 2002 bottom ends were the best and the compensators last a long time too.

If it's coming from the cam chest, I'd be asking the tensioner installer about it first.

 

They had problems with cranks coming out of index on the early 88's Stiggy.What black bagger says,if it doesn't stop crank could be the root.

 

Thanks for the 411.

 

What do you mean by the crank coming out of Index?

Thanks