Looks normal on the cams. If it were me I would look for some 2014-15 take out stock cams put in comp cam 850-1 lifters and good inner cam bearings maybe some zipper dual piston tensioners and the oil pump out of the upgrade cam plate kit. Should be less than $600 in parts and ride the s--t out of it with the quietest valve train you will ever hear in a harley.

 

Nothing wrong with comp chevy lifters. They actually sell them as V-twin, or some such, for harleys. '14/'15 take out touring cams are a good budget option for ya. While I almost always recommend a flash tuner, they may even work pretty good with a stage 2 download on a "stock" bike like yours???

 

Got a flash tuner on my bike. With all the parts I wrote in the post above. Done a 103" kit and a good straight crank from darkhorse. One of the quietest valve trains If not the quietest I ever heard on a twin cam harley. Spent lots of money trying to kill the noise this thing made in the valve train and done it don't know exactly witch part fixed it but it is scary quit. If the OP wants a quit bike that set up works. Is it the strongest bike on the road no is it the best looking one no but I will put it beside any motor for noise.

 

Ok, understood...without going back and reading in detail every thread on this subject you've posted, I had the impression...still do...that all of this had been covered ad nauseum! To me, your path is clear...regardless of expense...start replacing parts! Quit writin', start wrenchin'! No offense intended, but there's a point when either you get 'er done, or give 'er up!


I am all for fixing the one you got, not just running out and buying a new one, as long as it's doing the job for you. The job that confronts you now is one that you can pretty much assume is going to have to be done on any Harley you get, at some point or another. Lifter failure with attendant cam damage is pretty common, even on the Twinkie engine. If I were to make any recommendation to you is do the job completely with high quality parts! I believe I made that comment on another of your threads. Don't skimp. Don't use used cams.

 

I think i started this job on Monday Dec 8th, got the front lifters out on Tues, rear ones out on Wed. On Dec 12th I believe, pulled exhaust and removed cams on Dec 13th. Everything is currently apart, and now that I know what I am dealing with, I will start ordering the parts I need. I just don't know exactly which parts I will get.

 

I have a set of cams and lifters from a 2013 SG with 1500 miles on them if you are interested pm me.

 

Not sure but this sounds like you want a new bike.

Based on the pictures I saw in this thread I would spend $100 on new lifters, put it all back together and not worry about it.

 

So, what cams did you get?
Lifters?

Get a good tuner if you don't have one already.

 

I'm considering essentially the same job you are doing, and I know pretty much what parts are needed, but I also know from experience that things change when you get in there. I would prefer to convert mine to gear drive and eliminate the issue of cam chain follower wear and/or failure altogether, but I also know that I won't know if I can do that until I get it apart and check the crank runout. If it helps, my parts list is either the new gear set with attendant new cams, or if I can't do that, new cams, and since mine is an '06, I'll need a new cam plate and oil pump to update it to the newer hydraulic setup. I will want new cams to afford me more torque from low to mid RPM range; I won't settle for used cams just because that's risky business...in my opinion...and the savings won't justify the risk. I also know that I will want new lifters, and I will probably go with the S&S Premiums or go with JIMS or Feuling...any of those are good and I have confidence in them. Some guys like the Chevy roller lifters, or some of the others, I have no doubt that they will work fine, but I've had lifters fail, I won't scrimp on 'em. And I'll replace the pushrods with easy install adjustables, same manufacturers as listed above, and will update the cam bearings while I'm in there.


I hope that list helps you. I know that there are at least a couple of specialty tools that I will need, and nobody I know around here has them, so for me, the cost of buying those tools for a one-time use doesn't make sense over paying my usual independent mechanic for his labor and expertise...his shop rate is $65/hour, that's certainly reasonable, and I'm probably looking at a four hour job or so...


That's what I'm anticipating, so maybe that might help you, too, Sandcrab...although it looks like you've committed to doing the job yourself. I get that, I know that's a job I could do too, but I could see me asking a lot of questions too, so that's another factor with me just riding the bike to my mechanic, leaving it there for a week or two, and riding away. Yes, finances are an issue for me too, so it's not happening for a while, but winter is upon us...even for us guys in SoCal...and I'll just wait until I have the horsepower to get 'er done.

 

You should check the crank runout while you are in there.