Compensator= no choice . Now what
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,476
Likes: 3,004
From: Charleston, SC
There are hundreds if not a thousand threads on the subject of faulty compensators and HD themselves have revisioned the comp 3-4 times in an effort to get it right...
History does not lie. Maybe Leave it alone so that others may learn. Have a nice day.
Last edited by lp; Apr 5, 2017 at 08:07 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
Highly unlikely.....but if it worked for u. If it was knocking it's on it way. Spark plugs ain't gonna fix it. How many miles on it.
Probably should do a poll on failures and milage like Scott is talking about.
Please no dumbass success stories......we all know they fail.
Probably should do a poll on failures and milage like Scott is talking about.
Please no dumbass success stories......we all know they fail.
I'm not saying Comps don't fail in the least. What I am saying is that other issues can sometimes be miss diagnosed as comp failure. Had I not just replaced my plugs and correlated the two, I would have needlessly replaced my compensator. This bike has just under 60k on it, and I just replaced the drive belt and all pulleys, and checked my comp in the progress, and it looks nearly new.
Insufficient spark especially in a hot air cooled engine, can most assuredly cause a kick back clunking issue. I was simply trying to suggest that people consider that, instead of automatically assuming doom and gloom. it is far easier and cheaper to check first, then if it doesn't help, they can explore any and all other options.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,128
Likes: 51,461
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Let me ask you guys a question, how many teeth do these failed comp sprockets have and how many on the clutch baskets? And yes this is going somewhere relevant. basicly I want to know what the primary drive ratio is in the twinkies.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
I've got a comp I can count on a shelf at home, if no one else replies beforehand. Not sure on the basket.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,899
Likes: 3,412
From: OH
From the I read it's 34:46. I never thought to count teeth while it was open when I did my 2010. That is the only one I replaced the comp in.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 654
Likes: 67
From: PacificNorthWest
[/QUOTE]...... Comps are why they think batts are weak. Talked to guys that do our coating and going to send a new SE one over and have centers coated. See what happens.[/QUOTE]
I'd be real interested to hear how this shakes out
I'd be real interested to hear how this shakes out
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 654
Likes: 67
From: PacificNorthWest
Think it's a torque issue??
I sold my 07 and the comp was on its last leg with 43k on it...
My 08 SG bangs on hot start..less than 18k on it
I was thinking of swapping the auto primary chain adjuster to a Baker Attitude to see if it would take some of the load off...
Last edited by Uncle Fuzzy; Apr 5, 2017 at 08:32 PM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,016
Likes: 277
From: East Tn Foot of The Dragon
I have to echo the many miles and no problem with compensators. I have done 17 years and 400K on H-D's from ocean to ocean, Key West to the Arctic Circle, 49 States and most of Canada.
They got me back home every time. Not a single failure of a compensator, cam tensioner, trans main shaft bearing or anything else.
I do my own service. I often wonder if the various performance stages which allows rpm above 6K has something to do with it.
The stock compensation does not have pressure oil feed to it. Maybe it the bike is hot rodded it is not up to the task.
Never on this forum has anyone ever admitted that any bike failure that they had was their fault. Always it is H-D's. When I was young and stupid I blew up motors, transmissions and even a clutch pressure plate. But I knew who did it. I called it entertainment tax. When I blew up a 409 SS on the same day I took delivery GM did warrantee it but told me no more. So I blew up two tranies on my own dime.
They got me back home every time. Not a single failure of a compensator, cam tensioner, trans main shaft bearing or anything else.
I do my own service. I often wonder if the various performance stages which allows rpm above 6K has something to do with it.
The stock compensation does not have pressure oil feed to it. Maybe it the bike is hot rodded it is not up to the task.
Never on this forum has anyone ever admitted that any bike failure that they had was their fault. Always it is H-D's. When I was young and stupid I blew up motors, transmissions and even a clutch pressure plate. But I knew who did it. I called it entertainment tax. When I blew up a 409 SS on the same day I took delivery GM did warrantee it but told me no more. So I blew up two tranies on my own dime.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,459
Likes: 2,896
From: Oklahoma
Especially the early failures covered under warranty are the factory ratio. When I changed mine years ago I knew the tooth count on both the compensator and the clutch basket. The memory has faded. The SE comp came about from the standard comp being unable to handle the torque from the "built engines" and frequently bottoming out. When the 96 came along, it was close enough to the previous engines in the souped up versions that the standard comp was right at the edge of being inadequate. If you were lucky, it worked for a long time, if you weren't so lucky it was too weak right from the start. I believe it is the bigger engines that needed the beefier comp, not the gear ratio of the primary. With the computer controlled engines, changing the primary ratio will cause problems with the cruise control and 6th gear light. On the newer machines, the digital gear indicator will probably not work when the ratio between engine RPM and speed no longer meets the stored ratio for each gear.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 654
Likes: 67
From: PacificNorthWest
I have to echo the many miles and no problem with compensators. I have done 17 years and 400K on H-D's from ocean to ocean, Key West to the Arctic Circle, 49 States and most of Canada.
They got me back home every time. Not a single failure of a compensator, cam tensioner, trans main shaft bearing or anything else.
I do my own service. I often wonder if the various performance stages which allows rpm above 6K has something to do with it.
The stock compensation does not have pressure oil feed to it. Maybe it the bike is hot rodded it is not up to the task.
Never on this forum has anyone ever admitted that any bike failure that they had was their fault. Always it is H-D's. When I was young and stupid I blew up motors, transmissions and even a clutch pressure plate. But I knew who did it. I called it entertainment tax. When I blew up a 409 SS on the same day I took delivery GM did warrantee it but told me no more. So I blew up two tranies on my own dime.
They got me back home every time. Not a single failure of a compensator, cam tensioner, trans main shaft bearing or anything else.
I do my own service. I often wonder if the various performance stages which allows rpm above 6K has something to do with it.
The stock compensation does not have pressure oil feed to it. Maybe it the bike is hot rodded it is not up to the task.
Never on this forum has anyone ever admitted that any bike failure that they had was their fault. Always it is H-D's. When I was young and stupid I blew up motors, transmissions and even a clutch pressure plate. But I knew who did it. I called it entertainment tax. When I blew up a 409 SS on the same day I took delivery GM did warrantee it but told me no more. So I blew up two tranies on my own dime.
But I got 43k outta my 07 softy..
Just aquired the SG last fall so I don't know it's history..
But multiple failures in 10k??
The rider alone can't be the contributing factor.