Should I worry ?
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 76
Likes: 36
From: Southern Ontario
Should I worry ?
Hi everyone.
I have a 2010 FLHTP.
I bought it at 15000 miles.
Now it has 60000 miles.
I ride about 5000 - 6000 miles per season.
I read alot about cam chain tensioners.
Now with 60000 miles.
Should I be worried about mine ?
Bike is completely stock.
I'm a conservative rider.
thoughts ??
I have a 2010 FLHTP.
I bought it at 15000 miles.
Now it has 60000 miles.
I ride about 5000 - 6000 miles per season.
I read alot about cam chain tensioners.
Now with 60000 miles.
Should I be worried about mine ?
Bike is completely stock.
I'm a conservative rider.
thoughts ??
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,002
Likes: 1,240
From: On the Front Range, CO
Nope, the old style spring-loaded tensioners were the problem, along with the Morse link cam chains.
Your 2010 has hydraulic tensioners, and different style chains (roller chains, I believe) that arent an issue.
Enjoy the ride!
Your 2010 has hydraulic tensioners, and different style chains (roller chains, I believe) that arent an issue.
Enjoy the ride!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 10,659
Likes: 7,249
From: OH
1 cam cover gasket, 2 exhaust gaskets equals $20
peace of mind equals priceless
Last edited by eighteight; Jan 19, 2021 at 07:29 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,650
Likes: 9,112
From: Snow Hill, NC
I would leave it alone. I changed my cams in my 07 at around 60k miles and reused the tensioners, the only thing I changed other than that was the inner cam bearings. If it wasn’t for a cam swap it probably would still have all the factory stuffing there to this day at. 107000 miles and 14 years later.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 5,315
Likes: 4,272
From: Granville New York
You'll probably be fine for years to come or they may be worn and fragmenting. It's called preventative maintenance...its not required but at 60k and 10 years old I would do like the other guy said at a minimum...cam shoes, lifters and inner cam bearings and ride it for another 60k. Its way cheaper than replacing or rebuilding the engine. Preventative.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,002
Likes: 1,240
From: On the Front Range, CO
It's important to point out something here though...
Checking the cam chain tensioners isn't just a couple gaskets a few beers on a lazy Sunday afternoon. If your engine is stock and you don't have adjustable pushrods, you're looking at pulling the rocker box covers and rockers (after you've removed the gas tank) to remove the push rods and push rod tubes.
Once you're that far, you need to keep the lifters suspended so you can fully remove the cam plate, which will allow you to inspect the inner cam chain tensioner. Of course, if you're that far, you should also check the lifters too.
If you're going this far to 'check' things, you'd be better off to have the consumables on hand to just replace what is there. New cam bearings, new lifters, new tensioners. And of course, all the new gaskets and o-rings too. Because if you pull the cam plate and reuse the existing o-rings, you're inviting trouble you didn't have before.
I suppose my point is - the preventive part of this type of concern isn't checking. It's replacing.