Feeling out a 2004 FLHTPI
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,293
Likes: 3,518
From: PA
I understand all about budgets but in my opinion I am not opening up the cam chest, with a bike with that mileage on it and not addressing the future failures Harley built into these bikes, Lifters and inner cam bearings. And since I am there, and I hate to do things twice I would change the cams as well. Money spent now will be a lot less then money spent later if one of these parts fails.
I did my cam chest on my 05 Fat Boy with 14000 miles on it
I did my cam chest on my 05 Fat Boy with 14000 miles on it
I understand all about budgets but in my opinion I am not opening up the cam chest, with a bike with that mileage on it and not addressing the future failures Harley built into these bikes, Lifters and inner cam bearings. And since I am there, and I hate to do things twice I would change the cams as well. Money spent now will be a lot less then money spent later if one of these parts fails.
I did my cam chest on my 05 Fat Boy with 14000 miles on it
I did my cam chest on my 05 Fat Boy with 14000 miles on it
senior experienced all-knowing leader of the unwise
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 351
From: USA
$1200?? That's basically fixing something that ain't broke. Just replacement shoes and adjustable pushrods would be fine on a stock bike. The reason for the adjustable pushrods is the labor for disassembly reusing the stock pushrods would be about the same as the price for the adjustables. I have heard that after replacement the second set of shoes will last longer than the first due to the cam chains being "polished" by wear. I redid my 2005 Dyna engine at 36,000 miles and the stock shoes might have made it to 40,000 and i used synthetic oil the whole time. Yes it was a bad design and it's not a matter of if it will fail or not, it's a matter of when. I did replace the Dyna shoes with gear drive cams.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 85
Likes: 21
From: Colorado
I took my 05 to my indy shop for the tensioners after seeing them up close and in person. Probably could have gone another 10k miles. (The bike has 11,500 miles on it.) As tends to happen with me, by the time I was done, I had a bill for $7000.00 and that didn't include the new rear suspension for another grand...
But she sure runs nice...
But she sure runs nice...
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,293
Likes: 3,518
From: PA
Little harsh to call them built in failures. The engines were designed and tested and ran, and over time weaknesses were discovered and addressed. At no point did they plan or things to fail. I will agree however, that knowing now what failed then is good preventative maintenance and replacing those things now might save a lot of headaches later.
That's like being upset because you have to replace brake pads at 20k.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,293
Likes: 3,518
From: PA
I had a wheel bearing explode with my wife on the back at 70mph way under the replacement interval recommended. Did HD try to kill me? No. **** happens. The MoCo has never intentionally designed something to fail. If that's your thought process, you'd be better suited finding a different manufacturer with whom to spend your money.
That's like being upset because you have to replace brake pads at 20k.
That's like being upset because you have to replace brake pads at 20k.
The Cam Chest should have been a recall and fixed on their dime
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,915
Likes: 5,929
From: NorCal
I get what you're saying. There are thousands of early Twin Cams out there. They all don't explode. Sure it's a bad design, plastic on metal, but I look at it as a maintenance wear item. If the OP wants to do some light preventative maintenance on a bike he likes he can get away without spending a fortune. And if ridden lightly it will run just fine for many miles. I would recommend starting with an oil and filter change. Look for metal and little plastic specs from the shoes. Cut the filter open and inspect the media. I do that every oil change.
