Show me, show me, show me!
I really want to know how!
Thanks much in advance

 

thanks for the write up and pics. Was the compensator changed to a SE unit on the 2011 touring bikes?

 

Yes. According to the H-D description:

"Fits '06-'11 DynaŽ, '07-'11 SoftailŽ (except FXCW, FXCWC and FXSTSSE3) and '07-'10 Touring models. Original Equipment on Trike, '11-later Touring and '12 DynaŽ and SoftailŽ models. Installation on '06 DynaŽ models requires separate purchase of '07-style stator. "

 

Can grinding be avoided by simply removing the inner primary? Pulling the clutch assembly and replacing the sealing bolts and inner primary gasket would be preferable to me as opposed to grinding the primary, if that would work.

 

since this comp set up fits a softail to....have the softails been failing as well? I have a 08 softail with almost 20k on it..have had no issues that I'm awear of... does anyone know if the softails have had the same problem to touring bike have had?? I didnt see any info in the softail section.. maybe I just didnt find it..

 

I didn't notice any problems with my '07 Fat Boy until I very recently swapped out the cams and the 96 for a 103. I notice the clunking right away. Based on this, I'm considering the "upgrade."


Note that the "upgrade" became standard equipment on the new Softails, at the same time the 103 became standard.

If you have the 96 and don't notice any problems, then, personally, I wouldn't worry about.

 

thanks yes its a 96..a 08 softail..guess i wont worry unless it makes noise or the next time I'm in that area..

 

This has been asked before, but not answered.

Those that have had the Compensator replaced under Warranty, How did you explain the problem?
I too have the Extended Warranty and want to say the correct thing.

 

ultra89rider - how to tell the compensator has a problem – When HOT, your engine usually will NOT start on the first try, maybe the second or third and UNIQUE to this situation is the STARTER KICKS OUT, usually making a grinding sound. You may also see an increase in metal flakes in the primary. With this symptom you would NOT have any other bearing noises indicating the flakes are some other source like bearings or clutch parts! You will hear the noise coming from the primary when you are in first gear, holding your bike still, engage and disengage the clutch quickly and hard at the friction points, without actually moving forward. You will hear a slap as the engine torques up the drive train. All bikes will make this noise hitting it hard enough a broken the compensator is going to make this louder. As I would pull my bike into my garage, maneuvering around, I could hear the slap, it got louder and louder and the bike got harder and harder to start once hot.

Here is what I found in the magazine AIM - loss of crank position when the compensator compressed and released. I don’t know were the magazine is to be able to provide you the detail of the explanation to you. Sorry! Just looked for it before posting.

I had a 2007 heritage softail purchased in 2006, one of the first batch and it had this starting problem with in the first year, replaced battery and starter, but the starter kept kicking out and grinding. This was before I knew about the compensator, or it wasn’t available in Dec 2008. I traded the softail with this problem and 47000 miles for the 2009 streetglide.

The street glide developed the same starting problem in with the same symptoms 45000 miles and 2 years later – only when hot, engine usually would not start on the first try, maybe the second or third and unique to this situation is the starter kicks out, usually making a grinding sound.

I had the compensator replaced with the new se compensator and no longer have any starting problem, starts first crack every time. At the time, no other work was done or was anything else changed. I now have 62000 miles and not a single starting episode. This same story is echoed by at least a dozen others. And just a caveat, replacing the compensator with the same part, cures the problem for about 10000 miles as experienced by another who is at about 65000 miles and his third original style compensator.

 

I told my dealer exactly what was going on with the bike.

Occaisional LOUD bang when starting, like a hammer hitting the primary.

Sometimes a clatter from the primary especially when starting off riding two up.

At times two or three tries to get it started. When this happens it would cough back through the intake with a puff of smoke.

My dealer had no problem correcting the problem with the SE compensator. However mine was covered under regular 2 yr warranty, I didn't purchase the extended warranty.