Cam Dot Alignment
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 242
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Cam Dot Alignment
Just installed 255 cams. I thought I made sure dots on cam gear lined up but now I am not so sure. Bike starts and there is quite a bit of lope( forum responses state there is not much lope with the 255 cam}, the exhaust sounds different at low RPM's and it seems to run hotter. Bike seems to run okay while acclerating, but just seems much different than stock.
Question is what are the symtoms if the dots are one tooth off?
Question is what are the symtoms if the dots are one tooth off?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,449
Likes: 593
You are on the right track. Compression test is the best way to tell. I actually did this on my first cam install. Compression test showed 190 front and 110 rear.
Bike also did not run well and had a major hesitation off idle until about 2500 rpm.
Zach
Bike also did not run well and had a major hesitation off idle until about 2500 rpm.
Zach
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 61
Likes: 1
From: Powell, OH
Two dots on 255 cams
Funny you mention this!
I had the dealer install 255's on my UC early spring and they had the same exact problem. Turns out he found 2 dots on the cams. I'm no where near a mechanic, so please bear with me . . .
He showed me what occured and I will try to describe what I saw. I saw one set of dots were on the end of the shaft (he said this is where the dots are normally). There were however ANOTHER sets of dots on the sprockets.
He first lined up the dots on the end of the shafts (which he said was normal procedure). When they took it for a ride, he said the UC backfired, ran rough, and generally had all sorts of running problems (including running hot). It ran so hot that the V&H slipon for the rear cylinder (true duals) turned gold and was starting to turn blue.
He got on the phone with HD and after some lengthy conversations, HD had the shop line up the dots on the sprockets!
This cleared the problem . . . except for them to fix what had been damaged (the slipons).
If you are going to have them program the EI, make sure you ride it and not them as your shift points will differ greatly from whomever takes it for the spin. Again, I found this out the hard way (I rarely exceed 3000RPM) and had them redo the tune with me as the rider. I saw the map afterwords and it sure changed from what they first tuned it as (low range for me vs. a much higher range they placed on it).
Also, have the shop check your clutch for adjustment. Had to have my re-adjusted after the 255's because of slippage . . .
Good luck!
I had the dealer install 255's on my UC early spring and they had the same exact problem. Turns out he found 2 dots on the cams. I'm no where near a mechanic, so please bear with me . . .
He showed me what occured and I will try to describe what I saw. I saw one set of dots were on the end of the shaft (he said this is where the dots are normally). There were however ANOTHER sets of dots on the sprockets.
He first lined up the dots on the end of the shafts (which he said was normal procedure). When they took it for a ride, he said the UC backfired, ran rough, and generally had all sorts of running problems (including running hot). It ran so hot that the V&H slipon for the rear cylinder (true duals) turned gold and was starting to turn blue.
He got on the phone with HD and after some lengthy conversations, HD had the shop line up the dots on the sprockets!
This cleared the problem . . . except for them to fix what had been damaged (the slipons).
If you are going to have them program the EI, make sure you ride it and not them as your shift points will differ greatly from whomever takes it for the spin. Again, I found this out the hard way (I rarely exceed 3000RPM) and had them redo the tune with me as the rider. I saw the map afterwords and it sure changed from what they first tuned it as (low range for me vs. a much higher range they placed on it).
Also, have the shop check your clutch for adjustment. Had to have my re-adjusted after the 255's because of slippage . . .
Good luck!
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 872
Likes: 20
From: Niagara Falls Canada
pics
was rear cylinder on tdc and dots lined up when u took it apart and put back together the same
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 928
Likes: 2
From: Near Richmond VA.
Edit: OK I wasn't awake yet (thought it was a 555 install). 255's shouldn't lope much at idle.
PS: quick compression check will tell you if you are off for sure.
PS: quick compression check will tell you if you are off for sure.
Last edited by JollyRogers; Jul 26, 2011 at 06:17 AM.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
I had the dealer install 255's on my UC early spring and they had the same exact problem. Turns out he found 2 dots on the cams. I'm no where near a mechanic, so please bear with me.
He showed me what occured and I will try to describe what I saw. I saw one set of dots were on the end of the shaft (he said this is where the dots are normally). There were however ANOTHER sets of dots on the sprockets.
He first lined up the dots on the end of the shafts (which he said was normal procedure). When they took it for a ride, he said the UC backfired, ran rough, and generally had all sorts of running problems (including running hot). It ran so hot that the V&H slipon for the rear cylinder (true duals) turned gold and was starting to turn blue.
He got on the phone with HD and after some lengthy conversations, HD had the shop line up the dots on the sprockets!
This cleared the problem . . . except for them to fix what had been damaged (the slipons).
He showed me what occured and I will try to describe what I saw. I saw one set of dots were on the end of the shaft (he said this is where the dots are normally). There were however ANOTHER sets of dots on the sprockets.
He first lined up the dots on the end of the shafts (which he said was normal procedure). When they took it for a ride, he said the UC backfired, ran rough, and generally had all sorts of running problems (including running hot). It ran so hot that the V&H slipon for the rear cylinder (true duals) turned gold and was starting to turn blue.
He got on the phone with HD and after some lengthy conversations, HD had the shop line up the dots on the sprockets!
This cleared the problem . . . except for them to fix what had been damaged (the slipons).
You hear about alignment errors all the time, but I don't understand how so many people manage to do it wrong. It's really very simple if you use due care during assembly. [/lecture]
That was a crazy problem that had a lot of smart people vexed, and it's a good thread to read. Sometimes you have to re-do your work more than once to get a problem fixed.