Cam chest blues
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: E Washington
This is just my opinion, Release the tensioners and pin them open, I pressed mine out with just an arbor press and a short piece of shafting. The rear cam on mine just had the rollers on the cam so it cam right out with the front one. Check for chain slop in the pins on the links, if you can feel much it's to much and needs to be replaced. If it's very worn at this point you just as well go to the new kit with hydraulic tensioners and updated oil pump. It was my impression that the kit allowed you to use the original cams. If the inner cam bearings have not been changed, do so they're cheep.
Last edited by DBH6601; Dec 11, 2011 at 10:08 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,459
Likes: 674
From: Vancouver Island B.C.
But then he is still using the big chain and old style tensioner on the back side.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Palmyra Missouri
All Harley owners should pull the cam cover off as soon as you buy one and if you have those junk pressed together cams, Ya better be gettn out of there before this happens, 12,000 mile on mine.. $1000 later cuz I done all work myself and back on road, Waste of time dealin with Harley customer noservice..
The chunk of tooth found it's way to the pump also..
The chunk of tooth found it's way to the pump also..
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,640
Likes: 817
There's a couple of bearing issues, depending on your engine manufacture date; and some other cam chest concerns for 1999.
1. The bolt used to attach the drive sprocket to the rear cam could loosen and cause the rotational force to shear the cast key of the sprocket, causing engine failure. The design was changed to the splined setup that's used now, as well as a bigger bolt. Mine never had an issue, but the condition does exist.
2. The bearing used in the cam support plate for both the front and the rear camshaft was originally a ball bearing. The rear bearing failed due to the extra loading and the design was changed to use a roller bearing for the rear only.
3. The inner cam bearing is an INA manufactured one, with rollers spaced apart by a steel stamped "cage". Many here (myself included) prefer the Torrington bearing that has more rollers without the steel spacing cage.
4. The cam chain tensioners are a wear item, and seem to wear inconsistently. I pulled mine at 38k, and they were worn, but still OK, others have had them disintegrate much earlier, and cause lots of engine damage by being ingested into the
A: oil pump and scarring the cam support plate with a resultant loss of oil pressure
B: cam bearings
C: crank bearings
These are the worst case scenarios, and many have had their bikes run long and trouble free.
I weighed the options, and decided a gear drive and all new bearings was the best route for me. You have to pull everything out anyway just to change the rear cam support plate bearing, and to me it made sense to get the biggest bang for the buck by doing all the cam chest work at one time.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 61
From: Near YVR
There is nothing wrong with the SE 203 cams.
They are cheaper than buying stock cams, and btw I could not see what the lobes where like in your pictures(phone cam pics?)
Re-use the original chain as was mentioned . It will be nicely polished from the first or second set of tensioners (installed by first owner?) and likely will be fine.
Replace the cam bearings with bearings of choice as long as they are not the inna bearings..there is one less bearing in the cage if I recall , then again it has been three years since I went with the SE retro fit cam plate and oil pump.
The other thing to look at is the cam lobes and the lifter bearings for wear ..it would be a shame to do this work now and then have a failure come spring riding season.
Take my info for what it is, just an opinion.
Rob
They are cheaper than buying stock cams, and btw I could not see what the lobes where like in your pictures(phone cam pics?)
Re-use the original chain as was mentioned . It will be nicely polished from the first or second set of tensioners (installed by first owner?) and likely will be fine.
Replace the cam bearings with bearings of choice as long as they are not the inna bearings..there is one less bearing in the cage if I recall , then again it has been three years since I went with the SE retro fit cam plate and oil pump.
The other thing to look at is the cam lobes and the lifter bearings for wear ..it would be a shame to do this work now and then have a failure come spring riding season.
Take my info for what it is, just an opinion.
Rob
Last edited by CndUltra95; Dec 12, 2011 at 11:04 AM.
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 572
Likes: 110
From: under the bridge on the sunrise side
Not a whole lot to report, Christmas and all. I did buy myself these cool little magnet deals that hold the lifters up and out of the way for Christmas, I'm pretty easy to please.
The reason I took it apart.
The new tensioner installed on the inboard side of the cam support plate.
The reason I took it apart.
The new tensioner installed on the inboard side of the cam support plate.
Last edited by ppilotmike; Dec 26, 2011 at 04:21 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 28,552
Likes: 3,954
From: Vermont
I'm so easy to please that I use the wireforms from a binder clip to hold lifters up!