Help! Is it time for me to upgrade to the SE compensator?
 

Hey guys,

I have a 2007 Road King Classic with 13k miles on it. Recently, I pulled the stock cams and replaced them with SE255 cams, new Torrington bearings, and FM's adjustable pushrods. Since doing that job, I've been very aware of any knocking that might be coming from the pushrods. Well, my pushrods sound fine. But, I am still hearing a pretty noticeable metallic knock and I think it's coming from the primary side of the engine...maybe even from the front of the primary. It is especially noticeable when the bike is in gear and I'm riding at slow speeds and low RPMs.

I've done reading/searching on the forum and it seems that my stock compensator might be going bad which would cause this knocking inside my primary. Also, my bike doesn't start up very smoothly either. I think this is also a symptom of a bad compensator???

What do you guys think? I can do the SE compensator myself but don't want to if there is a good probability that it is something else.

I'd upgrade to the SE comp. I'd play with the gearing too.

I would not ride the bike again until I pulled the primary cover to see what is going on in there. And regardless of what you find, if you already have the cover off, it would be silly not to upgrade the compensator while you are in there.

I have the same thing going on with my '07 RK Custom. It's torn apart for ape hanger install right now and I'll be taking the primary off to check the bolt here in the next few days hopefully. I've only had it a few months and it only has 4500 miles on it. I would hope the compensator would last longer than that, but it could be a loose compensator bolt.

Just to confirm, mine happens when most often when at low speeds or lower rpm and I give it some gas. I'll hear a single soft-ish clunk. It also can happen in 5th or 6th if I am coasting and give it some gas.

You said hard starting. A common complaint on compensator problems is a very noisy, clunking, starting. This seems to be accentuated when the bike is hot.

Mine isn't so much a "clunk" as much as a consistent, metallic knocking. . . almost like someone is tapping on the primary cover with a small hammer -- at least I think it's in the primary. I just don't know :icon_gunhead:

aren't you supposed to install heavy duty clutch springs when you up-grade the cams?

Yes, hard starting...There's a loud, almost "explosion" when it starts. On occasion, when its hot, it won't start the first time and just blows an annoying cough out the breather. It'll start right up the next time I hit the starter.

Not necessarily!