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Rebuild cam chest

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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 11:04 AM
  #1  
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Default Rebuild cam chest

I recently bought an 02 e glide with 50k on it and immediately opened the cam chest
And found the inner tensioner worn past device limits. Got new tensioned in and have
Reinstalled the cam plate. But before I start putting pushrods in I think I may have mixed up
The rears. Also when putting the cam to crank chain on it doesn't want to Align
Perfectly even though the cams are timed correctly. Any ideas
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 11:30 AM
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To get cams aligned you will need the harley shim kit. Also while i was there I would pull inner bearings and replace them too.As for the push rods there are evhaust and intake and they do make a difference.
Are you sure that the fronts are right. if so then put the one that matches the inner to match the inner on the rear.Same with outer.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 11:32 AM
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This is just my opinion, at 50k why put all that old stuff back in there, upgrade to the new style hyd tensioner style, you will get a new better oil pump as well. You have a very good engine that has a forged bottom end with good bearings, 99 to 02 had the best bottom ends from HD. I went thru the same thing plus put some better cams in with new lifters, if your in there do it and that engine will last a long time, just my opinion again.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 11:46 AM
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I Don't think it will make that much difference.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 12:08 PM
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Yea I 'd change just about everything out of that cam chest if I owned that bike. New cam plate, pump, tensioners, o-rings and gaskets (of course), and certainly cams. If you don't have the rockers off already, you can go with some good adjustable pushrods that will allow you to create a quite lifter/rod/rocker/valve relationship. Change out those inner bearings with some good Torrington needle bearings. You may need the spacer kit in order to get the outside sprockets in exactly the same plane...or no more then .0010 difference. If you can check the crank runout and if its less than 2.5 to 3 thousandths, you can convert to gear drive cams and lose the tensioners forever.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 12:43 PM
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Budget doesn't allow cams or upgrades at the
Moment. I did change the inner bearings to the
Torrington. Top end is already off to remove pushrods
I've have bad experiences with adjustable pushrods
And will never use them again. I reused cams so shim
Won't change. All I swapped was bearings and tensioners
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 01:50 PM
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Sometimes all you can do is what you can. When the time is right........
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 02:11 PM
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Well at least you changed out the bearings, I would also put a better oil pump in if I could at minimum, the newer style have more volume, pressure and scavenge, better for the life of the engine. That engine should never have a crank runout problem, 99 to 02 were the best HD made.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 02:56 PM
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Nobody else answered your question, so I will try. The longest pushrod is front exhaust, second longest is rear exhaust, the intake rods are the same length. As far as aligning your marks, assuming your cams are spot on, I always set my sprockets and chain on making sure to keep the slack out of the right side. That way when you release the tensioner on the left, nothing moves. Hope this helps.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2012 | 03:11 PM
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Both exhaust rods are the same length, 10.536" and both intakes are the same length, 10.418" The exhaust rods will or should have a darker finish.
 
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