It 'might" be the compensator. But just because your Harley Davidson engine makes a clunk when coming to rest does not mean that it is going to grenade on you. These engines are not what you would call highly developed, by any means. Granted, the engineering staff at the MOCO has made some improvements over the decades but it is still of an old design. They make noise. They buck. They snort. They do not however normally destroy themselves just because they make a clunk at shutdown. The compensator assembly is by it's very nature noisy. It has been common knowledge for years that the compensator assembly would benefit from increased lubrication if the design engineers would redesign it. They have made what they tell us are improvements on two previous occasions that I can remember. But still they have not been successful in getting enough lubrication to the interior of the gear sets. The 2014 models appear to have gotten another new and improved compensator assembly which they say has improved lubrication. The jury is still out on that so far. It does look different.

When I last replaced my compensator assembly a year ago I could clearly see scuff marks on the metal. It wasn't what I would call severe. It clunked at shutdown occasionally. I decided to replace it. After it was all said and done I could not see any improvement in anything. It still clunks on occasion. I see absolutely to reason to fall into the trap of replacing the compensator just because it makes a clunk occasionally and some tech monkey alarms you. Remember these guys make their living by replacing parts. Now, if it makes a constant noise (all the time) that would be a different story, but I have never heard or seen that. Just my experience. Yours may or not vary.

 

You are right.. that is a manual tensioner, look s like a Baker..

 

I have one from Baker just like it, taking the auto tensioner out this winter and tossin it. Seems like it was getting to tight for my liking and that's not good for bearings...

 

I have read that the latest version SE compensator includes a "cup" that is glued in place on the primary cover and this cup is designed to direct oil to the compensator.

Then I read where HD would no longer sell the adhesive as they wanted the cup to be dealer installed.

It was on the internet, must be true.

Can anyone either confirm or deny ?

 

My bike is in the shop getting a new stator. Just got a call that my compensator is shot at 19,000 miles. This is BS. I'm just about ready to go back to metric.

 

Correct. There is no hydraulic primary chain tensioner, these are on the cam chain.

 

I just got off the phone with Anthony, the online parts guy from Kutter H-D. He explained that the latest comp. kit includes two pieces of molded plastic which are intended to be attached to the inner primary cover using adhesive to redirect oil onto the compensator hub. They no longer sell the adhesive because Harley wants this done at the dealership to ensure that it is done correctly. He also told me that the 2014 engines have changed the inner primary cover casting and these internal oil baffles are cast right into the inside of the cover. This would suggest that Harley agrees that premature wear and failure of the compensator have something to do with inadequate lubrication in this critical area.

 

That is what I heard, thanks for checking and posting.

I'm sure a guy could come up with an equivalent epoxy if he wanted to DIY.

 

This answer begs the question, will the new cover work with the older style compensator, direct oil onto it to protect it too?

 

I just called my local dealer service department (Pig Trail). The service manager had never heard of the oil deflector kit and was clueless even after I gave him the part number. They have 2 in stock but he didn't know if they could install it.

Edit:

My bike clunks on shut down since I installed the Hayden spring tensioner in the primary. It doesn't really bother me as the benefits far outweigh the new noise.