2009 Ultra....S/E intake,power commander 5...rhinehart slip ons, S/E 255 cams, dynoed after cam install.

About 500 miles after having the cam work done, all was well....stopped for a short time...restarted the bike and no oil pressure. The oil pump inner "gerotor" shattered...was literally in about 6 pieces and had to be replaced. Replaced the entire pump and housing with the "upgraded" Screaming Eagle part.

Fast forward to 9 months and about 1000 miles later and 50 miles from home...made a short stop...went to start the bike.....starts but no oil pressure again.

I'm lost. I'm sure it trashed the inner gerotor again. Since the cam work the bike does start harder..especially when hot. When I stop I hit the starter once or twice to take it off the compression stroke to make it easier when restarting. Could the hard starting be applying high than normal pressure and causing the failure? Compression releases? From all I have read should not be needed for a simple 255 cam upgrade.

Thoughts? Need to find a solution...cant afford $900 replacement pump and labor every 1000 miles.....and wont be able to enjoy the bike if I am wondering every time I get on it if it is going to thrash another one and leave me stranded again.

Thanks to any and all that will take the time to reply...trying to care for the bike that's why I replaced the whole pump and assembly...figured that would solve it. Figured wrong.

Thanks

 

Frist thing I would check is the run out on your crank.

I don't see how the 255 cams would be causing an issue because of the little extra ramp on the cam lobes and how extra compression would be thrashing the oil pump. Starter going out maybe, but not the oil pump.

 

Crank runout???

 

Yep...... Excessive crank runout

 

255's are a bad cam choice without compression releases. As previously suggested you may want to check the crank runout. Who is doing your work?

 

When I lost my first oil pump on my 96" I did the same and ordered the SE billet, that lasted about 800 miles before it went. Took it to the dealer and the crank was way out, didn't have time to have it repaired due to retirement/trip/moving to a different state so I had the dealer put the 120R in.
Pretty sure if the inside of your pump looks like mine did its your crank.
Heres a pic of the broke stock compared to the SE pump.

 

Time for a 117/120/124!

 

Another vote for crank runout...

How many miles on the bike?

 

Thanks for all that took the time to respond.

Taking back to my Indy....

With your input did some searching on crank run out...and it likely sounds like the culprit.

Thanks for the pics....mine was actually in about 6 pieces....

31,000 on the bike....

Thanks again all.....guess it's just money.....: (

 

Thats what happened when Harley went away from the forged bottom end and timkin crank bearings, your crank slipped, either put a new motor in it or have the crank trued and welded, then have your cases machined for Timkin crank bearings and never worry about your bottom end again. Or an aftermarket motor that has already had all of that done to it.