How to replace Cam Chain Tensioners on your twin cam

How to replace Cam Chain Tensioners on your twin cam
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Dr. Harley
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[@saveurselves989]

Loved your video,luv you but why did you cut out the uninstall and reinstall, we are novices trying to learn, it should be step by step so all can follow and do the job. Especially now that HD dealers can't and won't work on our older bikes!😢 We need step by step, you almost did it, why not film the whole thing?

[@DrHarley]

Thank you for your input. This video was early on I my KZbin career. I agree it's half done. When I get another one to do. I will re dew the video.

[@h.wayneb3495]

Appreciate video I inspected mine at 13,500 miles appear to show wear however seems minimal looks like approximately .010with some pitting in surface also not seeing evidence in oil pump pickup area of any type of debris or particles from that wear I used a feeler gauge for comparison thinking another 10 to 12k for next look and change then. Oem parts from Harley $172 for tensioners any experience you can share regarding aftermarket replacements? Thank you

[@DrHarley]

When I do this job for people. I recommend that they upgrade the came plate and tensioners to the hydraulic ones. Either from S&S or screaming eagle. Most do not want to make that investment and go with an oem style either from HD or from aftermarket suppliers like JP cycles. I hope this is a help. If you have more questions, please feel free to ask.

[@russhall7170]

Haven't I heard these wearable tensioners are used on earlier bikes?

[@DrHarley]

Only on the twin cam and M8 Motors.

[@boomer1197]

Looks like these are spring tensioners. Does the 30k service interval apply to hydraulic tensioners as well?

[@DrHarley]

I would definitely replace them. It's not the spring that wears out. It's the shoe.

[@boomer1197]

As I understand it, the hydrauluc tensioner puts less pressure on the shoe, thus the shoes last much longer than the spring version. I was just wondering if you had any experience with shoe wear on the hydraulic version. The Maintenance Schedule in the Service Manual shows nothing about inspecting / replacing hydraulic tensioners.

[@DrHarley]

My experience is that I recommend them to be replaced at 30K miles. Better to be safe and sorry. I have seem them worn more than 1/2 way through and some that are fine. It would all depend on how the bike is ridden and serviced.

[@philldownes8685]

not alot of chance of these spering tensioners lasting 30k. more like 10k if your lucky..... HD items are very very poor and way too expensive. cheap nasty plastic in stead of being something like Delrin or teflon/ptfe etc like on the chain of a dirtbike.... and 9 times out of ten there is chunks broken off from what i am seeing.... very poor idea of a tensioner. great for shops as gives them more work.. Front one dead easy t oget at, but a bit harder for the rear....

[@philldownes8685]

@@DrHarley yes when you look at the cheap material its a wonder they last at all.

[@john-xc3iy]

Did you have to remove cams for installation of secondary tensioner? Did you use a special tool to preload springs on it?

[@DrHarley]

Yes, I had to remove the cams. When I installed the new tensioner, I had to use a small Allen wrench to hold it up to reinstall the completed cam plate.

[@luisruiz5933]

I NEED HELP PLEASE. I followed the video step by step, and when i put everything back together, I hear a loud ticking noise when the engine idles, when i rev the ticking sounds louder. I don't know whats wrong. I re-aligned everything and I triple checked that it was all aligned. I made sure I followed every step exactly I have taken the bike apart 3 TIMES and done every step. Lubricated every important pieces. I need help PLEASE. I don't know whats wrong. My bike never did this before.

[@DrHarley]

Is it possible that you reinstalled the lifters 180 degrees out and the oiling ports are not getting oil?

[@luisruiz5933]

@@DrHarley All the parts are original parts, I made sure the intake and exhaust lifters are in the right spot, they are non adjustable. The one thing I noticed when I did take apart the bike was that the crank shaft where the oil pump is inserted got slightly worn, and it wasnt like that before. When I installed the oil pump I made sure I did the oil pump alignment correctly but there is no way in knowing if the oil pump is correctly aligned. My only lead is that.

[@luisruiz5933]

@@DrHarley I feel like it has to do with the oil pump alignment but I have done it 3 times and noticed the crank shank and where the oil pump connects into the engine ( the little hole on the left ) had a little bit of wear. I dont know how to fix this problem. I made sure I did the alignment correctly, but I dont know how to check if it is aligned once I align the oil pump.

[@luisruiz5933]

@@DrHarley either sides of the lifters are identical how would I know if which side is up or down?

[@DrHarley]

There are oiling holes on the sides of the lifters, They can be installed 180 degrees out.. If so the lifters will not get oil and cause a ticking noise..

[@dane5896]

What does the job cost?

[@DrHarley]

Looking at around 200 in parts and what ever the labor is. For.me I charge 450 for labor.

[@joshuaramos9676]

You reused the o rings?

[@DrHarley]

I did change it out off camera. I realized that before I reinstalled the fuel tank.

[@joshuaramos9676]

@@DrHarley Just wanted to know because I was installing a new Feuling camchest kit with all new o rings but when I went to torque the camplate I noticed one of the threads was stripped. So I had to remove the camplate along with the oil pump that was already attached to the camplate. I fixed the thread with a helicoil but I wanted to know, those new o rings for those two small holes and the larger one for the oil pump should still be good right? To go to the Harley dealer and get new o rings it’s about a 45 minute drive

[@DrHarley]

@joshuaramos9676 you would never want to reuse o rings. They are inexpensive and it's cheap insurance to replace them.

[@davidbrown6353]

May as well change the junk cam plate while you're at it these problems are engineered in these motors it's b*******

[@DrHarley]

I agree, however the owner of the bike was on a tight budget.

[@Sam590ss]

Absolutely nowhere in this video does it show you actually removing or installing the tensioners. Maybe you should re title the video to "how to remove/install a cam plate, because that's all you've shown here.

[@banzairunner7860]

Exactly….that’s why I clicked on this video to begin with🙁

[@rickmartin5081]

Dr. Harley where can I find the tool for the inside tensioner?

[@DrHarley]

I would suggest jp cycles or Jim's. But I use a screw driver.

[@rickmartin5081]

Thank you for replying, I would surely like to use a screwdriver also, I’d like to see how it’s done though don’t want to booger anything up.

[@DrHarley]

Take your time and you will be fine. Have a second set of hands to hold the cam plate while you remove it.

[@rickmartin5081]

Thanks again Doc Harley, looks like that’s exactly what I’m gonna have to do, I did Modify a lawn Moore spark plug socket thingy by cutting away and knocking some metal it goes over it I’m just not sure if it will hold compression I will find out ha ha

[@buddha65281]

I would like to see how you remove the tensioners as well, especially the inner one. I am getting ready to do this job on my 2005 flhtcui. I hate to spend 130$ for a tool I will use for 2 min.

[@sinistersilverado965]

you need to work on the audio quality

[@DrHarley]

Yeah last night for some.reason it was off.

[@floydmitchell3344]

A little bit scattered, lots of details but didn.t show the important stuff.

[@DrHarley]

Thank you for your input, I am working on making better content. I would also agree it is missing the inner tensioner. The next time I have to do this job I will make sure that it's better.

[@unclemikeb]

I was hoping to see how you replaced the inner cam shoe. But you didn't show that part. There are videos insisting I have to use a special tool but the harley shop tech says to use a screwdriver and pin it back.

[@DrHarley]

That is correct. You can use a screwdriver and a pin or as I showed the use of a Allen wrench to keep the slack off the inner chain to making the re-install easier.

[@philldownes8685]

there is a special tool mate. but better off to simply make yoru own as the tool is a proper rip off price.... yo ucan make it out of scrap in 10 minutes if yo uhave a little mig welder,

[@jerrychiplinski257]

Video is pretty much useless since you skip over how to actually change the cam tensioners.

[@DrHarley]

It's only two screws per tensioners.

[@philldownes8685]

@@DrHarley there is not ANY screws at all in the tensioners so stop with the BS.

[@philldownes8685]

image some poor sould stopping the vide owhen yo usaid 90 to 120ft pounds ?.. you need t oedit yoru videos before someone makes a terrible mistake and then comes looking for you............. and the video is not what it says. it does not show how to change the tensioners at all, very thing but....

[@DrHarley]

Thank you for your input. I agree this video was early in my KZbin career and I was a bit nervous recording it.

[@sswcustomsewing4276]

​@@DrHarley I think you did a great job. You explained how to torque everything right by the book and explained the sequence perfectly as the manual specified. Thank you 👍

[@DrHarley]

@sswcustomsewing4276 thanks for watching and your kind words.

[@mackandchezz]

seams this video has a few pages stuck together

[@sswcustomsewing4276]

I have been told go with a gear drive on my all stock 00 Softail Standard twin cam 88 and I don't agree. Reason being is I have experience with the old GM Truck, Cragar, Crower, Milodon, and Pete Jackson gear drives. Running them in Chevrolet sbc and bbc engines they were more of a expensive headache just not worth it. I can also remember people installing tensioners and they were another good intention yet they caused more headaches. The link belt timing chains were dependable and later the cloyes true roller was and is still the way to go. So my first question is doesn't someone sell a kit that replaces timing chains, and gives the opportunity to run a hydraulic tensioner ? I ask about replacement chains because from what little I have seen the oem chains some were sharp wearing out those shoes on the tensioners a little faster. My other question should I replace, blueprint, and or upgrade the factory oil pump ? I have heard replace the cam bearings ? To me that doesn't make sense if I am not replacing the cams and see no problem why not leave it alone ? I want to fix my engine for longevity I don't do band aids its not worth the risk of creating a twin cam paperweight. I really like how you didn't hack off the push rods with bolt cutters and replace them with those aftermarket adjustable ones. You did a better job than most places I have seen and go by the book. Thank you for sharing 👍

[@DrHarley]

Yes you can upgrade to hydraulic tensioners. However the cam plate will also need to be upgraded. S&S, Fueling and belive it or not, Screaming eagle and good cam plates, oil pumps and use the hydraulic tensioners. Those are sold separately.

[@DrHarley]

Also, if you go gear drive, you will have to make sure that the run out of the pinion shaft is less than 6 thousands.

[@sswcustomsewing4276]

@@DrHarley In my opinion not even worth the hassle or expense of gears. I think I will just go with a kit like you mentioned and call it good. If I remember correctly I read something about high dollar Audi engines having similar issues with tensioners and they are just something that people just have to replace. Thank you very much.

[@sswcustomsewing4276]

@@DrHarley Excellent. Thank you 👍

[@DrHarley]

@sswcustomsewing4276 with the Hydrolic ones, they last longer. So you will be good and IMO worth the investment