88 twin cam need cam chain tensioners replacement! Its a major task but videos all over internet about replacing tensioner pads! These cam tensioners can go at 1000 miles or still be good at 15,000, there is a flat plate with hydraulic pads putting constant pressure on pads. Kit comes with new oil pump. Depending on milage cams an cam bearing might need chsnged while motor is broken down so far?
I bought a 2000 Roadking last year. Needed tensioners done right away, and I was back n forth on doing the cam bearings because I’d never done anything like that before. I bought the bearing puller and although the pucker factor was in full effect, it wasn’t bad at all. Very glad I went the extra mile. The only regret I have is cutting the pushrods and going with adjustable ones. I would’ve liked to look at the top end. Lesson learned
These engines are so noisy in general its hard to decipher right from wrong. I have an 88 that was upped to a 103, full tear down with new crank and gear driven S&S cams 10,000 miles ago now. Sorta a noisy engine but the noise is kinda even sounding everywhere is how I can explain it, not a constant tick, or rap, or knock. I assume once I hear a clank clunk or knock it will stand out. But for now my sewing machine is clatterng chattering away effortlessly between my legs and I turn up the music 🤪
Dirty oil...one original lifter check ball got grit stuck in it and it collapsed and won't pump up right? That's my guess. New lifters problem solved. P.S. Had that happen to me once...change oil regularily!
My 2000 rd King dash is computer controlled. I swapped one out because my tach was separate n i wanted it together, mileage was exactly the same as my stock one once plugged in!
Curious why you changed out the Screaming Eagle parts that were in there? Didn’t seem like they were the problem. Where did you get the bearing tools? I’ll be doing mine soon and collecting as much information as possible.
Yaay! Update video! Interesting! An inner cam bearing huh? Never would have guessed that! Scary deal for sure. Cant believe no one replaced them? Your already in there wtf
Hmm thanks, this might be it. I shorted the two drainage motor wires (by accident) while fixing an unrelated error code. Now when I turn on the electricity again the drainage motor keeps running. Wondering if I shorted the main board. Checking after my break :D
Good luck brother! You are looking in all the right places but success is not guaranteed. I torn my engine twice, lifters rockers pushrod compesators chain tensioners OEM and aftermarket, sns crankshaft se plate and pump and the bike still sounds like a bucket of bolts. Found one real thing that made a bit of a difference though. Oil squirer, the one that wets the bottom of the piston was seized open. That helped a lot. The other thing is i actually went back to non adjustable rods and found them to be marginally quieter. I am done looking though. To much money in this project. Have fun!
When you said at the start of the video; let it warm up 5 to 10 minutes, I threw a red flag right then! I let mine, an 05 Road King Custom flhrsi T.C. 88, warm up for 2 minutes, then take it easy, for the first few miles of riding. I ride everyday! (Hopefully won't come across five traffic lights that all made me stop for three more minutes each!) Remember Harley's are air cooled, and no way to cool it off (if it gets too hot, and you keep hitting it the traffic lights red) unless you stop the engine for twenty minutes or so. Yes, Harley Davidson recommends that your engine is at operating temperature! But unless you have a fan pointing towards the cylinders, it's going to get too hot, and you will feel the heat when you are sitting on it, waiting for the light to change green, and the (water cooled engine with radiator) automobile drivers, decide to get off their cell phones, and go! Long story short: idling for long periods is bad! (Unless it's a very windy day!)
Lifters on a twin cam don’t need to be changed that often. It’s only the evolution motors that need to be changed every 40,000 miles one thing I’m sure you’re learning is it everybody has opinions but the facts are evolutions for sure need to be changed every 40,000 miles at least.
That twin cam 88, is probably the B version which has counter balancers in the right side engine case, Those have an inside chain that runs on a guide and turns the two counter balancers. That might be the noise
Lifter was my first thought. It's definitely dropping one cylinder and sounds like lacking compression on one cylinder. Possibly not opening an intake valve.
stop running that bike, your killing the engine. I have the exact same firefighter RK. At 40,000 miles I installed a FUELING 525 gear drive kit what a difference, if you have to pull shit apart install the best that keeps it from destruction. I installed an S&S gear drive 509 kit in my 2001 flht, great system but no comparison to FUELING. glade it worked out for you, its an inherited problem with twin-cams, shit lifters, and cam-shoes, but from 1999-2004 they had timken bearing in the crankcase much better than plane bearings. keep it running.
Wow as I read through the comments and the ones who would do a rebuild and reuse the lifters you go that far the cost of new lifters it kinda makes sense to replace them
