About to go into my Primary

I am actually looking forward to going into my Primary.

I have been having a small starting issue. When the bike is cold, it starts like a dream. Once the bike has some warmth or at full operating temp, it tends to get finicky and kick back during the start. It has been diagnosed as the compensator being worn out. The spring on the compensator gets weak as it gets warmer leading to these "kick backs."

Anyhow, I have the SE Compensator and Primary gasket paid for and I pick it up when I get home. Hopefully everything will go as planned as I have everything I believe I need except for a tool to pull the stator cover, and that should not be too hard to improvise that tool. Maybe the Primary tensioner will be fine when I go in there.

I know this is nothing, but I am ready to get back to Alabama and work on something other than a Helicopter.

I hear ya, I have 10+ years of Sikorshy and bell experience both as mechanic and flying crew crew. After working on thoses birds harley's are a great pleasure.

I cut my teeth on most of the products Bell has had to offer since the Bell 206 BIII up to and including a little experience on the 214ST. Now days I am mostly into the Sikorsky. I spent 10 years maintaining the S-76A (Allison C-30 powered) and now I am working the S-76C+ and C++ and not to forget the S-92A.

The S-92A is a great aircraft. It is strong and relatively easy maintenance. The Parts are just bigger.

Well starting out this job, I wasn't 100% sure that this was going to cure my starting ailments. Everything I found pointed that direction, but the symptoms I was experiencing could have been a starter/solenoid issue. I did know sooner or later I was going to have to change the compensator due to the weakly designed compensator installed in the 2007-2010 Harley. I completed the job and test rode the bike after a good leak check of the primary. I was surprised at how well everything seemed to work afterwards.

I started the compensator replacement at about 9Am and finished up about 1PM. That's 4 hours on my first trip into my primary. Now if I had to do it again, I could probably nearly cut that time in half. I did have some bumps to overcome, but nothing major. I ended up going to purchase another Torq Bit and I had to drill out a screw on the clutch inspection cover. These problems were nothing big and I would expect small issues like these on the way through a job like this. Oterwise everything else was as I expected and fairly uneventfull.

Anyone out there with a 07-10 Harley that is having any sort of starting "Kickback" or "Bang" should investigate their compensator. I milked mine through for a while because I was not sure what the root of my problem was. When I did get into look at it, the little can on the stator cover that hold the springs for the compensator was cracked out of the side of it. The springs had somehow worn or ate through the side of the spring "can" and there was a crack where a big chunk of the can was about to come off and be loose insode my primary.

Anyone have a question about my symptoms, let me know I will tell you anything I learned.

Glad you got it fixed with no troubles.

Thanks, I am glad I got to do it.

With the proper manuals and some internet research, I knew exactly what I was getting into.

Maybe the next project I can get into in get into the cam chest. I need to look at the cam chain tensioners sometime soon and maybe I will change the cams while I am in there.

Last time I checked the 2007+ has a different tensioner and they don't have problems like the older ones do.

You may be right, but I believe that is the primary Tensioner.

The Cam Chain Tensioners have a tendency to wear.

At least that is what I have read about in other forums.

I know the primary tensioner is different. But last time I went to Harley I was told the newer bikes have a different type of tensioner pad and doesn't have the problems like the older models. Might be a lie but that's what I was told. I have an 04 so that's why I asked them in the first place. Good luck.

I think we both may be talking about the same thing. The Primary Chain tensioner was changed to a "new and Improved" tensioner in 2005 (or there abouts). This newer tensioner is supposed to have none of the issues that the older tensioner had. It is an automatic tensioner as well, and this is why the newer bikes do not have the removable window to go into and adjust the tensioner. My primary tensioner appeared to have near zero wear on it, although I did not have a new one handy to compare it too.

Now the other 2 tensioners are in the cam chest and they still experience issues with the shoes wearing on these. There is one on each cam chain. Supposedly around 40K or 50K miles they should be inspected for wear.

Like I said I could be wrong, and my information source is in various forums, but most people seem to agree.

I know the primary tensioner changed. And I know what you're talking about. I have read all the same things as you. And we both know the dealer is full of s*it. But I talked to them about my cam tensioner. And they are supposed to be different. Let us know what you find when you go into the cams and what you find. Good luck.

I bet your right. It seems to me that there was also a change to the primary tensioner at some point and they were supposed to be better.

When I get around to getting into mine, I will let you know what I see. I am not sure when it will be, but I need to do it in the next 10k or so miles unless it acts up sooner.

Glad to hear you got it changed out okay, been out of town for work and missed your progress till now.

Thanks Man, but I think I have caught the plague or something. I got the compensator swapped out and everything was good to go, and suddenly had to leave for work early for some OT. Getting back home last Thurday and Thursday night took the bike out for a ride and did not make it out of the parking space when I noticed the rear tire low. Then it was late Saturday before I could even get time to air it up, and found out it is leaking down. There must be a nail or something in it I suppose. Unfortunately I am back again in Louisiana.

There may just be a new tire in my future (Dunlop Elite III).

Speaking of that, The old Retro Cycles shop is now called Bama Cycles. Anyone have any info on the new shop owner? Hopefully he will be as good and decent as the former owner. I stopped in a couple weeks ago and he seems like a great guy.

The compensator issue really started with the 96" motors , it was designed for the 88" , the 96" was a bit much for it , and the 103" ate them up bad .. Starting with the 11 model year , everything was upgraded to the SE comp ..

07 was the transition year in the cam chest if I remember correctly ..

The primary tensioner changed with the 11's , it's an auto tensioner that is known to tighten the primary too tight

07 and newer are hydraulic tensioners (both cam chain and primary) in the cam chest so no need to inspect. 06 dyna got the hydraulic tensioners too, but that is a unique motor that year because it is the only 88" with stock hydraulic tensioners and 6 speed transmission.

I have done many cam changes in both generation bikes. I am not a fan of riding the 88" spring loaded tensioners since they are just a time bomb with an unknown fuse.

Congrats on your primary project.

Thanks!! I was eager to jump into it once I decided I had a problem.

Tully, do you work for Mobile Bay HD or maybe P'Cola HD?

Just curious because I would like to hear what you have to say about the new 2014 "Water Heads." I have done quite a bit of reading about them since they came out and think I will be ready for a SG in a couple years. That should give the cooling system a time to be proven and also get it in the SG.

No, don't work for Mobile HD or Pens HD, I got tired of my fluids being overfilled,  bolts left loose, half assed over priced service so started wrenching on bikes myself.

If you read enough of HD's on the internet, it takes about 5 years or so before they figure out how to build a new motor just right and have all the bugs worked out. So I am going to be sitting tight for a few years.

Never thought I would say this, but water cooling is just a PIA. More to work with, more to go wrong. HD had really perfected air cooled motors and since they run for well over 100k what more could you ask for. I doubt the new motors will last any longer once the bugs are worked out than the current engines, so why rush into it? It was only done to comply with the EPA.  

If in a couple of years you want a SG, find a 2013 garage queen and save some money and get a proven design. Until then, continue to read up and hear about all the problems yet to be discovered with the new engines. As with many HD designs, the problems don't seem to show up till about 40k or 50k mlles just like the chain tensioners that started this thread.