RapidoRaptor

I’m so depressed, all I have in my garage is an oil spot. My 2000 FLSTF developed a bad cam chain tensioner shoe and resulted in overheating the pistons. The result of overheating the pistons was collapsed pistons and slap which scored the cylinder walls. What a bummer. I’ve been in contact with HD Customer service in Milwaukee and no help. This is going to cost me big time. I have about 62,000 miles on my beloved HD. I’ve been looking on line at various places about failure of the said shoes and it is noted at various times that replacing the chain with gears is recommended. If anyone out there is thinking of extended riding your HD (beyond the normal 4,000 miles in 10 years), you might think of gears on your cams and put up with the minor gear noise that you may hear. I say may hear because most people put on loud pipes which will cover the noise anyway. The shop has my bike because, the noise I was hearing (knocking from top of heads front and rear) I thought it was the Cam bearing failure issue and being what I thought was a recall that I wanted HD to investigate. Anyway, I will be out of ridding for a while. At least until I find a way to hike my short legs over the tall, new Ducati Mulitstrada 1000cc bike (and find the money). I will keep my 2000 FLSTF but for my normal ridding I may be on a pure Italian machine.

Rapido

WooHoo!

i heard about this problem... a guy i know converted his before it became a problem. bummer dude, hope you get the scratch to get it done soon.

RapidoRaptor

Thanks WooHoo

Its not the scratch I'm worred about, its my depression. I need to ride to live. I've been ridding for 35 to 40 years now and its get worse every time. I need two bikes. HD is failing to recognize this problem but you can find this issue in several places on the internet. When asked why they dont recognize this problem, they just respond we cant know every problem that arrises and we still dont see this one.

Rapido

RapidoRaptor

On the road again. I picked up my ride last Saturday 10/4/03. Seems the Piston oil cooling jets were clogged with some debris. The debris was red gasket glue from the last time it was open in the shop at 30,000 miles ago. I still think it was part of the cam chain shoe tensioner that failed but the shop only described what they found. Anyway debris lodged in the jets thereby causing pistons to overheat. The pistons being overheated, collapsed causing a cacophony of noises coming from the heads and cylinders. The shop never experienced this and they bored out the cylinders twice and replaced pistons 3 times and cylinders once at their cost. Every time the shop took it out for a test ride and before they could get back they needed to call a tow to make it back to the shop. I told them on the first day they discovered the cause of the noise that it was an oil flow issue. But like most of us old guys, they did not listen. This time it cost them lots of money rather than this old guy.

Good is the sound of thunder in my ears.
Rapido