Intruders-Alert

Something else creeps up. Started hearing a rattle in the primary. Thinking maybe loose compensater nut or I need to adjust the primary chain tensioner. Screw that. I'm gonna relocktite and retorque the nut and install an auto tensioner. This damn Harley is already pissing me off and I haven't even owned it a year yet.

If it's just a slack chain, that's an easy fix.

MattSunn wrote:If it's just a slack chain, that's an easy fix.

I like being thorough . Besides, if the later models went to an auto tensioner, there had to be a reason. I picked one up for $40, so I'll do it when I check the compensator nut. In the mean time, I'll just adjust the manual one and hope the noise goes away. I heard it at the beginning of the season and just thought it was horn cover.

I just had a thought. You're sure the noise is from the primary side? You have an 03 right? Not real familiar with big twins, but isn't that a twin cam motor? Make sure the noise isn't coming from the other side, from the tensioners. If one of those goes, it might get messy. You probably know this better than me, but don't ride it until you're absolutely sure the noise isn't from the cam side.

MattSunn wrote:I just had a thought. You're sure the noise is from the primary side? You have an 03 right? Not real familiar with big twins, but isn't that a twin cam motor? Make sure the noise isn't coming from the other side, from the tensioners. If one of those goes, it might get messy. You probably know this better than me, but don't ride it until you're absolutely sure the noise isn't from the cam side.

I'm positive, I used a stethoscope. It sounds like the chain slapping against the cover.

Is there a chain adjuster on the bottom of the primary case as on a sportster? Might have to crank that up a little.

jonnycando wrote:Is there a chain adjuster on the bottom of the primary case as on a sportster? Might have to crank that up a little.

Yeah, but I doubt there's just a little chain slap. It's coming from the front too. I think the compensator nut came loose. I hope the compensator is ok. I'll be tearing into it this weekend, if my parts come. I got a Hayden M6 auto chain adjuster that gets great reviews. No more 5K adjustments, maybe just a 20K pad replacement.

Rode a good friends partly water cooled Harley a week ago.So heavy! All six of my Harleys were solid mount and no balanced so worlds apart from the all panty friendly stuff since they even rubber mounted the sportster! [emoji2] Four of mine were big or big at the time Harleys 74ci then two 80 ci Evos.They are not like the sportster front chain adjustment in that you go inside to adjust the shoe not the nice set screw at bottom of case like big Hogs.Best thing to do with a Harley that makes too much motor racket is open up the pipes more. [emoji106] My 66 shovel chopper had open short drag pipes for over ten years.Really if you really watch your revs you can get by most towns with out the law pulling you over.My 1700 RoadStar with a V&H two into one is so much louder with the baffle out.Really painfull if no ear plus and set car alarms off with it in!At 60mph all you could see in the rear view of the shovel was a swril of colors! It was fun ride and drew more around it when parked than any bike I ever owned.
Really like most all mikes and can kid because I buy what Mocc said"next to most of the even cheapest cars they all are junk!"

old time rider wrote:Rode a good friends partly water cooled Harley a week ago.So heavy! All six of my Harleys were solid mount and no balanced so worlds apart from the all panty friendly stuff since they even rubber mounted the sportster! [emoji2] Four of mine were big or big at the time Harleys 74ci then two 80 ci Evos.They are not like the sportster front chain adjustment in that you go inside to adjust the shoe not the nice set screw at bottom of case like big Hogs.Best thing to do with a Harley that makes too much motor racket is open up the pipes more. [emoji106] My 66 shovel chopper had open short drag pipes for over ten years.Really if you really watch your revs you can get by most towns with out the law pulling you over.My 1700 RoadStar with a V&H two into one is so much louder with the baffle out.Really painfull if no ear plus and set car alarms off with it in!At 60mph all you could see in the rear view of the shovel was a swril of colors! It was fun ride and drew more around it when parked than any bike I ever owned.
Really like most all mikes and can kid because I buy what Mocc said"next to most of the even cheapest cars they all are junk!"

Paul, your insite and stories and welcome as always.

Later Big Twins do however have an inspection cover to adjust chain tension. They did remove it when they went to auto tensioners.

I don't mind my Harley loud, and the SE pipes on it now do the trick, but that's not how I solve my mechanical issues.

I'm trying to save a much larger repair bill down the road. Suppose I could stop splitting hairs and measure my crank run-out and go to gear driven on both sides. She'll sound like a super charger when I fire it up and I won't have anything to worry about for the life of the bike.

Still like most all Harleys in looks.Fit and finsh have allways been a little better than most IMO. Don't want any more wire wheels but in looks you can not beat them.To me they look far better than any custom mag.The sportster 48 is sure a good lookin bike to me.Less is still more in looks for me but all the stuff to make any of them nice for long trips and comfort make most a tad too much in looks.Guess ten years of strips in the stoneage late 70s early 80s got me liking a all most a bare bones motorcycle in looks.If its your ride any racket means more to you than the friend like me that says"forget it its nothing!"If I had checked my wheel bearing just by a up and shake before the trip this month may not be working on it in the so hot weather now .Just because some old guy says something does not make it so.Most of us are not wise just a old wise ass! But Don is wise [emoji106] .

Well, to end this thread, and for those of you with manual or Harley auto tensioners, you may find this interesting.

After draining the fluid, which was slightly on the shiny side with a couple metal particles, I pulled of the outer primary cover. I expected to find a the very least that the compensator nut had come loose. To my surprise and elation, it had not. What was loose was the primary chain. The nylon shoe was also slightly worn. Inconsequential. I already procured a Hayden auto chain tensioner. No matter what style you have, I highly suggest this piece of equipment.

No more adjustments for a ten thousand miles at least. Even then, that's just to check the tightness. No more worrying your HD tensioner will malfunction and trash your compensator or press fit crank. No whine noise, when installed as directed.

Best $40 I spent on the bike thus far. The other was the Sta Bo bushings. Bike is running as good as I could hope for.

Just happy it's fixed.

Glad it worked out [emoji106] Dam I like that pan more every time I look at it. Never thought the old stock simple small 3.5 stock fat bob tanks would look that good just bare. The rear fender looks like what we did in the stone age. Take a old front fender ,cut off part of the front till as long as you want and mount on rear. Four speed as spring is on the out side. Five speed on inside and had to take my 1993 apart and lots of other stuff to get at it when return spring broke.