When removing the cam plate on a 2003 RK, if during removal I leave the oil pump attached to the cam plate, do I need to perform the alignment process (tapered screw/fixture) for the oil pump?

 

I've seen it done that way. Above my pay grade to do it like that. It's easier to align the pump and o-rings in the cam chest with the pump detached from the cam plate to me.

 

I would like to add that if you take cam plate off, then the oil pump, watch how all the pieces fall out. Zero oil pressure if you put them in wrong. Good time to inspect the pump also.

 

The answer is YES you do need to align the oil pump; attached to the cam plate or not, no exceptions. Additionally, given that, removing the oil pump from the cam plate makes re-installing it much easier and allows you to make sure the scavenge o-ring is in it's proper place. It's also easier to get it lined up on the pinion shaft when it's not attached to the cam plate. You can use the bolts as outlined in the service manual in holes 1 and 2 or Evo tappet block alignment pins (which I use).

I will also give you this caution. The two holes in the engine case that have locating dowels on them will strip very, very easy. I never use a torque wrench on those two bolts. The locating dowels take up a couple of threads and aren't engaged as much as the others. I recommend putting threaded studs in those two holes and ARP nuts to secure them. I've got a thread around here somewhere on how to do it. One final note; keep the cam cover bolts and the cam plate bolts separate, they are not the same and using the longer ones can dent a lifter bore. That's a PITA.






Cue the poster who'll tell you he's never aligned a Twin Cam oil pump in thousands of re-builds, uses 3 In 1 oil instead motor oil and has 246,000 miles on his bike. This forum seems to have a lot of guys who're willing to give advice on something they've never done before. That can be confusing.

 

Smart man, pay attention to him!

 

Thanks for the helpful tips! If you can post the link to the thread to install the studs in the oil pump alignment dowels it would be a big help.

 

The studs pictured above are 1/4"x20 - 1/4"x28; 1 1/2" long studs. The nuts are ARP 12-point black oxide nuts 1/4x28. I double nut the studs, red loctite (the 1/4"x20 part of the studs and put them into the doweled holes and let them dry over night. The next day I remove the double nuts and assemble the cam chest. I put the ARP nuts on with a little blue 243 loctite and only snug them tight by hand, the stud is doing the work supporting the plate. I do it in sequence until the nuts are snug and then I skip them and final torque the others. I get them from Summit Racing by the box as I do a lot of 99-06 tensioner shoe replacement (Cycos using the original spring tensioners).

Here are the alignment pins

https://www.georges-garage.com/produ...t-screws-pair/

 

During the course of doing some preventative maintenance over this past winter I asked nomadmax this very question...i followed his advice and my bike still has not blown up lol. It's really not a hard procedure and not a place where you want to shortcut.