I took my 01 Fatboy into my local HD dealer because the rocker housings are starting to spit a little oil when I am riding at 75 mph or more. I was told the gaskets need replacing. They also told me I should have the cam chain tensioners checked and possibly replaced. I was wondering what needs to be replaced or inspected at 50,000 miles. I looked in the owners manuel and my shop manuel and there is no mention of this?? Anyone have 50K or more miles and what do you recmend I have to do if anything. The bike runs great and has been properly maintained. I think the dealer my be trying to sell me a $500 upsell. Thanks for your help

 

Your cam chain tensioners are due to be replaced about now. I have seen a few go a lot longer but not many. You might want to have them put a new breather kit in it while it's apart. There is a newer better style of breathers. $500 for chain tensioners? An indy shop can do it cheaper.

 

Good thing they recommended the tensioner check, just replace 'em. Normal retail for a tensioner is around $53 a piece, you have 2 of them. They can be had at Zanotti's for $45.00. Better breather like blkbagger said, rocker gaskets, cam cover gasket, o-rings in the cam chest,exhaust gasket(s), maybe $180.00 in parts retail. Add 3 hours labor depending how much a pita it is to get the exhaust off. At $70/hour, worst case scenario is $430.00 including tax and fluids. Depending on your financial situation, you could consider a cam and cam plate upgrade. But then again, with those rocker covers off, why not go a little lower and remove the heads and those cylinders and pistons are just one level lower. Yes, very tempting.

 

Well said!

Do the basics and ride the bike, or because you have the "good motor," ( hot forged crank and and Timken Lefty bearing,) your bike is a great candidate for gear drive cams.

Ah decisions, decisions.....

 

Is replacing the tensioners and the upper and lower rocker box gaskets an over lapping labor jods?

 

The tech has to pull the cam plate to get to the inside tensioner. If he's re-using your pushrods, he has to pull the rocker boxes anyway. He will have to install new gaskets too.

 

I am being charged 4 hours for replacing the upper and lower rocker box gaskets parts and labor total for that job $450. 1 additional hour to check the cam tensioners $85. Then if it needs tensioners an additional $500 to do that job. It appears there my be some labor overlap for both jobs if they have to remove the rocker box covers to do the inspection. I don't mind paying but don't want to get shafted.

 

Is that just a quote or are you having the bike worked on right now? That is way to much money. Go elsewhere.

 

They are working on it now. The only thing they are doing at this time is replacing the rocker box cover gaskets 4 hours labor plus parts $400 total. They are also inspecting the tensioners 1 hour extra labor $85. But they are telling me if the tensioners need replacing an additional $500??

 

At 50K I would just go ahead and replace then tensioners. I did mine at 40K. My rocker bolts were a bit loose at 50 K when they were checked. I have 58K on my bike now.

Drew