[QUOTE=oct1949;10892039]YES..
The tennsioners on an 88''er can go anywhere from 20k miles and up.
U need to have it checked Yesterday. IF U can't do it for sure have someone do it before it takes out the bottom end.


Also come back and let us know what the problem was.


UPDATE: Well, it isn't the tensioner. In fact, it has very little wear and tear at all. We did find a little piece of debris, about the size of a ballpoint pen tip, in there that was loose. I doubt that could be making the noise and so did my indie mechanic. We cleaned it out.

- Based on the noise I described to him (as usual, the noise stopped when I took it in) he says he's sure it isn't the primary bearings. If that was the case, he said I would damn sure know because the noise would be constant and unmistakable. The noise I hear on mine is bad, but only intermittent.

- One possibility, he says, is a piston in my rear brake caliper. I noticed the caliper was hot as a firecracker and discolored, and sure enough we found one of the pistons was misaligned. Only the other three were working right.

Is that what's making the noise? Maybe, but I doubt it. The mechanic also said maybe. Anyway, I've ridden it twice since then, 50-60 mile rides, and no noise so far. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I'm skeptical. We'll see.

 

Interesting I am not sure if this is true since it was missed since all they did was tighten it up and they would have had to pull the alternator rotor off to see problem. But I live in the Hampton Roads Area and there are only two dealers in my area. Both missed the problem including me. However and I always say this to people with extended warranty that includes maintenance which was on this bike only to original owner since it was with the South Side Dealer. When I got bike I got original owner to take it in an do the 20K. He had a 1/2" stack of paper work of all the maintenance.
The primary oil was dirty, the fork oil black and the plugs had a full 10K of rust on them. The brake pads were new but both rotors were worn .012 below the minimum wear thickness and it had a new VA State inspection. Both plate lights up under rear fender were burnt out. Does not say much from the dealer and all I can say is check what you get done if you can. The dealer on my side just would not replace parts I brought in and that is the rules. I could have put it all back together and drove it back in a week later but by then maybe they would have worked on it but the warrant was running out shortly and I just let it go. The part man checked and told me that his dealership alone had sold 20 alternators with the spline gone so that must be a something they should have looked for and with the older Harleys with the 10 spline and not the seration and you have a loose compensator nut it should be checked. When it goes other then the chips it is so smooth that some may not know a spline is suppose to be there. I would personally never buy a warranty and only take a new one in unless the parts were going to cost me big bucks. However I am sure I am working on my last Harley anyway Ha.

 

I meant how can we avoid a dealer if we don't know what the name of the dealership is. You're saying that an extended warranty with service only works for the original owner? I thought you could get it extended? (Don't know for sure... but don't you also buy the length of these warranties? How would you know how long one should be?).

 

How does a misaligned/seized caliper piston directly correlate to engine speed? You said the sound changed in accordance with RPMs...

I think you found another problem, but it's not the problem.

In any event, you should plan to replace the tensioners and inner cam bearings sooner than later. Otherwise, the price of that problem increases 10 fold. At 24,000 you're in the red zone...

 

The original owner had the extended 5 year warranty with Harley thru the dealer that only took a letter switching names on it for me. No fees involved. He also had a lifetime warranty for all maintenance (standard oils)parts and labor with no copay and I guess that was thru the dealer. The only thing he paid extra for was for a chrome filter, SYN upgrade and tires. This was non transferable. Looked to me like they were getting some money back on it since I think they were skipping somethings. As far as extending Harley warranty I am kinda thinking it was close to $1000 for another year after 5 years. I would not have bought the first one since I think the the paper work I have was close to $4000. and I was glad it was gone. The original owner was a Doctor and money was not a real concern. He sure carried it in a lot like it was his baby. In the few years he had it they say they changed 3 brake pad changes and 4 sets of tires in 20K and also that the bike requires 7 quarts of SYN3 oil. They must have spilled a lot. They show going into primary twice but oil was filthy when I went into it like it had never been changed. The magnet was big as the hole it was pulled out of from all the metal from the chain rubbing and the spline from the alt. rotor

 

Ah. That explains it. No wonder I didn't get one! <grin>

C#

 

[QUOTE=tmac00333;10903543]UPDATE: After several more rides, no more noise, so it must have been one of the above fixes, to anyone having a similar problem. I agree I don't see what the piston in my rear brake caliper could have anything to do with it. Anyway, I THINK it's gone.

 

Primary chain. Might need adjustment, might not.