It's plastic so there is a possibility it can fail. Checking it isn't a big deal at about 50000 miles or so but not necessary...It is in the end the choice of the owner...Mine stayed in as they are ok. The fuzzy feeling is back.

 

Since you have your cam chest open again, how do your tensioners look? Do you have the orange type? How many miles on them?

 

Is anyone taking the timing covers off of their cages? Most have the same setup as the new bikes and last forever.

 

I had some oil spewing thru the AC. Checked out the top end and replaced the butterfly valves which helped a little but she was still spewing.

Decided to open up the cam chest to check the oil pump. Figured to replace the TR-590 cams with his new grind of this cam due to some noise issues. Had close to 20000 miles on her since these cams were installed. My tensioners were trashed. Tech says the tensioners were assembled correctly. Orange type. Motor has been running very hot.

This is the third set of cams to be installed in this motor.
1st set installed at 3700 miles - tensioners like new
2nd set installed at 16000 miles - tensioners like new
3rd set installed at 35000 - tensioners trashed

Couple of pics

FWIW: I will be doing an annual inspection on the tensioners until I regain my faith in this system.

JW

 

Mine were orange but the piston didn't push through like in your pics.
mine wore down on just one side of each , maybe mine was built on a friday...

 

That's not the piston in the picture. That's the cup the assembly rides in. It is molded into the tensioner material. The wear is so extreme you can see the cup. Pic shows the cup from underneath.

Had the motor completely disassembled, contaminates cleaned out and rebuilt. Took out the oil pump as the contaminates act like an abrasive.

I forgot to say this was on my 08 S E Road King.

JW

 

Orange 57000 miles and they are 90% good, you know there is a drag mark and a few little pits in the plastic but they went right back in...i will check them in another 60000

 

Dude, i don't blame you, i would also...peace of mind is worth a lot.

 

i have 53k+ on my 07 tc,no marks actually did it wednesday,was spotless in there

 

Mine didn't wear down to the cup but the wore down on the outside edge, like the tensioner was tilted somehow, I don't knowr I already switched roadglide to gear drive but still have the chain and tensioner in the softail hopefully there isn't any issue with that one down the line..