I was swapping out my POS stock compensator for an SE compensator and I was very suprised to see how worn the primary chain tensioner was after only 10k miles. Granted this is my first foray into any motorcycle mods since it's my first Harley but I was still surprised at the amount of wear. I wonder what it will look like at 20k which I'll hit this summer after I return from Colorado, Wyoming, and Sturgis.









The picture below was taken before replacing the compensator and the chain is tight and the tensioner doesn't look like it has notched up the notched slide it rides on despite the wear seen in the pics above.

 

I swapped my comp. out at 25K miles and my chain tensioner had no signs of wear. Yours definitely has excessive signs of wear for only 10K. How tight was the primary chain when you first took off the outer primary cover to do the comp swap? I checked my chain before removing my tensioner and it was quite a bit looser than what I expected to find. I'm wondering if your tensioner had ratcheted up and had the chain too tight causing the excessive wear. Another thought is rough spots in the chain itself?? What fluid are you using?

 

I've long suspected the source of my occasional primary whine is caused from the adjuster ratcheting up too tight. Wouldn't be surprised at excessive wear.

 

I hear ya, I pictured my chain being banjo tight. But when I pulled the outer primary cover to switch out my compensator and checked the tension... I was very surprised to find it much looser than what I expected. As mentioned earlier, my tensioner showed no signs of wear.

 

The chain was pretty tight. I had a difficult time getting the cable ties around the tensioner because the chain was so tight. That said the spring on the right side of the tensioner was completely compressed so the tensioner hadn't ratched up at all. It was as far to the right as the spring between the tensioner and the base would allow. There is no way I could have moved the tensioner pad any further to the right to decrease the pressure on the chain. If you open the last pic above and then double click it after it opens you can use your browser to zoom in on the tensioner and see that it's completely compressed.

For fluids, 0 to 1000 miles I ran what ever the factory loads. From 1000 to 5000 miles I ran H-D Syn3 20-50 full synthetic, and 5000 to 10000 miles I ran Amsoil 20-50.

After swapping out the compensator I added 45oz. of Amsoil 20-50.

I'll probably put about 1500 miles on it before I leave for Colorado/Wyoming/Sturgis on 8/2. I am going to change all the fluids again before I go so I think I will get a new tensioner and put it in before the trip since it's a qucik swap. It's not going to hurt anything leaving it in there for 1500 miles and swapping it out right before my long trip will give we a chance to look over the compensator work I just did and make sure everything is holding up.

 

Mine was extremely tight and I know the noises I heard prior to comp. swap was the tensioner ratching up. I am 100% sure that the POS stock compensator is to blame for the noises, heavy clunk at start up, and probably causing the excessive wear on the tensioner by its herky jerky operation. I would give my bike throttle and it always clunked as it took the intial power hit and would clunk again when I rolled off the throttle.

This is my first Harley and first foray into work on a v-twin engine but I have no fear of using my tools. I've been working on cars all my life building naturally aspirated and supercharged cars for a hobby so I've become accustomed to keeping my ears open for noises that just seem out of place. The two H-D dealers I took the bike to had the that's normal attitude but I know better than that. The comp. didn't get fixed under warranty but it is fixed. Screw the H-D dealers, there are too many of them out there that are part of what is dragging the MOCO down. Not saying they all are but too may have the 'that's normal' attitude.

 

I compared your photo with mine and your tensioner is definitely higher than mine. When you get the new one, try to install it as low as it will go, once you ride the bike, the chain will self adjust. I talked to a tech at MoCo's headquarters in Milwaukee and he told me Formula + was the best fluid for the primary. I know the CVO bikes come with SYN3 in them but he told me the Formula + is better suited for the primary. I've used it since new and had zero signs of wear in the primary @25K. Not sure if it made the difference or not but I'm going to stick with it. Have a safe trip. Larry

 

Thank you Larry! I will switch to the Formula+ when I swap out the tensioner. Below is a pic of the tensioner after the SE Comp was installed. You can zoom in on the pic and see that the spring on the right between the tensioner pad and the tensioner base is fully compressed so either my choice of fluids or the old comp caused the excessive where.