Just wrote this. Hope it helps:

04-05 Sportster XL1200 Cam Install

Read the Service Manual prior to performing any work!

Note: This installation was not done on an 883 engine, however, the procedures may be the same. Gasket part numbers may be different. Cam ID numbers are different as per the Service Manual.


Parts and Supplies List:

SE Cam Set, (04-05 specific)
P/N 25197-04
1 ea

Gasket, Cam Gearcase Cover
P/N 25263-90D
1 ea

Gasket, Upper Rocker Cover
P/N 17353-89A
2 ea

Gasket, Lower Rocker Cover (Metal)
P/N 16800-84
2 ea

Gasket, Center Rocker Box
P/N 17358-84A
2 ea

Fiber Seal, Upper Rocker Cover Screws
P/N 63858-49
8 ea

Anti-seize compound, blue 'Loctite', couple cans of spray brake cleaner, paper towels and shop rags
_______________________________________________

Removing Seat, Fuel Tank, Air Cleaner, Spark Plugs and Coil

Remove the single screw at the back of the seat. Push the seat forward and then up to detach it from the slots underneath the seat.

It would be wise to remove the fuel tank when it is almost empty of fuel. Turn the petcock valve off. Remove the fuel line and vacuum line attaching to the petcock. Remove the fuel vapor line that attaches under the tank on the right side. Remove the front and rear tank attachment bolts. The tank will then pull out from the top.

Remove the air cleaner, to include the air cleaner backing plate. This backing plate will be attached to both heads by a large bolts.

Remove the spark pugs. (You will later be rotating the engine)

Remove the coil. It is held in place by 2 hex head screws. This will make more room in order to remove the front upper rocker cover.
_______________________________________________

Removing Rocker Covers and Pushrods:

Note: Mark all valve train components as they are removed so they will be re-installed in there original locations. We will be removing one rocker cover / box assembly at a time.

Remove the 4 small hex head screws that attach the upper rocker cover.. Remove the upper rocker cover. Discard the fiber seals.

Remove all the small bolts except for the 4 larger black colored rocker arm bolts that attach the lower rocker cover to the head. The smaller bolts will include 3 small standard type bolts and 2 small hex head bolts per cylinder. After these 5 bolts are removed, first loosen the 4 larger black rocker arm bolts by turning them all in 1/2 turn increments using a criss-cross pattern (this relieves the valve spring pressure evenly).

Once these 4 bolts are removed, the lower rocker cover can be removed. Remove and discard the small rectangle rocker box center gasket.

The rocker arms will not be removed from the lower rocker cover assembly.

Remove the metal lower rocker cover gasket from the top of the head.

Remove the pushrods from the pushrod tubes. Mark these so they will be replaced in these same location.

Remove the plastic crankcase breather from the already removed lower rocker cover. It’s attached with 1 screw. Once the breather is removed, the rubber upper rocker cover gasket can be removed and discarded. Mark the breather, as it needs to be installed on it’s original rocker cover. (The breathers are not interchangable between lower rocker covers).

Repeat the previous steps for the other cylinder.

Clean all parts with brake cleaner.
_______________________________________________

Removing the Cam Gear Case Cover:

Note: The cam gear case has 11 Allen screws of various lengths. They will need to be replaced back in the same holes from which they were removed. So, there proper location will need to be marked upon removal. Suggest you make a drawing of the cam gear case on a piece of cardboard, and then stick them into the carboard in the proper orientation.

Place a flat drip pan under the cam gear case. It will leak oil when removed.

Remove the Allen screws holding the gear case on and place these Allen screws on your piece of cardboard.

Pull the case out slightly so that it unattaches itself from it’s gasket and the engine case. You will note that it will not come completely off because the foot peg / foot brake pedal attachment support (it’s painted black) will interfere with the case. Loosen the 2 large hex head bolts that attach this support. You do not need to completely remove these bolts. Loosening will allow the support to move outward far enough so the cam gear case can then be removed.

Note: The case’s bushing alignment with the camshafts has a VERY close tolerance. That means that the case will need to come straight out. There will be no side-to-side or up-down play in the case. Once the case’s bushings are clear of the bushings on each cam, the case can be slightly rotated out of position.

You will need to remove a rubber oil line that attaches to the rear area of the case before the case can be completely removed (see picture below). Since the clamp holding this oil line cannot be reused, you will need to purchase a new hose clamp when the case is re-installed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/Turbota/DSCN0475.jpg

Remove and discard the gasket. Clean the case with brake cleaner.
________________________________________________

Removing the Cams:

Place the transmission in 5th gear.

Rotate the engine by turning the rear wheel so that all cams are lined up exactly as shown in the diagram below. This is done best if the bike is placed on a lift in order to get the back wheel off the ground so it can be rotated by hand.

Once all cams are perfectly lined up, remove all 4 cams by pulling them straight out. Do not remove the #5 pinion gear (This gear actually is held in place with a large nut)

Note: The hydraulic lifters do not need to be removed. They will remain in there bores once the cams are removed.

Once all cams are removed, DO NOT rotate the engine. This will make it much easier to install the new cams in there proper position.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/Turbota/DSCN0473.jpg

Replacing the Cams:

Prior to replacing the cams, they should be cleaned with a spray of brake cleaner and then lubricated thoroughly with engine oil to include the cam lobe and drive gear.

SE Cam Identification:

31-3S #1 cam (Rear Exhaust Cam)
32-3S #2 cam (Rear Intake Cam) (cam with double gears)
33-3S #3 cam (Front Intake Cam)
34-3S #4 cam (Front Exhaust Cam)

Note: Numbers 1 through 4 are printed upside down from the other numbers on your SE cams.

Note: The “V” markings on the cams are not used for timing purposes. Disregard them.

Again, refer to the diagram above while installing the cams.

Insure that the timing mark on the #5 gear (pinion gear) is still pointing directly at the center of the #2 cam’s bushing (see picture below). Again, the engine should not have been rotated since the cams were removed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/Turbota/DSCN0474.jpg

Note: The lifters can be moved slightly up into there bores with you fingers while you are installing the cams which will allow each cam to slide all the way into the bushing in the engine case.

Install the #1 cam. Insure that the slot marking is also pointing directly at the center of the #2 cam’s bushing.

Install the #3 cam. Insure that the slot marking is also pointing directly at the center of the #2 cam’s bushing.

Install the #2 cam. As you install this cam, insure that all 3 timing marks (dots) on this cam line up with the timing slot markings on the other 3 gears (#1 cam, #3 cam and the #5 pinion gear). Again, refer to the diagram below.

Now install the #4 cam. Insure that it’s timing mark (dot) line up with the dot on the #3 cam.

All timing marks should now be alligned exactly as in the diagram above:
____________________________________________

Re-Installing Cam Gear Case:

Clean all spilled oil with brake cleaner prior to re-assembly.

Clean the surface of the engine case that mates to the cam gear case with brake cleaner.

Prior to re-installing the cam gear case, attach the new gasket to the engine case with a little contact cement. That will keep the gasket in place while installing the cam gear case.

Re-attach the rubber oil line to the cam gear case with a new worm clamp prior to installing the case.

Apply some oil to the bushings in the gear case. Be careful not to scratch these bushings!

Gently install the cam gear case. Remember, it goes in straight. There is no side-to-side or up-down clearance.

Once the cam gear case is fully in position, tighten the bolts in a criss-cross pattern.

Note: Although the Service Manual does not specify to use anti-seize compound on these cam gear case mount bolts, I feel it is nessesary to prevent galling.
____________________________________________

Re-Installing All Other Components:

Re-assemble all other parts in reverse order of disassembly.

Note: When installing the metal lower rocker cover gasket, note that the raised bead of the gasket is facing up.

Insure all bolts are tightened to the proper torque spec.

Note: Blue 'Loctite' was also used on the rocker arm bolts even though not specified in the Service Manual.



When in doubt … Refer to the Service Manual


Good Luck, and take your time, :)
Ron

Great instrunctions!

Hopefully I will get to use them this coming summer. :D

Looks very good. I'll follow it for putting my Iron back together. I suppose there may be some differences, eh? [heh heh]

BTW ... If anyone feels there is something important left out or incorrect, please post.

I used the H-D Service Manual when I installed my cams. It was good reference, but some of it seemed incomplete. Also, the information needed to R&R a set of cams is found in different sections of the manual ... This was an attempt to put it in one easy reading (I hope) How-To.

I also found a How-To on the web, but it was so lenghty and some of it did not apply to what I was doing on my particular bike.

That is excellent, Turbota! Makes me want to tear into the engine, but not today. I think I would rather follow your "how to" than H-D's. Good work!
Billy

Great How To!!!!! And remember folks this new forum has a great function that helps you print out articles. Just click on THREAD TOOLS at the top of the thread and then click on SHOW PRINTABLE VERSION

Very nicely done. This is exactly the reason I hang out here.

Thanks for the indepth instructions. It looked like the mounting screws had loctite on them? I would think that anti-seize might cause them to vibrate loose. Just my thought. The part # on my box is 25197-04.

seajay ...

Your right about the cam P/N. I have no idea why I typed that number in the post, unless I loosing my mind.

Anyway, I fixed the number in the How-To

Thanks,

About the loctite ... H-D has certainly used loctite on every fastener on the bike, no doubt about that. I suppose it would be a good idea on the rocker arm bolts since they would be a pain to check later. In fact, I will also change that in the How-To. But I still feel fine with using anti-seize on the cam case bolts. I worry about them galling in the aluminum engine case, but I will certainly check them after a while.

Good Job!!!!

Hey turbota, Nice job there :D . Again your pictures are awesome. Kinda makes my camera look like a kids toy :cry1 . You did forget one hose though. You mentioned the hose on the right side of the tank but you forgot the petcock vaccuum hose. Don't want to see anyone try to yank off their tank and forget that one. Granted removing the seat, tank and coil do make it easier, it can be done without doing so. I did have the benefit of a lift though.

Where's the pic of the cams? I wanted to see the lobes man, the lobes. :wonderlan

Ron, what an effort! Excellent how-to! Thanks for your time and attention to detail.

Kim

Well, I wanted to include a couple more pics, but when I tried to add them to my post, it said I had already reached the size limit for 1 post. I guess that keeps people from posting way to many pictures in 1 post ... So, I can't add anymore to this How-To.

Barry ... Your right, I forgot the vacuum hose from the petcock to the carb.

Helluva job, Turbota! Very professional!!

Well, the bike is finished! ... Well, not exactly ... Got really to fire it up and realized that I installed the throttle cables backwards.
Now you roll on throttle by turning the grip forwards!

I gave up ... I will fix it tommorow and then attempt an engine start!

Oh Well .... :(

BTW, you don't have to remove the carb (or the throttle cables) for this cam change. In fact, I never mentioned it in the How-To ... I removed mine because I did a jet change while I had evertything apart.

Doh! how ya feelin now...LOL

fantastic job Turbota.


cheers
crackers

Great job! I wish I could take advantage of it, but when I bought my Sporty, I promised myself not to tear into the motor like I did with my BT. (But my warranty is up in another year, and promises are made to be broken!)

Turbota,


A very fine set of instructions. I've always done these things by a seat of the pants, farmer on-the-spot repair procedure. Having instructions like these will surely aid anyone so inclined to do the work themselves.:clap