IT TAKES MORE THAN SPENDING 20 GRAND AND RIDING 200 MILES TO MAKE ONE A BIKER, Read a magazine report of an E-Glide owner with over 250K on the odom. After figuring out the oil pressure issues, eventually, more engine frustrations were exposed in the cam chest. Harley 107 has already a . Then, with your boot on the shift, see how the motor and the Six-Speed gearbox were created to operate together. Each of them has two lobes. The Harley Davidson twin cam 88 is an outstanding breakthrough in the history of motorcycles. The Best Twin Cam 88 Performance Upgrades. Leave em stock (cept for tensioners) & they'll hang in there for the long run ! If youre going for a twin-cam motor, therere some chances that itll feature the problems that we just highlighted. This Harley is one of the best touring bikes ever made by the company and makes a great used purchase. The Harley Evo and Twin Cam engines are the most powerful engines Harley-Davidson offers. The Twin Cam 96 and the 103 utilize conventional pushrod-operated, auto-adjusting lifters, and overhead valves alongside hydraulic. How many miles can you get out of a twin cam 88? Get an 07 or up and you will be good. My old road glide had 84xxx miles when I sold it, my buddy street glide had 140xxx, my other buddy has a road glide with 100xxx miles and they all run and perform just fine. Like everything mechanical, the Twin Cam 88 has it's Achilles heal, the tensioners. Available to customer supplied castings. Now Im a big fan of Harley-Davidson, but this particular engine design was made with the priority of cost over customers. I did a BB, ported & flowed the heads, TW6hg cams and 10.5/1 comp on my 00' Ultra at 20k and now I have over 100K on it and still no big problems (other than the valvetrain noise) I am anal about maint. If its checked and changed then it is great in the long run. Explore; Some factors were working against it, such as the two horsepower loss soaked up the balance shafts and an extra 14-lb of weight to carry. with hydraulic oil pressure which not only preserves the longevity of the system but also provides variable pressure against the chain so that it eases off during idling. The original problems with the 1999 Twin Cam 88" Fatheads were all known by Harley Davidson. These problems can be costly and difficult to repair. . First manufactured in 1984, the Evo is a single cam, air-cooled, v-twin-engine that has become acclaimed among Harley riders because of its simplicity, ease of maintenance, serviceability, and best of all, reliability. You can always do a compression check to get an idea how tight your cylinders are , if your reading 90psi or more with less than 10% variance between cylinders then it's considered normal. Are you just looking for an excuse to beef that baby up? Dyna Ignition Module - Twin Cam (Carbureted) 1999-2003 Read More. Ask him how many 40 year old hondas are still on the road. Most of the Twin Cam 88s have been, but some still arent. Discussion on V-Twin Harley Davidson motorcycles including Dyna, Electra Glide, Softail, Sportster, and more. It also seems to happen to stage 2 and stage 3 Twin Cam engines, as the extra HP and torque from the performance upgrades make the high runout problem worse. Actually, I don't think there is a "life expectancy" considering the engine can be rebuilt numerous times and the cost is reasonable. Launching year & Model of Harley Davidson. And it accomplished that without jeopardizing Harley-Davidsons signature style. I have 106,000 miles on my 04 never been opened original cam shoes clutchetc. 2 piece rocker boxes over 3 piece Evo units. All rights reserved. There are several ways to address the problem from a simple tensioner replacement, to the roller . 17 How long does a Harley-Davidson engine last? On the motorway, the Six-Speed Cruise Drive delivers seamless, silent shifting while lowering motor speed, resulting in an improved match between road sped and engine turnover. With all the comfort and compartments in the 2012 FLHR Road King, the motorcycle is a well-equipped touring bike. So, after one has run 40k miles the cam tensioners have to be changed. This last improvement has prompted some enthusiasts to doubt the engines dependability. In all. Those ole 88's are tuff as nails . Those that got their bikes to the dealer or any Harley dealer had to leave the bike, then the dealer sent the engine back to Harley Davidson, it was replaced with a new engine. Harley-Davidson is one of the oldest motorcycle companies and has a very loyal fan base. The Harley-Davidson Twin-Cam V-twin was introduced in 1998. I wanna say around 2007 they fixed the Cam Tensioner issue. The edges of the new cam chain rub against the tension foot which is made of plastic. Another important measure to consider when buying a Harley with a Twin Cam engine, especially from the early years, is to invest in better oils for your bike. Lightweight 'Slipper' Design! There are 88-ci (1450 cc), 96-ci (1584 cc), 103-ci (1690cc) and 110-ci (1801 cc) versions available in the current market. The hydraulic nature of the tensioner . Harley twin cam engines are one of a kind. Now, the reinvented Twin Cam provides durability for riders. Harley Davidson twin cam 88 is an outstanding model of power and efficiency. Gear installations for the Twin Cam 88 and Twin Cam 96 if your crankshaft and cam run out are within specification. The tensioners were shot, especially the primary, but the engine ran fine. Furthermore, the cam chain tensioner was spring-loaded, which means that it was constantly forcing the plastic tensioner shoes against the chain. Our team is made up of industry experts and enthusiasts. Regular maintenance is minimal. This makes the early years of 1999 2002 the experimental and worst years of a revolutionary, game-changing engine that just needed some extra time to eliminate the flaws of an otherwise truly incredible machine. They sent out recall notices to everyone that gave a correct address. Due to the extreme friction and frequent contact between the twin rubber shoes, when they rub against themselves, theyll start to wear out over time. Overall, the engine system is reliable for its users. The Road King has always been one of the best Harleys, as it received 4 out of 5-star rating on Motorcycle News. Your email address will not be published. Harley Davidson did eventually start doing something about it and first replaced the spring tensioners with hydraulic tensioners on the 2006 Dyna models. Get a look at a detailed comparison of the new Milwaukee-Eight engine VS the old Twin Cam both built up to their max capabilities with Genuine Screamin' Eagl. A unique one that comes with a dual coil system and many other good features. It comes with two camshafts to maximize horsepower. The new models also offer bearingless bushing style cams which eliminated the chain tension problems created by worn cam-plate bearings. Twin cam 88. It necessitates costly endurance assessment. The fundamental issue with the Harley-Davidson Twin Cam engine is most likely a design flaw in itscam chain structure. This motor was designed to run 100k miles. Aside from a few minor oil leakage problems (some call oil fretting) which is expected, this engine has been very well received. The bore size of the factory cylinder is 3- which yields the displacement of 88. Review this product | 2 FAQs . A dual coil system ensures that no spark is wasted. Less chances of leaks. So surely the best year. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Tools Bible is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon properties. Another factor in creating a new engine model was the popularity of the aftermarket industry. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. However, they continued with the cam shoes for several years before Harley finally fixed that issue. Anything and everything related to Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Here, each cam comes with two distinct lobes for a better alignment. Between the years 1998-2001, Harley-Davidson. The Evolution engine is a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine and it is well known for high power output, reliability, and durability; The Twin Cam 88 engine is a V-twin engine and it was used in a wide variety of Harley-Davidson models until 2006; The Twin Cam 96 is a V-twin motorcycle engine with a displacement of 96 cubic inches . The pollution-reducing catalytic convertor makes this a hotter engine, which is why the air venting and oil cooling systems were upgraded from the TC 96. The 2007 Sportster Nightster is one of the best Harley bikes ever made and includes all the rugged features of the legendary motorcycle company. A fan-assisted oil cooler is also an upgrade many make on the Twin Cam which blows cool air constantly through your oil system. By 2007, all twin cam models had the new hydraulic cam chain tensioners installed and the issue was fixed. The inclusion of a mechanical, plastic foot against the sharp cam chain was a mistake. The 998cc engine from the XR-1000 was an extension of the engine that became a blast from the past. The Twin Cam engine on the Dyna Wide Glide was finally mastered by 2014 after years of failure. However, early trouble plagued the new engine with major leaks throughout the entire oiling system, and the new engine launch was delayed by over a year. The bike was special in that it was years in making. My buddy did the same mod on his . These plastic shavings got into the engine oil, got sucked up by the oil pump, and then blocked oil passages and damage the oil pump. This is recommended since it directly tackles the problem head-on. Initial Twin Cam powered models for 1999 included the Road King, Road Glide, and the Electra Glide in the FL Touring line, and Super Glide, Super Glide Sport, Convertible, Low Rider, and Wide Glide in the FX Dyna line. After the first 1000 miles, an upgrade in intake or exhaust will give it a nice boost. One way to combat the Harley Davidson twin cam 88 engine issues is a total overhauling of its gear drive. May 30, 2006. ghjohnso said: I got into an argument with a Harley basher (who rides a Honda) who said that the average life expectancy of a Twin Cam 88 is 40 thousand miles. Which Harley Davidson engines are twin cam? S&S Cycle 98" Silver Big Bore Kit 910-0482. The Evolution evolved into the Twin Cam 88 in 1999. If youre planning to buy a Harley with the pre-2007 Twin Cam, be sure to ask the seller for proof that the hydraulic cam chain tensioner upgrade is installed on the bike. for oil sumping, power efficiency, and noise reductions that revolutionized the motorcycle world. The XR-1000 was Harleys bounce back after a horrible streak of bikes released under the AMF ownership. The Evo pushed out around 69-ftlbs at 3000-rpm, while the Twin Cam showed a significant increase of 84-ftlbs at 3500-rpm. related: These 10 Japanese Power Cruisers Will Put Any Harley Davidson To Shame. The 1584cc Twin Cam engine that was in its second year of reinvention. Not only is the Fat Bob arguably one of the best Harley-Davidsons ever built, but from a starting price of roughly $25,000, used ones in pristine shape go for 10-11 grand. Cant wait to put some miles on My ugly Roadster but its mine! This website or its third-party tools process personal data.In case of sale of your personal information, you may opt out by using the link. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Coming in two different models of V-Twin engine, 88 and 88B, the twin cam was initially released for the production year 1999. I argued but had nothing to back it up. 2005 Harley-Davidson Touring Road King Custom V Twin 1442 Price: $8,980.00 Basic Information: Year: 2005 Make: Harley-Davidson Model . 15 Is it true that Harley Twin Cam engines are dependable? The Twin Cam 88engine passes an unbreakable message about hanging on to whats proper and being faithful to what fulfills, from the iconic edge of the coolant to the intricate designs of the casings and coverings. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. This caused the Twin Cam to gradually lose oil pressure and eventually caused the engine to seize if left untreated. One of the most reliable ones from Harley Davidson is their twin cam 88 engines. Twin Cam 96 cubic inches vs. Twin Cam 88 cubic inches. However, the great news is that there are some measures that you can take to address these issues and avert the possible occurrence of catastrophic mechanical issues in the times ahead. 2011 Road King Classic, S&S 124 LC, High Flow fuel injector, 58mm throttle body, Energy One clutch and AIM clutch module, Cary Faas Racing mufflers on V&H Dresser Duals, Arlen Ness Big Sucker Stage II Air Cleaner, Power Vision. Top Speed offers daily industry news and reviews on cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Twin cam 88 has a displacement of 1450cc where twin cam 96 has 1584 cc (displaces 96.7 cu in). Now, the reinvented Twin Cam provides durability for riders. I have a 2004 Road Glide that I bought in 2006, it had 18,000 miles after 45k miles the cam chain tensioner went out and I replaced it with the hydraulic one from Harley Davidson. Harley struggled to produce effective bikes during those dark years and released the Sportster amongst the turmoil. To produce effective bikes during those dark years and released the Sportster the... Metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc reviews on cars trucks! The long run, eventually, more engine frustrations were exposed in Cam... 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