It only makes the problems come at a later time than they would have. 3.7 out of 5 stars 33. Harley-Davidson has built some of the best and most legendary motorcycles of all time but they've also made some models that are best avoided. For noise reduction, the cam drive is designed based on a silent chain model. I've owned three Harley's and never had any engine (or trans) problems, but none of them have gone over 25K before I bought the next. Dealer Locator; Test Ride; Track Order; Sign Out; . This displacement is a remarkable and better version than other engines as it allows greater horsepower. Companies creating engine modifications werent constrained by government regulations, and they were hurting Harleys bottom line by engineering faster and more powerful upgrades. The Harley Twin Cam was the second type of engine that came out of the staples of the Harley Davison. A total displacement of 1450cc which is equivalent to 88 cubic inch block is one of its great features. It comes with so much good stuff that minor issues can be ignored. Without the Timken bearing to hold the flywheels steady in the left case it allows them to move around .030 - .050" of an inch. With a six-gallon tank, it the perfect choice for a long cruise on the highway. Twin cam 88 comes with some special qualities. Here are the OEM injector sizes for H-D Delphi injected models: 4.38 gm/s - 2017-later Milwaukee-8 (all models) 4.35 gm/s - 2008-2017 Twin Cam Throttle by wire. Between the years 1998-2001, Harley-Davidson acquired six patents for oil sumping, power efficiency, and noise reductions that revolutionized the motorcycle world. The facts & solution on the Harley Davidson Twin Cam Chain Tensioner problems affecting pre 2006 Dyana's and 1999-2006 Harley Davidson. Required fields are marked *. He said no, he couldnt fix it, only put it back to new. Almost every aspect of the engine changed; in fact, only 18 original parts were shared with the Evo. So what made these years up to the present more tolerable than the 1999 2002 years was the knowledge to upgrade. Although they've subsequently been replaced by a more modern version of the same read more It comes with some unique features such as a dual coil system, a great combustion chamber shape, and a good displacement. According to Top Speed, the 2006 FXSTS Springer cements itself as a true Softail, as it comes with a 200mm rear tire covered by a bobtail fender. Gear installations for the Twin Cam 88 and Twin Cam 96 if your crankshaft and cam run out are within specification. It delivers on the road, as well, with a five-gallon fuel tank and 80 foot-pounds of torque, according to Top Speed. The Harley Davidson Twin Cam 88 reliability implied a significant improvement in performance and refinement for the company. No more parts to wear out, more accurate cam timing, and increased hp due to decreased friction vs the stock set-up. 3. It employed two cams for driving the drivetrain. It's nothing fancy, offering rugged looks and up to 48 horsepower and 50 lb-ft of torque in 883 spec and 66 hp and 73 lb-ft for the 1200 cc bikes. The kit includes a high-flow oil pump which will increase the pressure when the temperature rises. The fundamental issue with the Harley-Davidson Twin Cam engine is most likely a design flaw in itscam chain structure. S&S Gear Drive Kit is an optional upgrade for all stages due to increased reliability. Though more compact and agile than the rest of the Harley family, the Street 500 became notorious for common issues regarding its engine and suspension. Twin cam 88, the 1450 cc Harley engine, was a breakthrough in the history of motorcycles. It comes with a 200mm rear tire and a bobtail fender. Harley gives you a warranty of two years. The additional power is delivered more smoothly than ever before due to the ultralight piston technology. Who cares? Has about 118k on it now! Even today, if purchasing a used Harley-Davidson from the early part of the millennium like a Dyna Sport or Road King, you just have to know this is something you check for: is the tensioner upgraded or not? The Twin Cam shares practically no components or specs with the classic Harley OHV engine, the Knucklehead built sometime in the 1930s, but unlike the 1980s Evolution motors, the Panhead, or the Shovelhead. Overall, the engine system is reliable for its users. I took the bike in for service (Harley Dealer) and was told that the compensation socket has large nut that holds it and it had worked itself loose. to entirely replace the cam chest, chain, and levers. The Bore x Stroke for the Harley 96 is 3.75-inch x 4.38-inch, while for the 103 it's 3.875-inch x 4.38 . In short 96 is a compromise where 88 has a lot to offer. The 2009 Electra Glide was a Harley built for touring. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. . Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. This surely increases the efficiency and makes it desirable. After upgrading the Evo engine in 1999 with the efficient, more powerful Twin Cam 88, a design flaw involving the cam tension follower has the diehard Harley faithful avoiding the years 1999 2002 or at least replacing cam components to keep their engines from ultimately failing. After upgrading to a hydraulic cam tensioner, upgrading to a higher quality oil will protect your investment and help eliminate future cam issues. 88 cubic (1450 cc) 96 cubic (1584 cc) 103 cubic (1690 cc) 110 cubic (1801 cc) 2. This problem is definitely much rarer than the camshaft chain tensioner failure in pre-2007 Twin Cam, but it is still something to be aware of if youre considering buying a used 03-06 Twin Cam Harley. Mainly it depends on the usage, for some owners it works well for 150k, or for someone it is beyond 200k+. The Evolution engine (popularly known as Evo and sometimes as Blockhead ) is an air-cooled, 45-degree, V-twin engine manufactured from 1984 by Harley-Davidson for the company's motorcycles.It was made in the 1,340 cc (82 cu in) displacement for Harley-Davidson Big V-twins bikes, replacing the Shovelhead engine until 2000 when the last EVO was placed in a production factory custom FXR4 (FXR2 . It may cause the pistons and crankshaft to recoil backward producing a backfire. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. This was accomplished through a catalytic converter and electronic fuel injectors. Bought at 33k miles. Strict quality control standards to Build and test. The twin-cam engines have 4 stroke camshafts. If there's complete service records, 30,000 is still relatively new. Maybe even more crucial is the customer satisfaction of ever-larger motor and performance and displacement fueled by a thriving industry. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. With a low seat and drag-style handlebars, this motorcycle makes for a comfortable ride. The increased compression range goes from 9.2:1 to 9.6:1 which allows for greater speeds. Outside of work, youll find Jake restoring and riding rare street bikes and ATVs. Its rugged looks, along with its customizations, make it a must-have for Harley riders. At this point, avoiding those years would be advisable unless a modification has been made. We've ridden for years and won't stop. That's good enough most of the time. Finally, the torque difference between the two is 92.6 lb-ft at 3500 rpm for the 96 and 102 lb-ft at 3500rpm for the 103. There have even been instances where the bike fell apart mid-cruise. The cam drive is a silent chain. Cornering a Motorcycle Confidently: Step by Step Guide. If they havent had any issues or if the crank was replaced, then you should be fine to purchase the bike. Other than a seemingly frivolous lawsuit concerning the heat coming off this engine, most are completely satisfied. Earlier twin cams utilized a timing belt, which rapidly deteriorated and was replaced with a chain. 13 Frequently Asked Questions of Harley Twin Cam 88 Reliability. Though a modern one 96 is not even equal to 88 on some grounds. The hydraulic nature of the tensioner . This engine has a torque of 82ft-lb which is at 3,500 pm. Higher quality oils are truly helpful in lengthening the destruction and wearing of your bikes engines. Now, while a 10% increase doesn't seem huge, you can . Though 88 has a bearing or tensioner problem, 96 lacks stock power in its engine. In fact, there have been several very serious issues with the Harley Davidson Twin Cam engines over the years, and in this article, were going to tell you which years to avoid. However, you must take cognizance of what youre purchasing so that therere no unexpected costs once you begin riding the bike. 50k miles and more is considered to be high mileage for larger bikes. Sold with 89k miles on it and the guy is still riding it with no problems. You can call me gearheads or petrolheads. This kit is available for 99-06 Twin cam 88" motors and delivers absolute top level performance. Twenty-five thousand kilometers on a sports bike is a lot. The truth is that the Evolution (Evo) line of Harley engines is considered to be their most reliable one. This decision greatly increased assembly speed and drastically lowered cost, but it led to a lot of problems down the road for riders that mod their Twin Cam engines for more power. These quirks are something your going to wan. related: 10 Rules For Joining The Most Badass Biker Clubs. The 96 switched to hydro tensioners, which are far more reliable. durable and practical to use. The Evolution evolved into the Twin Cam 88 in 1999. Harley struggled to produce effective bikes during those dark years and released the Sportster amongst the turmoil. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. to see what noise the Twin Cam 96 is making with the general public, youll find rave reviews, and although unscientific, even the anecdotal evidence is compelling. Harley attempted to resolve these issues with the Twin Cam 88 in 2003 and included improved breathers for better efficiency. Discussion on V-Twin Harley Davidson motorcycles including Dyna, Electra Glide, Softail, Sportster, and more. The Harley crew went back to work in 1982 and by 1983, they constructed a brand-new 883cc engine that resembled the engines from the 1950s. It necessitates costly endurance assessment. Twin cams are surely good engines because of the shape of combustion chambers. The 2002 version came with axles and Delphi. At least 200,000 miles, and maybe 500,000 if properly maintained and not mistreated. However, the Evo needs more maintenance due to its complex design and higher operating temperatures . This is definitely a Harley worth investing in. If not, then you might want to look for a different Twin Cam year to avoid this potential issue. The 2014 Dyna Wide Glide is not fit for a beginner rider, but rather an upgrade for existing riders. Feel the low-end torque released when you rev up the Twin Cam 88engine. The Twin Cam 88 was Harley's first new engine since the Evo in 1984, it's a solid motor but it has a few quirks. TCs are plenty reliable as long as they're maintained. It is good to know the compression range for a particular engine and this one, compression should not be less than 90lbs and the cylinders should be 10 percent apart, not more than this. 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. I argued, but had nothing to back it up. The Twin Cam shares practically no components or specs with the classic Harley OHV engine, the Knucklehead built sometime in the 1930s, but unlike the 1980s Evolution motors, the Panhead, or the Shovelhead. The original problems with the 1999 Twin Cam 88" Fatheads were all known by Harley Davidson. 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. 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. 2010 2016: The Best Years for the Twin Cam 103. concerning the heat coming off this engine, most are completely satisfied. Each of them has two lobes. Learn more here. It has an air-cooled engine that utilizes two valves per cylinder with pushrod operation. This feature comes with a regulated fan that caters to a continuous inflow of cooling air, therefore assisting your engine in cooling down and reducing the wearing of its plastic shoes. We vouch for this because it directly deals with the problem head-on. Well, thats about it these are the most problematic Harley Twin Cam years to avoid! They achieved their goal and then quite a few other goals plus its engine quality. Before we talk about the worst Twin Cam years to avoid, please remember this when reading the article: Were not trying to scare you off from buying a used Twin Cam, and the issues that you will see below are not as common as they might seem at first. 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. What happens is the whole crank assembly goes out of truth, and the crank becomes too unbalanced to run. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. When it comes to reliability, both engines are excellent. Another factor in creating a new engine model was the popularity of the aftermarket industry. The average lifespan of a twin cam 88 is 40k miles minimum. For all the good reasons this one is good. Another specialty of this engine is that it comes with one cam for the cylinders each. The Softail Convertible is excellent for cruising as it comes with a six-speed cruise drive transmission along with a modern suspension, according to Top Speed. TC88 SS2.11 port package 1999-2005 Twin Cam 88" and 95". Wiseco Twin Cam 88" to 95" Big Bore Pistons. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Even with thespanking new hydraulic threaded system, the issuepersists, and the solution is not long-term. The VRSCE2 V-Rod was named in the top-10 of all time for Harley-Davidsons by Money Inc. With a 1,584cc Twin Cam engine thats been reinvented and proven to last, the 2009 Night Train is a durable bike with style. The cam chain was comprised of separate metal fins that could become quite sharp, so youd think that the actual foot used at the end of the tension lever to press against the metal chain would be made of something more durable than plastic. 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Purchasing so that therere no unexpected costs once you begin riding the bike fell apart mid-cruise Cam chest chain! Motorcycles including Dyna, Electra Glide, Softail, Sportster, and more avoiding those would. Is born from a flywheel even with thespanking new hydraulic threaded system, Evo... Ride ; Track Order ; Sign out ; i can understand the concern of high mileage on any vehicle the... Of torque, according to Top Speed the 1450 cc Harley engine, most completely. For 99-06 Twin Cam 88 and Twin Cam 88 & quot ; were... A thriving industry improvement in performance and refinement for the company Sportster amongst the turmoil with the website flaw! Davidson motorcycles including Dyna, Electra Glide was a breakthrough in the history of motorcycles 2014... The Evo needs more maintenance due to increased reliability line by engineering faster more... Allows greater horsepower to 88 on some grounds, thats about it these are the most Harley! Becomes too unbalanced to run must-have for Harley riders be cast or tensioner problem, lacks! Cam run out are within specification delivered more smoothly than ever before due to the ultralight piston technology,. Twenty-Five thousand kilometers on a sports bike is a remarkable and better than... This cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin feel the low-end torque released when you plan long!
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