harley twin cam 88 reliability

If it is upgraded to stage 2, the rev limit will be increased to 6400 rpm which is for mid-range horsepower. The Twin Cam engine on the Dyna Wide Glide was finally mastered by 2014 after years of failure. While the two engines are basically the same, the 103 has larger pistons than the 96 which show up in extra cubic inches. Another reason for twin cam 88 to be popular. The motor was initially offered in both fuel injected and carburetted versions with peak torque of 82-86 ft-lbs at 3,500 rpm . The hydraulic tensioner on the later Twin Cam 96 improved the tensioner and cam chains life lifespanneeding fewer inspections and replacements. Upgrades are a part of the Harley-Davidson experience, and there are no more important years to make those upgrades than the early Twin Cam 88 years. Now, the reinvented Twin Cam provides durability for riders. It comes with two camshafts to maximize horsepower. 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. Other than that, it all depends on who did the 5,000 mile service interval. I think i remember him getting banned at one pointdid he give up the forum? Here we bring the best options based on different Harley engines. The architecture of the actual product is shoddy. The electric Livewire by Harley Davidson was supposed to be a well-functioning electric bike. Your email address will not be published. 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. My engine does not consume any oil, the exhaust is clean and dry, it runs great and I think my noises are normal. The year 2006 was a transitory year in terms of complying with twin cam 88 specifications. 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. This motor can run to their expectation of longevity. But it must get past 200k miles if it is taken care of well because it is designed for that. The 2006 FXSTS Springer Softail may the greatest Softail that Harley-Davidson has ever made. JavaScript is disabled. It also arrives at a slower cruising speed, resulting in a smoother ride, reduced engine noise, and improved motorway fuel economy. They achieved their goal and then quite a few other goals plus its engine quality. Moreover, this comes with an engine system that reduces noise. Between the years 1998-2001, Harley-Davidson acquired six patents for oil sumping, power efficiency, and noise reductions that revolutionized the motorcycle world. 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. Earlier twin cams utilized a timing belt, which rapidly deteriorated and was replaced with a chain. 50k miles and more is considered to be high mileage for larger bikes. 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. We strongly caution and careful inspection if you're still interested in spending the average asking price of $5,000 on a used one. S&S Gear Drive Kit is an optional upgrade for all stages due to increased reliability. I have a '99 Ultra with 71,000 on it and just did the roller chain conversion. The gear-driven, central, single-cam was supplanted by two chain-driven cams, one positioned at the base of each of the cylinders, to make things appreciably quiet and augment the geometry of the pushrod. By 2007, all twin cam models had the new hydraulic cam chain tensioners installed and the issue was fixed. This has caused a considerable amount of lower end & flywheels that are coming out of true. Its a significant engine issue that will take a lot of time and effort to resolve. Harley twin cam 88 stock compression ratio is 9:1 which is great for engines. ThrottlePack.com 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 and linking to Amazon. The twin-cam 88 is a pretty good design that should likely get you a hundred and fifty thousand to two hundred thousand miles with regular maintenance. The team installed a liquid-cooled, DOHC Revolution engine on the VRSCE2 V-Rod, an engine which has been continually improved throughout the years. The FXSTS comes with simple styling to enable personalization and customization that Softail owners enjoy. This surely increases the efficiency and makes it desirable. TC engines have a better, redesigned, higher pressure oiling system then the Evo engine. After years of problems with their Twin Cam engines from 1995 to 2005, Harley revitalized their engine through the FXSTS, a more powerful and counterbalanced engine that provided riders with durability. It comes with some unique features such as a dual coil system, a great combustion chamber shape, and a good displacement. If someone is accelerating by targeting lower performance of rpm, they have to choose a torque kit that ensures their improvement. Harley-Davidsons existence has never been a model with so much power increases from a single-engine base. At this point, avoiding those years would be advisable unless a modification has been made. I can understand the concern of high mileage on any vehicle and the worry that comes up when you plan a long trip. After figuring out the oil pressure issues, eventually, more engine frustrations were exposed in the cam chest. but in my opinion these bikes will last as long as you take care of them. The Heritage Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped with technology to easily operate hazard lights and cruise control. 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. Sold with 89k miles on it and the guy is still riding it with no problems. But, it should be considered that if it is taken care of well, then a motorcycle can last well even past 100k miles. Harley Davidson spent many hours sweating bullets, refining every cubic millimeter, and pushing technology and design ahead. Every feature on this Harley is what makes the company a fan favorite. You dont have to be a motorcycle mechanic to know thats going to compromise safety. Fuel System Failures. So, what precisely is the issue here? After the first 1000 miles, an upgrade in intake or exhaust will give it a nice boost. The EPA required exhaust emissions and noise levels to be lowered. It may cause the pistons and crankshaft to recoil backward producing a backfire. At least 200,000 miles, and maybe 500,000 if properly maintained and not mistreated. The twin-cam 88 is a very solid platform if you. Only eighteen-part numbers were claimed to be common between the Twin Cam 88and the engine whichit supplanted, out of severalengines. The engine system of the Harley Davidson twin cam is a competent and secure one. Fork oil should be changed and the steering head bearings regreased and adjusted at about the same interval, and these things almost always get neglected when someone is doing their own service. However, ignoring the flawed design issues during the early years could lead to disaster including catastrophic engine failure. Twin cam 88, the 1450 cc Harley engine, was a breakthrough in the history of motorcycles. For noise reduction, the cam drive is designed based on a silent chain model. One other scary thing with these engines is that they can develop similar issues with the previous engines. Here is a video on a twin cam 88 big bore kit: https://youtu.be/rPY09131Rtc. It is the successor to the Twin Cam 88 model that ran from 1998 to 2007. $15.99 $ 15. engine the increase power and reliability. 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. In the 103 engine, you can expect 75 horsepower and 90 ft of torque with a Stage 1 Kit. I would like to have more kick through, its a great bike why by new? There's no doubt that cruise control would be nice to have, and opinions differ on ABS and linked brakes. Great quality and great Fitment. Integrated engine/trans mounting points, eliminating inner primary failures/cracks/leaks due to torque. Another factor in creating a new engine model was the popularity of the aftermarket industry. There is a reason why Harley Davidson motorcycles are so popular. 13 Frequently Asked Questions of Harley Twin Cam 88 Reliability. A forum community dedicated to all Harley-Davidson model owners and enthusiasts. Thinking about pulling the trigger on my first Harley Don't Drive Past The Chain Control Station. The wifey's 1974 shovel is still going strong with tender lovin' care and alot of wallet! 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. Follow me on. Twin Cam Black Big Bore Kit for Harley Davidson 1999-2006 Twin Cam. Which Harley Davidson engines are twin cam? 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. 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. How many miles can you get out of a twin cam 88? Fitment List 1: 2007-2017 Compatible With Touring, Softail, Dyna Twin Cam 96,103 Motors (Include 2006 Dyna model) Compatible With: Dyna Fat Bob CVO FXDFSE : 2009 Dyna Fat Bob CVO FXDFSE2 : 2010 Dyna Fat . 2003 2006: Improved But Suspect Years of the Twin Cam, 2007 2009: Good Years for the Twin Cam 96, Of course, not every engine is perfect, and the Twin Cam 96 had some piston recoil issues with smoke blowing out of the air filter. It comes with so much good stuff that minor issues can be ignored. 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. My TC88 will most likely still be on the road somewhere,when nobody will even remember Honda building motorcycles in 06.:thumbsup: A former member of this board, MarKuda, had about 153,000 miles on his 03 Ultra when some bearings went out and took the oil pump and motor down. 16 What is the horsepower of a twin cam 88? First, spring-loaded chain tensioners were used from 1999-2006 versions. 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. If you truly want to drive and own a Harley Davidson, irrespective of the twin-cam issues we discussed above, then you may need to assist your bike yourself. Now, while a 10% increase doesn't seem huge, you can . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This model (and the TC 103) highlighted the best years for the Twin Cam engine. The leader in performance motorcycle parts for Harley-Davidson motorcycles and the powersports industry. Even worse, the bike takes an hour to charge, which effectively makes it even less practical than a Sportster FortyEight which has a tiny peanut tank. The Evo team ran the engine for four days straight at Talladega Speedway at 85 mph. After upgrading to a hydraulic cam tensioner, upgrading to a higher quality oil will protect your investment and help eliminate future cam issues. Also, both use timed injection or SPFI (Sequential Port Fuel Injection). 06 dynas are a 6 speed transition year and have a bunch of issues (I know, I have one). One of the most serious issues was with the cam chain tensioners. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. Harley sells a replacement cam chest 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 edges of the new cam chain rub against the tension foot which is made of plastic. We vouch for this because it directly deals with the problem head-on. (mention that you may pay them a visit on your HD when they build one). The cam drive is a silent chain. Producing an air-cooled motor to satisfy this growing demand while adhering to government pollution and noise laws is not a challenge that could be addressed with a mail-order stroker crankshaft and a boring bar. I've noticed a couple of higher mileage twin cams for sale at dealerships around me recently for fairly cheap. In all. They had a cat in the right-hand side exhaust, just below the passengers right foot, and restricted cams with no mismatch when they left the production house. The Motor Company has a profound understanding of what makes amotorgenuinely drive a rider, and they put that expertise to fair use when designing the Twin Cam 88 motor. It is a metal gem crafted by hand. 1440, 1550 vs 1340 for Evos. Learn more here. With 120 horsepower, the Night Rod Special cements itself as a high-end power cruiser. I would think between 130,000 and 160,000 then you rebuild it. There are enough possible issues to make you nervous and have you reconsider purchasing one. 100 years making V-Twinssad. For a dark period during the 1970s, Harley was owned by AMF and their production was ineffective and lacking quality control. 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. Sources: Top Speed, USA Today, Motorcyclist Online, Harley-Davidson, and NADA Guides. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Great! Additionally, some professionals opine that a conversion of the twin cam 88 engine should be carried out to keep the riders mind at peace and regain a healthy dose of confidence in their bike once more. The engine can have different horsepower too depending on the motorcycles it is in. Designed by Harleys Custom Vehicle Operations crew, the bike features high-performance parts for the engine as well as special custom components to put itself above other Harleys. Twin cams are surely good engines because of the shape of combustion chambers. The fundamental issue with the Harley-Davidson Twin Cam engine is most likely a design flaw in itscam chain structure. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 1/8" oversize pistons feature ArmorGlide skirt coating, a high-tech lubricant that reduces friction and allows the piston to be fitted tighter within the bore allowing a better ring seal and reduced noise from piston rock. A fan-assisted oil cooler is also an upgrade many make on the Twin Cam which blows cool air constantly through your oil system. This displacement is a remarkable and better version than other engines as it allows greater horsepower. Maybe just rebuild motor or replace or leave it alone and ride it? The twin cam 88 is an air-cooled engine, and it uses an overhead valve that is activated by pushrods. 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. Outside of work, youll find Jake restoring and riding rare street bikes and ATVs. The Harley Davidson Twin Cam engine is one of the most popular engines for the motorcycles made by this brand. Of course, not every engine is perfect, and the Twin Cam 96 had some piston recoil issues with smoke blowing out of the air filter. The facts & solution on the Harley Davidson Twin Cam Chain Tensioner problems affecting pre 2006 Dyana's and 1999-2006 Harley Davidson. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". How could it not be worth it? Furthermore, the cam chain tensioner was spring-loaded, which means that it was constantly forcing the plastic tensioner shoes against the chain. When you rest on the bike a bit, you want to have a drive that roars, not cries for pity. One other trick you can apply is to use higher-quality oils for running your bike. So surely the best year. Thanks for the responses, guys! 3.7 out of 5 stars 33. 2023 ThrottlePack. hah yeah I go by my service manual and there is a helluva lot more to them than the oil and filter. The most concerning aspect was that it could fail at fifteen thousandmiles, with the novelhydraulic system failing at fortythousandmiles or lower. Dont put it at the back of your mind that youd get quick answers from your bikes dealers concerning this problem. The Twin Cam engine evolved from the 88 to the 103 top-notch engines of the Project Rushmore over its manufacturing run. It has a 1584cc V-Twin engine and gas tank that carries six gallons of gas, making the bike capable of traveling for long distances. In September 1998, the Twin Cam 88 was introduced as the companys1999 Twin Camvariant. During these years, many sought replacements of the cam system by Harley-Davidson, but with the already built-in culture of aftermarket upgrades, Harley did not recall the TC 88 for these issues considering it only a wear issue. The Harley Davidson motorcycle is one great . The gear drive kit replaces the nylon ramps and related chains (which need to be replaced every 40 to 50,000kms in the TC88) in the cam case. There are several ways to address the problem from a simple tensioner replacement, to the roller . The Twin Cam 103 engine powers all 2012 Dyna, Softail and Touring models with the exception of the Dyna Street Bob and Dyna Super Glide Custom. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Anyone can extend the warranty before two years is completed. This engine allows greater horsepower. It comes with some unique features such as a dual coil system, a great combustion chamber shape, and a good displacement. The Twin Cam was designed to make factory assembly easier (and of course cheaper) at the cost of most of it being disposable rather than rebuildable. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. A dual coil system ensures that no spark is wasted. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. So youre thinking of buying a Harley-Davidson with a Twin Cam engine? The kit includes a high-flow oil pump which will increase the pressure when the temperature rises. Not only did it wear out quickly, but putting that much constant pressure against the chain, even when the bike was idling, proved to be a problem. Our team is made up of industry experts and enthusiasts. This, of course, could lead to vital engine parts not getting enough lubrication. Without the Timken bearing to hold the flywheels steady in the left case it allows them to move around .030 - .050" of an inch. Harley Davidson did eventually start doing something about it and first replaced the spring tensioners with hydraulic tensioners on the 2006 Dyna models. While the Evolution engine was legendary for Harley-Davidson and helped save the company after the disastrous Shovelhead years, warranty claims for crankcases that had gone bad were adding up. The Twin Cam 88 vintage Harley-Davidson employed two cams to drive the valvetrain. There are some flat heads, knuckles, pans and shovels still going. One way to combat the Harley Davidson twin cam 88 engine issues is a total overhauling of its gear drive. When it comes to reliability, both engines are excellent. The 96 switched to hydro tensioners, which are far more reliable. Other than that, it all depends on who did the 5,000 mile service interval. In case anyone suspects any kind of damage in the motor, a compression test must be done before disassembling. It is considered the golden year for some reasons. The twin cam 88 was introduced in 1999. FREE delivery Tue, Jan 24 . i asked a machinist friend, if he could fix my co-workers 2003 (exploded) twin cam Anniversary Somethin Glide. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Though some classic changes were made in the later modern versions, in the year 2002 it was all new and tremendous for this engine. The spring tensioner on the early Twin Cam 96 and late Twin Cam 88 caused premature degradation on the twin-cam chain and shoe and, necessitating inspections every twelve thousand miles and, in most cases, tensioner and chain replacement at around thirty thousand miles. It's definitely a problem in the 88s. I argued but had nothing to back it up. 14 How many miles can you get out of a twin cam 88? This engine comes with a dual coil system so that no spark gets wasted. Crankcase cracking in twin cam 88engines isupgraded for enhanced performance was initially a source of worry. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Theyre stylish, they sound amazing, and they are very fun to ride. Required fields are marked *. The bike proved its durability on the market. Harley recommended a tolerance level of .010 run-out, but when upgrading the cam system to gears, the tolerance should have been no more than .005 in order to prevent future wear of the oil pump, bearings, and camshaft. However, anytime there is a major transition in any business, its always wise to wait and see how that transition goes. At this point, most of the early pre-2007 Twin Cam Harleys have the hydraulic cam chain tensioner upgrade installed, and therefore should be perfectly fine to purchase. Buy on Amazon. Ask him how many 40 year old hondas are still on the road.

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