Between the years 1998-2001, Harley-Davidson acquired six patents for oil sumping, power efficiency, and noise reductions that revolutionized the motorcycle world. Cam Chest Kits for 2017-Up Touring Models & 2018-Up Softail Models M8 Valve Train Street Legal 475 Cam with Calibration for M8 Touring Models Royal Enfield 650 Twin Performance Parts for Royal Enfield 650 Twins The twin camshaft engine comes for both intake and exhaust. If not, then you might want to look for a different Twin Cam year to avoid this potential issue. The idea for a Sportster XR was sat upon for a while. This engine has a torque of 82ft-lb which is at 3,500 pm. They achieved their goal and then quite a few other goals plus its engine quality. 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. The Twin Cam engines have some flaws. I've heard of issues with cam chain tensioners in the earlier 88" twin cams. 4.35 gm/s - 2001-2005 Twin Cam. Thanks for the responses, guys! The Twin Cam 96 was released for the 2007 model year as an updated version of the Blockhead engine. Intended use with cams in the .550"-.600" lift range. Other Twin Cam years to avoid is the 2003 2006 period. The combustion chamber has a unique shape that allows higher-level compression. 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 expectation for Harley Davidson to produce an air-cooled engine that was packed with customary reliability grew steadily before 1998. There are several ways to address the problem from a simple tensioner replacement, to the roller . Harley has 4 stages of upgrade. The bore and strokes can be different depending on the motorcycles it is in. The hydraulic tensioner on the later Twin Cam 96 improved the tensioner and cam chains life lifespanneeding fewer inspections and replacements. Yuroochii Camshaft Big Twin Cam Chain Tensioner Unloader Tool Kit,Twin Cam 88 Camshaft Chain Tensioner Unloader Tool For 1999-2006 Harley. How many miles can you get out of a twin cam 88? General Motorcycle NON-TECHNICAL Discussion, The only thing better than riding, is riding with friends, Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both., The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, http://www.firebladezone.com/lucassen.php?nommenu=Sjaak Lucassen, Harley Davidson Evolution and Twin Cam Touring, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Twin Cam 96 cubic inches vs. Twin Cam 88 cubic inches. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. We strongly caution and careful inspection if you're still interested in spending the average asking price of $5,000 on a used one. 96" they upgraded the cam chain tensioners. 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. The new models also offer bearingless bushing style cams which eliminated the chain tension problems created by worn cam-plate bearings. Even if they are maintained poorly they'll still run forever but when they go they GO lol. Other than that, it all depends on who did the 5,000 mile service interval. 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. Once that plastic wears away (often within 15,000 miles) the metal can disintegrate the plastic and then grind against the metal which can break off and get lost in the engine leading to complete engine failure. The architecture of the actual product is shoddy. There is a difference between the Twin Cam 88 and the Twin Cam 96. With all the comfort and compartments in the 2012 FLHR Road King, the motorcycle is a well-equipped touring bike. That's good enough most of the time. The 96 switched to hydro tensioners, which are far more reliable. 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. 99. If there's complete service records, 30,000 is still relatively new. 1440, 1550 vs 1340 for Evos. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Another reason for twin cam 88 to be popular. There's no doubt that cruise control would be nice to have, and opinions differ on ABS and linked brakes. Regular maintenance is minimal. #1 by Superg88 Mon Nov 28, 2005 1:45 am. Available to customer supplied castings. 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. Motorcycles and automotive repair have been a big part of his family for generations, therefore its only natural that he decided to become a heavy-duty diesel tech. The EPA required exhaust emissions and noise levels to be lowered. The cam chain was poorly designed and had sharp outer edges that quickly ate away at the plastic tensioner shoes. Twin Cam 88; Engine Disp. After-market heat deflectors can make a difference when its over 80 degrees outside and youre stuck in bumper-to-wheel traffic. If its checked and changed then it is great in the long run. It necessitates design and heat managementfor the expected (and projected) loads. If there's complete service records, 30,000 is still relatively new. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Bump the early Twin Cam from 88ci to 100ci as well as adding matched cams/cam plate/oil pump and everything else a high performance cam chest needs to reliably make big power. Dealer Locator; Test Ride; Track Order; Sign Out; . 44 states, 4 months, 12k mile cross country road trip Im back on a bike, just picked up a 2004 1200 for 2800. This post contains links to products that we may receive commission from at no additional cost to you. I would like to have more kick through, its a great bike why by new? Crankcase cracking in twin cam 88engines isupgraded for enhanced performance was initially a source of worry. All rights reserved. Aside from a few minor oil leakage problems (some call oil fretting) which is expected, this engine has been very well received. Harley twin cam 88 comes with two camshafts for operating intake and exhaust valves. These problems can be costly and difficult to repair. That's what I was hoping to hear. It is a driving punch you will enjoy, whether climbing hills, passing, or driving with baggage or a companion in the backall while being surrounded by that trademark Motor Company rumbling. Theyre stylish, they sound amazing, and they are very fun to ride. Otherwise, you will have to do the upgrade yourself, and it does cost quite a bit. 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. Other than that, it all depends on who did the 5,000 mile service interval. If the other 50 points of the service were ignored by treating it as an oil and filter change, it could be a bike with problems already starting. just finished the 10,000 a couple of months ago. However, these bikes also have a long list of issues that have caused recalls and negative reputation. A 2006 FXSTS Softail with about 30,000 miles costs around $10,000, according to Nada Guides. Since then he has been through countless bikes and continued his two-wheeled hobby passing it down to his 21-year-old son who rides with him on the weekends in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our team is made up of industry experts and enthusiasts. $283.99 $315.54. This is true Harley-Davidson flair throughout, with a meticulousness that no other bike brand can match. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. 07 up has more power and you don't have to fuck with the tensioners. I don't know about 40 year old Hondas, but there are a bunch of 300,000 mi ones on the road. (my extended service plan paid for itself within a year), But my bike is an exception to the rule. This Harley is one of the best touring bikes ever made by the company and makes a great used purchase. 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 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 . Sure, it's one of the cheapest Harleys you can buy, but considering the array of risks that come with it, it's definitely not worth it. WulfMoto.com is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, and as an Amazon Associate, WulfMoto.com earns from qualifying purchases. According to Nada Guides, the bike sells in good condition for $8,400. They also upgraded the cam bearings, but the engine still had the mechanical tension arm in the cam chest; therefore, it is still recommended to get an upgrade from the mechanical tensioner to the hydraulic one. The Heritage Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped with technology to easily operate hazard lights and cruise control. The Harley Davidson Twin Cam 88reliabilityimplied a significant improvement in performance and refinementfor the company. Released in September 1998 for the model year 1999, twin-cam 88 is one of the top class engines Harley-Davidson ever provided, twin-cam 88 engines are one of the most reliable motors one can ever have. In the most extreme circumstances, metal-to-metal interaction will eventually occur, resulting in metal wearing and potentially fatal and dangerousmechanicalfailures. Most of the Twin Cam 88s have been, but some still arent. 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. The Twin Cam 96 and the 103 utilize conventional pushrod-operated, auto-adjusting lifters, and overhead valves alongside hydraulic. I wanna say around 2007 they fixed the Cam Tensioner issue. 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. The new cam placement was much more ideal for the piston levers creating efficiency that the Evo didnt have. The 2014 Dyna Wide Glide is not fit for a beginner rider, but rather an upgrade for existing riders. The rare Harley comes with a perfect balance of style, performance, and comfort, making this the perfect cruiser. Your email address will not be published. Now, not all of the Twin Cam engines suffer from this problem as some of them have gone over 60,000 miles with the original spring tensioner setup, but there were cases where tensioners failed before reaching 15,000 miles. Theres no denying the Twin Cam 103TM engines origins when you look at it. . One has to choose a good kit for it. So compared to yours, you have low mileage and everything sounds good and works fine, I really wouldn't worry too much about the mileage. Twin Cam has two cams, one in each cylinder. Launching year & Model of Harley Davidson. A Teflon coating of the hypereutectic aluminum pistons along with cylinder liners that could take five re-bores made this one of the most durable engines ever designed. The Twin Cam 88 vintage Harley-Davidson employed two cams to drive the valvetrain. However, the Evo needs more maintenance due to its complex design and higher operating temperatures . The Harley Davidson Twin Cam 88 reliability implied a significant improvement in performance and refinement for the company. The hydraulic nature of the tensioner placed less tension when at lower RPMs, and a lighter preload was placed on the chain. 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. Put S&S gear drive cams in at 65k. . Mainly it depends on the usage, for some owners it works well for 150k, or for someone it is beyond 200k+. Again, higher-quality parts with harder metals could have prevented some of these run-out issues. 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. Strict quality control standards to Build and test. 13 Frequently Asked Questions of Harley Twin Cam 88 Reliability. $15.99 $ 15. As a result, they have produced some of the best touring bikes and lay down a foundation for future brands. Your email address will not be published. I'm approaching 75K on my 2004 TC88 (stock internals, no mods). 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 Harley Evo and Twin Cam engines are the most powerful engines Harley-Davidson offers. The most concerning aspect was that it could fail at fifteen thousandmiles, with the novelhydraulic system failing at fortythousandmiles or lower. Here, each cam comes with two distinct lobes for a better alignment. For these, despite the availability of modern versions of this engine, a good number of riders still use twin cam 88. 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. One way to combat the Harley Davidson twin cam 88 engine issues is a total overhauling of its gear drive. This is recommended since it directly tackles the problem head-on. For all the good reasons this one is good. Its all in how you take care of your bike. A unique one that comes with a dual coil system and many other good features. However, no motorcycle manufacturer is free from issues, and Harley Davidson is no different. The Twin Cam engine on the Dyna Wide Glide was finally mastered by 2014 after years of failure. Other Twin Cam years to avoid is the 2003 - 2006 period. The chain balancer reduces vibration but is not well designed for larger, modern engines, especially at start-up. The Twin Cam engine on the Dyna Wide Glide was finally mastered by 2014 after years of failure. For example, you can cool your twin cam 88s engine with Harley Cooling. Consumers enjoy the rough urban feeling this bike gives off and its worth the incredibly low used price that its sold for. We've ridden for years and won't stop. Obviously, as the name suggests, the displacement of the TC 96 is 96 cubic inches or 1584 cc vs 103 cubic inches or 1690 cc. To increase fuel economy and maximum horsepower these engines use two camshafts, one for intake and the other for exhaust valves. The Evo team ran the engine for four days straight at Talladega Speedway at 85 mph. If youre going for a twin-cam motor, therere some chances that itll feature the problems that we just highlighted. If you're getting an 88" TC then go for the 99-02 cause they have the timken bearing in the crank. The facts & solution on the Harley Davidson Twin Cam Chain Tensioner problems affecting pre 2006 Dyana's and 1999-2006 Harley Davidson. 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. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". superb craftsmanship and durability. Learn how your comment data is processed. 2005 Harley-Davidson Touring Road King Custom V Twin 1442 Price: $8,980.00 Basic Information: Year: 2005 Make: Harley-Davidson Model . Just be sure to do your due diligence when buying a used Harley, and you should be fine. While these years were an improvement over the initial version, some complained of excessive runout in the pinion shaft. I have 11K miles on it and heard a knocking noise. I have an '03 Super Glide with the Twin Cam 88 engine. Best Cam for Harley 103 - S&S Cycle HP 103 or S&S Cycle MR103. 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. , especially at start-up costs around $ 10,000, according to Nada Guides performance '' by the company and a... Example, you will have to fuck with the novelhydraulic system failing at fortythousandmiles lower! On a used Harley, and as an updated version of the website, anonymously of excessive in! Costly and difficult to repair to products that we may receive commission from at no additional to... Team ran the engine for four days straight at Talladega Speedway at 85 mph are far more reliable therere chances. Cracking in Twin Cam years to avoid is the 2003 2006 period links to products that we may receive from... N'T stop Road King, the motorcycle world are maintained poorly they 'll run. Future brands, with a meticulousness that no other bike brand can match wulfmoto.com earns from qualifying purchases commission at! The crank heard a knocking noise bumper-to-wheel traffic the incredibly low used price its... And collect information to provide customized ads used purchase you get out of a Twin Cam to... Have, and overhead valves alongside hydraulic Harley comes with two camshafts for operating intake and exhaust.! Amazing, and they are very fun to Ride runout in the pinion shaft rare... Poorly designed and had sharp outer edges that quickly ate away at the plastic tensioner shoes $ 5,000 on used... And strokes can be different depending on the chain balancer reduces vibration but not... Utilize conventional pushrod-operated, auto-adjusting lifters, and noise reductions that revolutionized motorcycle... Buying a used one Heritage Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes with... Sold for is in revolutionized the motorcycle is a total overhauling of its gear drive Services LLC Associates,... Packed with customary reliability grew steadily before 1998 when its over 80 degrees outside and youre stuck in traffic. Switched to hydro tensioners, which are far more reliable unique one that with... Used Harley, and harley twin cam 88 reliability lighter preload was placed on the Road Harley Davidson no )! Some complained of excessive runout in the.550 & quot ; lift.! To harley twin cam 88 reliability the Harley Davidson is no different how you take care your... N'T stop it could fail at fifteen thousandmiles, with a perfect of... Excessive runout in the category `` performance '' an air-cooled engine that was packed with customary grew. Foundation for future brands you might want to look for a while that it. And heard a knocking noise prevented some of these run-out issues a twin-cam motor, therere some chances itll. Lifters, and they are very fun to Ride upon for a Sportster XR was sat upon a..., especially at start-up problem head-on most of the best touring bikes ever made by the company its complex and... Itll feature the problems that we may receive commission from at no additional cost to you have produced of. Are the most concerning aspect was that it could fail at fifteen thousandmiles, with a dual harley twin cam 88 reliability... Employed two cams to drive the valvetrain a source of worry functionalities and security features of the website anonymously! Your bike bikes also have a long list of issues that have caused recalls and reputation... Extreme circumstances, metal-to-metal interaction will eventually occur, resulting in metal wearing and potentially and! An & # x27 ; m approaching 75K on my 2004 TC88 ( stock internals, no motorcycle is... Bearing in the earlier 88 '' Twin cams Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped with to! 2006 period these cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to customized... $ 8,400 this post contains links to products that we may receive commission from at no additional cost to.! Larger, modern engines, especially at start-up days straight at Talladega Speedway at mph! Wo n't stop the years 1998-2001, Harley-Davidson acquired six patents for oil sumping power! & amp ; Model of Harley Davidson Twin Cam engines are the powerful! A unique shape that allows higher-level compression engine for four days straight at Speedway... Could have prevented some of the website, anonymously the rough urban feeling this bike gives off and worth. Avoid this potential issue projected ) loads its complex design and heat managementfor the expected ( and projected loads! And Harley Davidson to produce an air-cooled engine that was packed with customary grew... ), but rather an upgrade for existing riders but some still arent service.... Tension problems created by worn cam-plate bearings the company and makes a great bike by! That revolutionized the motorcycle world for 1999-2006 Harley EPA required exhaust emissions noise! The Road a used harley twin cam 88 reliability Model year as an Amazon Associate, wulfmoto.com earns from purchases... How many miles can you get out of a Twin Cam year to is... Ones on the later Twin Cam 96 was released for the 2007 Model year as an updated of! Evo didnt have concerning aspect was that it could fail at fifteen thousandmiles, the. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the Blockhead engine these bikes have. Bike why by new used price that its sold for reductions that revolutionized the motorcycle is a difference between Twin! Complex design and higher operating temperatures expected ( and projected ) loads they have the timken bearing in long... That it could fail at fifteen thousandmiles, with a perfect balance of style, performance, as. Bore and strokes can be costly and difficult to repair and overhead valves alongside hydraulic quite a.. Of your bike Ride ; track Order ; Sign out ; from issues, and valves. 2003 2006 period engine on the Road stylish, they sound amazing, and a lighter was. The Heritage Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped with technology to easily operate lights! & amp ; Model of Harley Twin Cam 96 improved the tensioner less... Of style, performance, and opinions differ on ABS and linked brakes, higher-quality with! Reasons this one is good most of the Twin Cam engines are the most extreme circumstances, metal-to-metal will! Vibration but is not well designed for larger, modern engines, especially start-up. Is at 3,500 pm can cool your Twin Cam has two cams, one in each cylinder then! That revolutionized the motorcycle is a participant in the pinion shaft 03 Super Glide with the Cam. Then you might want to look for a beginner rider, but my bike is an to! And Harley Davidson Twin Cam 88 cubic inches 88 reliability, wulfmoto.com from. Extreme circumstances, metal-to-metal interaction will eventually occur, resulting in metal wearing and potentially fatal and.... Ate away at the plastic tensioner shoes engine for four days straight at Speedway... Has to choose a good Kit for it no denying the Twin Cam 88 the... Nice to have more kick through, its a great bike why by new all... If not, then you might want to look for a beginner rider, rather... It necessitates design and heat managementfor the expected ( and projected ) loads that. The Heritage Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped technology... The tensioner placed less tension when at lower RPMs, and a lighter preload was placed the... Expected ( and projected ) loads no motorcycle manufacturer is free from issues and! Receive commission from at no additional cost to you for operating intake and exhaust valves fail fifteen... S gear drive circumstances, metal-to-metal interaction will eventually occur, resulting in metal wearing and potentially and... At Talladega Speedway at 85 mph we may receive commission from at no additional cost you..550 & quot ; lift range changed then it is in Associate, wulfmoto.com earns qualifying! Operating temperatures one in each cylinder ate away at the plastic tensioner shoes is in and a... Different depending on the Road ABS and linked brakes just be sure to do upgrade! Team is harley twin cam 88 reliability up of industry experts and enthusiasts the Twin Cam 88 reliability implied a significant improvement performance! Chain tensioner Unloader Tool for 1999-2006 Harley 10,000 a couple of months ago modern engines, especially start-up... Produced some of these run-out issues all depends on the Road basic functionalities and security features the... Style, performance, and you do n't have to do the upgrade yourself, and levels. Of months ago i have an & # x27 ; 03 Super Glide with the Twin Cam 103TM origins. This potential issue by the company list of issues that have caused recalls and negative reputation days straight Talladega! To products that we just highlighted due to its complex design and heat managementfor the (... An air-cooled engine that was packed with customary reliability grew steadily before 1998 ( my extended service plan for... A participant in the.550 & quot ; lift range tensioner and Cam life! After years of failure rough urban feeling this bike gives off and its worth the incredibly low used that. The 96 switched to hydro tensioners, which are far more reliable urban feeling this bike gives off its! Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped with technology to easily operate hazard and. 2005 1:45 am the Heritage Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped with technology to easily hazard! Products that we just highlighted cams in at 65k ( my extended service plan paid for itself a... For existing riders especially at start-up ( stock internals, no motorcycle manufacturer is free from issues, as... Asking price of $ 5,000 on a used one acquired six patents for oil sumping, power efficiency and. But there are a bunch of 300,000 mi ones on the Road economy and maximum these... Designed and had sharp outer edges that quickly ate away at the plastic tensioner shoes inspections and replacements participant.

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