Qty-+ Add to Cart. For these, despite the availability of modern versions of this engine, a good number of riders still use twin cam 88. Higher quality oils are truly helpful in lengthening the destruction and wearing of your bikes engines. My engine does not consume any oil, the exhaust is clean and dry, it runs great and I think my noises are normal. The twin cam 88 is an air-cooled engine, and it uses an overhead valve that is activated by pushrods. I argued, but had nothing to back it up. I've noticed a couple of higher mileage twin cams for sale at dealerships around me recently for fairly cheap. More on the 98" Big Bore Kit . The Timken bearings in the original Twin Cams are graded to help the sprocket shaft continue for over 500,000 miles. So Harley engineers were tasked with coming up with a more powerful and cleaner engine; this new project was code-named P-22. 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. That's what I was hoping to hear. The idea for a Sportster XR was sat upon for a while. In short 96 is a compromise where 88 has a lot to offer. Yet again, we understand just how you enjoy Harley-Davidson bikes with Twin Cam engines so much. The Harley-Davidson Twin-Cam V-twin was introduced in 1998. If you're getting an 88" TC then go for the 99-02 cause they have the timken bearing in the crank. Anyone can extend the warranty before two years is completed. Your email address will not be published. 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. Ask him how many 40 year old hondas are still on the road. I wanna say around 2007 they fixed the Cam Tensioner issue. Twin 88 cam is one of its kind. Put S&S gear drive cams in at 65k. 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. Its all in how you take care of your bike. Now, while a 10% increase doesn't seem huge, you can . There is a difference between the Twin Cam 88 and the Twin Cam 96. There are a few Twim Cam years that you may want to avoid. As the plastic eventually wore completely away, the chain was then subjected to metal-on-metal against the lever and could send bits of metal and scrap into the engine leading to complete engine failure. 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. Best Choice. It has an air-cooled engine that utilizes two valves per cylinder with pushrod operation. The Twin Cam is a great engine that is loved by many and will give you years of trouble-free riding the same way it does to millions of riders every year. What happened to MarKuda? Consumers enjoy the rough urban feeling this bike gives off and its worth the incredibly low used price that its sold for. Overall, the engine system is reliable for its . 100 years making V-Twinssad. The 2007 Night Rod Special is an all-black Harley-Davidson with one of the most powerful Harley engines. hah yeah I go by my service manual and there is a helluva lot more to them than the oil and filter. As long as you stay away from the early pre-2007 models with the cam chain tensioner issue and the 03-06 models with the high crank runout issue, you should be perfectly fine. The Twin Cams dynasty came to a close in 2016, when the company replaced it with the Milwaukee-Eight multi-valve dual-cooled engine, a whole new topic. 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. 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. The 998cc engine from the XR-1000 was an extension of the engine that became a blast from the past. I have nothing against the 88 or 96, but with so many used bikes available..plenty of 103's out there to choose from. Benjamin believes that nothing clears the mind faster than flying 26 inches above the asphalt on his Harley-Davison. Integrated engine/trans mounting points, eliminating inner primary failures/cracks/leaks due to torque. The Road King has always been one of the best Harleys, as it received 4 out of 5-star rating on Motorcycle News. This caused the Twin Cam to gradually lose oil pressure and eventually caused the engine to seize if left untreated. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Evo design was developed & used in Harley Sportstar bikes to dampen vibration and reduce engine noise and bleakness. 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. This site also participates in other affiliate programs including but not limited to ShareASale, CJ, and ClickBank, and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. The tensioners were shot, especially the primary, but the engine ran fine. At this point, avoiding those years would be advisable unless a modification has been made. I'm happy with my motor, though at some point I will probably put some mild, torquey cams in in it, just because it seems that's what you do. 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. The engine of the Twin Cam 88 can produce around 80 horsepower. Just be sure to do your due diligence when buying a used Harley, and you should be fine. Harley twin cam 88 reliability. Another mastery by the Custom Vehicles Operations crew at Harley, the 2012 CVO Softail Convertible is a limited-production motorcycle that comes with a powerful V-Twin engine. Whats your take? 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. Cant wait to put some miles on My ugly Roadster but its mine! A unique one that comes with a dual coil system and many other good features. So, what precisely is the issue here? I'm approaching 75K on my 2004 TC88 (stock internals, no mods). 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. Best Cam Overall (Great for 96, 103, 110) - Andrews 57H or Feuling Reaper 574. One was to use a mechanical tensioner that physically pushed against the chain versus a hydraulic tensioner that used oil pressure to dampen the cam chain. This Harley is one of the best touring bikes ever made by the company and makes a great used purchase. With a good kit, 30 percent more horsepower and more torque of 10% can be ensured. The Evo pushed out around 69-ftlbs at 3000-rpm, while the Twin Cam showed a significant increase of 84-ftlbs at 3500-rpm. The bore size of the factory cylinder is 3- which yields the displacement of 88. They sent out recall notices to everyone that gave a correct address. Crankcase cracking in twin cam 88engines isupgraded for enhanced performance was initially a source of worry. 10 years and 100,000 carefree miles. Best Cam for 96 Cubic Inch Harley - Feuling Reaper. Its not that you should completely skip over these problematic years; with the right mods, the Twin Cam 88 engine can be retro-fitted and essentially fixed to make your Harley roar with torque, speed, performance, and most of all safety. 99. If they havent had any issues or if the crank was replaced, then you should be fine to purchase the bike. 99. This 1450 cc engine is equivalent to 88 cubic inches. S&S Gear Drive Kit is an optional upgrade for all stages due to increased reliability. In the most extreme circumstances, metal-to-metal interaction will eventually occur, resulting in metal wearing and potentially fatal and dangerousmechanicalfailures. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, 85 FXR, 48 Pan, 69 Shovel, 08 Road King, 77 Shovel, 1984 FXRT, 1994 FXLR, 1978 Electra Glide, 2006 Fatboy. Though the bike is built for street cruising, its even more effective with a six-speed transmission. In case anyone suspects any kind of damage in the motor, a compression test must be done before disassembling. silverfox762 5 yr. ago. Though a modern one 96 is not even equal to 88 on some grounds. 13 Frequently Asked Questions of Harley Twin Cam 88 Reliability. FREE delivery Tue, Jan 24 . This efficiency leads to a longer life of the cams. 1440, 1550 vs 1340 for Evos. That is a creature comfort that I don't think I could live without. Are you just looking for an excuse to beef that baby up? Is it true that Harley Twin Cam engines are dependable? So 2003 2006 saw minor improvements to the cam system, but not a complete overhaul. 07 up has more power and you don't have to fuck with the tensioners. Nothing beats the thrill of taking a tight corner on two wheels. Like everything mechanical, the Twin Cam 88 has it's Achilles heal, the tensioners. So what made these years up to the present more tolerable than the 1999 2002 years was the knowledge to upgrade. This model was named for the two chain-driven cams it contains. In addition, the Isolated Drive Process provides that acceleration flows smoothly and steadily to the pavement from your wrist. 1992 . A friend of mine has 99 wide glide with 175k on it. The EPA required exhaust emissions and noise levels to be lowered. Specifications 4" Bore bolt on cylinder and piston kit 10.5:1 Compression Wrinkle Black Finish S&S 585 Easy Start Chain Drive Cams TC3 Oil Pump TC3 Cam Plate S&S cam . This causes the crank assembly to have high runout and effectively start wobbling, which destroys the oil pump, cams, and even parts of the engine block. I also replaced the cams and bearings, I now have over 145,000 miles and still running strong. The 2014 Dyna Wide Glide is not fit for a beginner rider, but rather an upgrade for existing riders. Available to customer supplied castings. However, it wasnt long before problems started to arise with some Twin Cam engines. The Harley Twin Cam was the second type of engine that came out of the staples of the Harley Davison. The Twin Cam motor would solve consistently producing the power demanded by contemporary riders of massive bikes. I've heard of issues with cam chain tensioners in the earlier 88" twin cams. Great! 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. I have 106,000 miles on my 04 never been opened original cam shoes clutchetc. The oil cooler features a controlled fan that provides a continuous flow of cooling air, thus helping your engines cool down and reduce the wearing of the plastic shoes. When I chose a Harley-Davidson, it was because of their high standards of quality and precision in every aspect of the bike, so it was disappointing to see this unforced error in the 1999-2006 Twin Cam 88s that could have been such a shining moment for this iconic American motorcycle company. I have a '99 Ultra with 71,000 on it and just did the roller chain conversion. Harley-Davidson bikes are designed to last for a very long time. This was accomplished through a catalytic converter and electronic fuel injectors. The wifey's 1974 shovel is still going strong with tender lovin' care and alot of wallet! There are 2 valves in each cylinder. The first notable difference lies in the name. It is a metal gem crafted by hand. And replaced it with a shitty compensator. Every feature on this Harley is what makes the company a fan favorite. 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. Harley Davidson spent many hours sweating bullets, refining every cubic millimeter, and pushing technology and design ahead. If this issue is not addressed and detected, the Twin Cams complete engine, including cams, pistons,and engine casings, may be damaged. 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. The first 30k+ miles are considered to be 100% reliable for most of its riders. 5. Cornering a Motorcycle Confidently: Step by Step Guide. Explore; i asked a machinist friend, if he could fix my co-workers 2003 (exploded) twin cam Anniversary Somethin Glide. The expectation for Harley Davidson to produce an air-cooled engine that was packed with customary reliability grew steadily before 1998. Regular maintenance is minimal. Dont put it at the back of your mind that youd get quick answers from your bikes dealers concerning this problem. 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 latter also has an oil cooling system that the 96 doesnt have. 28. It may cause the pistons and crankshaft to recoil backward producing a backfire. I can understand the concern of high mileage on any vehicle and the worry that comes up when you plan a long trip. According to Top Speed, the bike was designed to be ridden by younger riders. One of the most reliable ones from Harley Davidson is their twin cam 88 engines. 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. In fact, there are many Twin Cams nearing the 100k mile mark and they still run like new. While it is true that the Harley twin cam 88s engine comes with its unique engine problems, the manufacturer didnt leave us without solutions for them. Each of them has two lobes. Bikes originally equipped with Twin Cam 88 engines can upgrade to 95 or 103CI displacement, and Twin Cam 96-equipped models can be repowered with 103 or 110CI . It is expected to run 200k miles at least if it is used properly and taken care of. If there's complete service records, 30,000 is still relatively new. Feb 26, 2014. In all. Don't sweat it..I saw the original crosshatching machine work on the inside of a cylinder at 100k miles.installed new rings and kept going. I recently started a blog about welding gear.I am also a DIY welding enthusiast because it is affordable for any household work. A. as found in the Sportster models is an easy fix. 50k miles and more is considered to be high mileage for larger bikes. 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