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. But the price differential for a new bike will pay for a lot of fuel and motel rooms. But dont expect it to address the issue. I've got an 06 that had its first 35k worth of maintenance done by the dealership, and its by far the worst bike I've ever owned. Do Harley-Davidson Boots And Clothes Run Big Or Small? The cam chains on the Twin Cam 88 engine come with plastic shoes. Actually, I don't think there is a "life expectancy" considering the engine can be rebuilt numerous times and the cost is reasonable. 1992 . According to MSN, the Nightster handles better than other Sportsters, making it a leader among the legendary model. However, it wasnt long before problems started to arise with some Twin Cam engines. Gear installations for the Twin Cam 88 and Twin Cam 96 if your crankshaft and cam run out are within specification. 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. The increased compression range goes from 9.2:1 to 9.6:1 which allows for greater speeds. silverfox762 5 yr. ago. This is when there is an anomaly or wobble while the shaft is spinning and can be caused by rapid bike deceleration, acceleration, or burnouts putting immense pressure on the pinion shaft. In 2010, the Twin Cam 103 was released to a power-hungry market looking for more RPMs, torque, and speed. V-Twin Harley Davidson forum. This model was named for the two chain-driven cams it contains. The cam chain was poorly designed and had sharp outer edges that quickly ate away at the plastic tensioner shoes. Before you rip into me Press J to jump to the feed. It comes with two camshafts to maximize horsepower. Other Twin Cam years to avoid is the 2003 - 2006 period. This is considered because of the tensioners, otherwise, if the belt is good in shape it is good to go for 100k miles. The 81 Sportster was featured by Thought Co as one of the worst handling motorcycles of all time. 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. Twin cam 88. Available to customer supplied castings. 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. However, no motorcycle manufacturer is free from issues, and Harley Davidson is no different. 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. For these, despite the availability of modern versions of this engine, a good number of riders still use twin cam 88. So, what precisely is the issue here? In 2007 the new Twin Cam 96 was released by Harley-Davidson replacing the Twin Cam 88 and upgrading the cam chest with hydraulic oil-fed tensioners with Delrin style pads. Harley twin cam 88 reliability. Lightweight 'Slipper' Design! All that he said. TCs are plenty reliable as long as they're maintained. The Twin Cam engine on the Dyna Wide Glide was finally mastered by 2014 after years of failure. The Twin Cam 88 is such a great engine and improvement over the Evolution, that its a shame Harley decided to put two elements together that are a recipe for disaster: plastic and sharp metal edges. So 2003 2006 saw minor improvements to the cam system, but not a complete overhaul. Twin cam 88 came in the 90s and twin cam 96 is a later version of it. 28. The Sportster was eventually reinvented after their split-up with AMF but avoid the 1981 model year. I think a lot of bikes are going to at least 50,000 without any major issues ant have heard of some going over100,000 but who knows. Be the first to review this product. Harley attempted to resolve these issues with the Twin Cam 88 in 2003 and included improved breathers for better efficiency. This engine has a torque of 82ft-lb which is at 3,500 pm. 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 Leave em stock (cept for tensioners) & they'll hang in there for the long run ! Most mechanical failures have a distinctive rattle or noise that helps you know something is off, but this specific issue was silent until it was too late. So it makes sense to check out the engine before purchasing it. A deep grumble helps a lot when you are plunging up the road forward, and its an uncommon and remarkable trip when a motorbike replies in such a manner. At this point, avoiding those years would be advisable unless a modification has been made. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm entering an area of concern. 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. The twin cam 88 is an air-cooled engine, and it uses an overhead valve that is activated by pushrods. The twin cam 88 was introduced in 1999. The Evo team ran the engine for four days straight at Talladega Speedway at 85 mph. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm entering an area of concern. So surely the best year. Twin cam 88 is a good motor. Harley twin cam engines are one of a kind. The new models also offer bearingless bushing style cams which eliminated the chain tension problems created by worn cam-plate bearings. Had a 99 FLHR twin cam. There are 88-ci (1450 cc), 96-ci (1584 cc), 103-ci (1690cc) and 110-ci (1801 cc) versions available in the current market. This bike is a Harley Classic and its worth every cent. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. 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 . Less chances of leaks. The Twin Cam 96 and the 103 utilize conventional pushrod-operated, auto-adjusting lifters, and overhead valves alongside hydraulic. 2010 2016: The Best Years for the Twin Cam 103. concerning the heat coming off this engine, most are completely satisfied. Learn more here. 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. 10 years and 100,000 carefree miles. 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. Other than that, it all depends on who did the 5,000 mile service interval. Most bikes after 2007 are fairly reliable. Therere several gear systems that you can utilize to directly solve the problems. According to Low Brow Customs, Willie G. Davidson then decided to make the Sportster after the Harley buy-back from AMF, and the XR-1000 was then put into construction. Buy on Amazon. The Stage 1 performance upgrade is all about airflow - cramming more air into the Twin Cam 88 and moving exhaust gases out quicker. 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 Electra Glide was given an 80 out of 100 ranking on Bikez. The truth is that the Evolution (Evo) line of Harley engines is considered to be their most reliable one. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Now Im a big fan of Harley-Davidson, but this particular engine design was made with the priority of cost over customers. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". When you rest on the bike a bit, you want to have a drive that roars, not cries for pity. The Harley Davidson Twin Cam 103 engine has a displacement of 1688cc (103 cubic inches) and has a maximum power output of 72.8 horsepower and 84.4 ft lbs of torque at 5500 rpm. I don't know about 40 year old Hondas, but there are a bunch of 300,000 mi ones on the road. So Harley engineers were tasked with coming up with a more powerful and cleaner engine; this new project was code-named P-22. 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. The hydraulic tensioner on the later Twin Cam 96 improved the tensioner and cam chains life lifespanneeding fewer inspections and replacements. In all. The Harley Davidson Twin Cam 88reliabilityimplied a significant improvement in performance and refinementfor the company. This model (and the TC 103) highlighted the best years for the Twin Cam engine. Those ole 88's are tuff as nails . I had a buddy that had a wide glide with 95k on the clock before he had any problems. The tensioners were shot, especially the primary, but the engine ran fine. 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. Here are our top 3 choices if you are in hurry or don't like reading too much. Here we bring the best options based on different Harley engines. Vapor lock malfunctions, fuel injectors, and defective pressure gauges are among the most reported problems with a Harley's fuel system. The "Milwaukee Eight" or M8 engine is part of the ninth generation of "big twin" engines developed by Harley since 2017. The 1584cc Twin Cam engine that was in its second year of reinvention. And then there is that heat issue. Ask him how many 40 year old hondas are still on the road. The high mileage of Harley motorcycles depends on their types. More than enough to truly ride in style and have some fun - for many years to come. Here's a look at the technical elements and developments that allowed the 88-cu.-in. 1 Why Harley Twin Cam 88 Is A Popular Engine? A compensator eliminator as found in the Sportster models is an easy fix. Overall, this engine is surely a reliable one. Finally, you may use a fan-aided oil cooler for addressing issues with Harley Davidson twin cam 88s engine. Except maybe BMW's. This motor can run to their expectation of longevity. Another factor in creating a new engine model was the popularity of the aftermarket industry. The Harley Twin Cam was the second type of engine that came out of the staples of the Harley Davison. The chain balancer reduces vibration but is not well designed for larger, modern engines, especially at start-up. A Harley twin cam 88 is expected to last 20+ years and 150k+ miles. This was accomplished through a catalytic converter and electronic fuel injectors. These quirks are something your going to wan. Never had the tranny apart or the motor, just did the things you already mentioned and still going strong. 99. Twenty-five thousand kilometers on a sports bike is a lot. The problem with the new bottom end is the weak spot between the crank pin and the flywheels. The Heritage Softail Classic is perfect for cruising as it comes equipped with technology to easily operate hazard lights and cruise control. I've read about some twin cams going for 100K+ without rebuilds, but I think that the correct answer to the question of life expectancy is about 60 years. 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. It is a metal gem crafted by hand. It necessitates design and heat managementfor the expected (and projected) loads. The early 88 Twin Cams had their problems as well with cam bearings, but that was fixed early on. Also Read: The Best Twin Cam 88 Performance Upgrades. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 3.7 out of 5 stars 33. Required fields are marked *. I've heard of issues with cam chain tensioners in the earlier 88" twin cams. And it accomplished that without jeopardizing Harley-Davidsons signature style. Stable characteristics, high reliability. 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. 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. related: 10 Rules For Joining The Most Badass Biker Clubs. 06 dynas are a 6 speed transition year and have a bunch of issues (I know, I have one). This efficiency leads to a longer life of the cams. Other than that, it all depends on who did the 5,000 mile service interval. This decreased overall power, and so a 1450cc engine was created with twin cams to reduce the noise by half. 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 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. And he rode that thing hard and put it up wet all the time!! All rights reserved. I've done this to my bike. Lol As stated above, I think you will be fine if you're doing normal PM. This last change was vital because it helped meet the EPA standards of noise reduction. One of the best purchases Ive ever made. 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). 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 Twin Cam is equipped with two cams, one in each cylinder, which allows for increased . There are 2 valves in each cylinder. The 2006 FXSTS Springer Softail may the greatest Softail that Harley-Davidson has ever made. Moreover, this comes with an engine system that reduces noise. After reinventing their Twin Cam engine, Harley-Davidson was able to convert on the opportunity to redesign the Road King with a 1690cc engine and six-speed transmission. 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. I argued, but had nothing to back it up. 2 piece rocker boxes over 3 piece Evo units. One of the most serious issues was with the cam chain tensioners. Even with thespanking new hydraulic threaded system, the issuepersists, and the solution is not long-term. 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. Anyone can extend the warranty before two years is completed. 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. This bike comes with many features according to Top Speed: a six-gallon fuel tank, an anti-lock braking system, and cruise control. An exceptional high performance street port for 95" Twin Cam engines. The Road King has always been one of the best Harleys, as it received 4 out of 5-star rating on Motorcycle News. You dont have to be a motorcycle mechanic to know thats going to compromise safety. The Harley-Davidson Twin-Cam V-twin was introduced in 1998. 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. 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. It provides a rebellious look while it offers comfortable seating for fit riders. Fuel System Failures. Liquid-cooled competitors like BMWs K-series bikes and Hondas Gold Wing set a high bar for Major highway performance. 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. Several companies have made an aftermarket. Anything and everything related to Harley-Davidson motorcycles. 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. Follow me on. Harley struggled to produce effective bikes during those dark years and released the Sportster amongst the turmoil. At this point, avoiding those years would be advisable unless a modification has been made. 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Style and have some fun - for many years to avoid is the weak spot between crank... Bikes during those dark years and 150k+ miles the years, no motorcycle manufacturer is free from issues and!