The early 88 Twin Cams had their problems as well with cam bearings, but that was fixed early on. The Twin Cam engines have some flaws. 2023 ThrottlePack. Harley twin cam 88 stock compression ratio is 9:1 which is great for engines. 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. But dont expect it to address the issue. 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. I have nothing against the 88 or 96, but with so many used bikes available..plenty of 103's out there to choose from. The Twin Cam engine on the Dyna Wide Glide was finally mastered by 2014 after years of failure. 14 How many miles can you get out of a twin cam 88? This post contains links to products that we may receive commission from at no additional cost to you. 2. The kit includes a high-flow oil pump which will increase the pressure when the temperature rises. The AMF years nearly stained the reputation of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle until they regained ownership in 1981. 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 . 1992 . This one is also beyond regular maintenance. 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 Harley Davidson Twin Cam 88reliabilityimplied a significant improvement in performance and refinementfor the company. In 2003, Harley Davidson decided to cut production costs and changed the bulletproof Timken cam bearings to pressed-in roller bearings and a pressed crankshaft. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. It comes with a 200mm rear tire and a bobtail fender. The twin cam 88 is an air-cooled engine, and it uses an overhead valve that is activated by pushrods. You dont have to be a motorcycle mechanic to know thats going to compromise safety. Be the first to review this product. More about that will be discussed in this post. It comes with some unique features such as a dual coil system, a great combustion chamber shape, and a good displacement. I've got friends with similar/older bikes that have never had a problem. It necessitates design and heat managementfor the expected (and projected) loads. Best Choice. According to Nada Guides, it costs $12,000. So it makes sense to check out the engine before purchasing it. 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 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. $58.99 $ 58. .and my 88 is now bullet proof. 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. 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. Top 5 Harley Twin Cam Problems & Their Quick Solutions 2022, 4 Common Harley Davidson Twin Cooled Engine Problems & Solutions 2022, Top 10 Best Cam Upgrade For Harley 103 Engine 2022 Guide, The Top 10 Best Cam For TC88 Harley Touring Reviews & Buying Guide 2022, 12 Most Comfortable Touring Seat for Harley Street Glide 2022 For Long-Distance Travel, Harley Cam Chain Tensioner Upgrade & Replacement (+Tools Needed), 10 Best Air Ride For Harley Touring 2022- Top Quality Air Ride Suspension Kit, Harley Radio Troubleshooting: Harley Davidson Harman Kardon Radio Problems & Solutions, Harley Davidson Throttle Cable Length Chart, Harley Bad Coil Symptoms/Harley Davidson Ignition Coil Troubleshooting, The Top 14 Best Air Intake For Harley Davidson 2022 Reviews & Buying Guide. Another thing is, if the upgrade is installed by dealers, the original warranty will stay in place. Liked his response when asked what he was thinking while collecting all the miles, "I kinda think of it as collecting memories not miles.". At this point, avoiding those years would be advisable unless a modification has been made. Best Cam for Harley 103 - S&S Cycle HP 103 or S&S Cycle MR103. Theres no denying the Twin Cam 103TM engines origins when you look at it. No failures reported. Learn more here. The cam chains on the Twin Cam 88 engine come with plastic shoes. That's what I was hoping to hear. Be sure to ask the seller if they have experienced any high runout issues with their bike and if they have had the crank replaced. Twin cam 88. Discussion on V-Twin Harley Davidson motorcycles including Dyna, Electra Glide, Softail, Sportster, and more. If youre going for a twin-cam motor, therere some chances that itll feature the problems that we just highlighted. 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. 96" they upgraded the cam chain tensioners. The engine can have different horsepower too depending on the motorcycles it is in. 4.6 out of 5 stars 13. So what made these years up to the present more tolerable than the 1999 2002 years was the knowledge to upgrade. Twin cams are surely good engines because of the shape of combustion chambers. Our team is made up of industry experts and enthusiasts. 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. Sure, these issues are very serious and they can easily destroy the engine if ignored, but apart from them, the Twin Cam is a very reliable engine overall. The Twin Cam 96 was released for the 2007 model year as an updated version of the Blockhead engine. Which Harley Davidson engines are twin cam? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The expectation for Harley Davidson to produce an air-cooled engine that was packed with customary reliability grew steadily before 1998. Other than that, it all depends on who did the 5,000 mile service interval. 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. Though the bike is built for street cruising, its even more effective with a six-speed transmission. Cam tensioners can do worse if you dont check them by then. Harley had several options for their EPA-approved cam system. Here are our top 3 choices if you are in hurry or don't like reading too much. #1 by Superg88 Mon Nov 28, 2005 1:45 am. According to MSN, the Nightster handles better than other Sportsters, making it a leader among the legendary model. 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 Twin Cam engine on the Dyna Wide Glide was finally mastered by 2014 after years of failure. I've 4 or 5 friends who ride Twin Cam with more then 100000 kms on it. You can call me gearheads or petrolheads. The twin-cam 88 is a very solid platform if you. And replaced it with a shitty compensator. It means 88 can be turned into 95 or 98 only by resizing cylinders. In fact, there are many Twin Cams nearing the 100k mile mark and they still run like new. One has to choose a good kit for it. Never had the tranny apart or the motor, just did the things you already mentioned and still going strong. just finished the 10,000 a couple of months ago. Twin Cam has two cams, one in each cylinder. 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. The engine of the Twin Cam 88 can produce around 80 horsepower. TCs are plenty reliable as long as they're maintained. 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. After-market heat deflectors can make a difference when its over 80 degrees outside and youre stuck in bumper-to-wheel traffic. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. silverfox762 5 yr. ago. The Harley Evo and Twin Cam engines are the most powerful engines Harley-Davidson offers. But, it should be considered that if it is taken care of well, then a motorcycle can last well even past 100k miles. How could it not be worth it? One way to combat the Harley Davidson twin cam 88 engine issues is a total overhauling of its gear drive. At this point, avoiding those years would be advisable unless a modification has been made. Dont put it at the back of your mind that youd get quick answers from your bikes dealers concerning this problem. However, the great news is that there are some measures that you can take to address these issues and avert the possible occurrence of catastrophic mechanical issues in the times ahead. Why Harley Twin Cam 88 Is A Popular Engine? If not, then you might want to look for a different Twin Cam year to avoid this potential issue. 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. So it was with the engine changes from the Evolution to the Twin Cam 88. This decreased overall power, and so a 1450cc engine was created with twin cams to reduce the noise by half. Consumers enjoy the rough urban feeling this bike gives off and its worth the incredibly low used price that its sold for. The Road King has always been one of the best Harleys, as it received 4 out of 5-star rating on Motorcycle News. Actually, I don't think there is a "life expectancy" considering the engine can be rebuilt numerous times and the cost is reasonable. Has about 118k on it now! The first notable difference lies in the name. 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. 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. Available to customer supplied castings. More impressive upgrades included an internal oil pump, the transmission attached directly to the engine, dual ignition coils, two cams instead of a single, and a cam chain to replace the gearing of the Evo. Whats your take? but in my opinion these bikes will last as long as you take care of them. It was covered under his seven year warrantee and they put in a newly remanufactured motor with a new one year, unlimited mileage warrantee. The Timken bearings in the original Twin Cams are graded to help the sprocket shaft continue for over 500,000 miles. I have 11K miles on it and heard a knocking noise. Another specialty of this engine is that it comes with one cam for the cylinders each. Overhauling of its gear drive no additional cost to you is 9:1 which great. S & amp ; S Cycle MR103 harley twin cam 88 reliability them by then overhead valve that is activated by pushrods still. Choose a good kit for it grew steadily before 1998 a Popular engine has always been one of the Cam... 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