The Twin Cam 88 Can Hold Some Secrets
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2022
- Harley-Davidson Twin Cam 88, great engine, has it's issues but they can hold some secrets. You truly don't know what you have in a Twin Cam 88 until you open the cam chest. There are many variables you can run into like hydraulic tensioner conversion with stock style plate. Maybe a conversion with a late model bushing design cam plate with conversion cams. You could even find a billet cam plate with roller bearings and hydraulic tensioners. There are several possible combinations and just because the bike has receipts for work doesn't mean those parts are still in the bike. Twin Cam 88's change hands over the years and receipts still follow the bike, doesn't mean someone didn't rob the goodies out of the engine.
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Have you found any surprises within an engine that didn't line up with the receipts?
No so far so good.
I hangout all week for your next video, you do an amazing job & explanation is spot-on to follow.
Keep Living the F#@KING Dream ❗
Safe travels 🙏♥️🐾🐾
💪🇦🇺💪
What’s the cost to get rid of faulty tentioner. I have an 03 lowrider was my wife’s bike. Only has about 12 thousand miles on it. I would hate to ruin that motor. Thanks
Yes, I mentioned it in my comment. When I confronted the dealer and asked him to go half on the repairs, he played stupid as if he didn’t remember advertising it as a 96” (2002 Night Train 32k at the time) and the tensioners, “ Oh that could’ve happened from you”, 🤦♂️ absolute scumbag. Flip side is I built it up to a stage 4 and thought I never split the cases to make sure no shoe fragments got lodged anywhere, she’s run like a champ, through 4 different cams and now at 60k miles.
Where is your next video, I'm hanging out for my GixxerFoo hit❗
Keep Living the F#@KING Dream ❗
Safe travels 🙏♥️🐾🐾
💪🇦🇺💪
5 years ago I bought a 2005 Road King (my 1st HD) and the same day I brought it home I opened the cam chest. I was very happy to see it had been upgraded with the Screaming Eagle billet plate with high-volume oil pump and hydraulic tensioners. A big sigh or relief and many miles of riding since.
I did the same thing to my 04 with a SE 203 cam , ignition and 44 CV carb and manifold! Factory ported heads are next no big bore for me!
Yes......😊😊
In 2020, I bought a 2002 Twincam, (Timken bottom end,) FXDL, that turned out to be converted to a 103 with Stage IV, BigBore and Stroker, and a lot of other engine mods.
I put it on the Dyno, it has 107hp and 162Nm torque. So all those parts seem still in😁.
Dammmm o just bought one
I bought my 03 new and at 30k or so we opened it up. Checked the run out on the crank and installed gear driven cams. Best thing I ever did. Reliable and sounds great too. As of today there 123,000 miles on it. Basically bone stock except for that and adjustable push rods and exhaust systym and air cleaner.
may I ask what cams did you go with?
@@uselesspropaganda7693 Couldn't even tell you it was that long ago. Nothing that agresive. A cam for regular riding and long trips
Love it
This is my go-to UA-cam channel when it comes to any information I need regarding my Harley. Brother, you know your stuff and I always learn something new every time I watch one of your videos.
I appreciate that! I'm glad I'm able to help putting the information out there!
I just purchased a 2003 carbureted one owner 2000 mile Softail Springer that is stock. 2000 miles. Stock everything. Stock 88. Never ridden hard. Hardly any miles? Your recommendations on either Harley or aftermarket parts?
I have a TC 88 since 2006. I like it, it does everything I need it to do.
They really are awesome engines, there's a lot that can be done with them. Especially with the carb that opens up a world of possibilities.
MY '04 Ultra Classic has been converted by me in about '09 at about 50K miles. I also put a 95 ci big bore kit on it at the same time with new cams (HD screaming eagle kit). The cam plate is also a screaming eagle plate with outer bearings, not bushings. I put new bearings in the motor when I was doing this. I purchased all the tools to do the work myself as I don't trust anyone else to work on my bike. My motor now has about 83K miles on it and I have not ridden it much in the past 5 years. I have been riding harley's since 1967 and have always done all my own work. I enjoy your videos as they are very informative.
Great video Gixx, my surprise was not the billet cam plate that was installed, but the sloppy way they put it in there. Just because you paid to have it done doesn't make it professionally installed. It makes a difference!
That kills me when you pay someone good money to do the job right and they slam bang expensive parts in there!
That is exactly why I've become my own mechanic if at all possible.
I bought my '99 ultra from the second owner knowing that it had not been upgraded. It was a fun project doing a cam chest upgrade along with several other things. I love the bike, and wish I would have made the jump from a sporty to an ultra sooner.
Wud up Foo! Great point, happened to me. Bought my 2002 Night Train w/ 32k where a dealer told me it was 96 BBK, which would be S&S, only 96” BBK right. Opened my cam plate after 3k miles to have my tensioner fall out of the belly in pieces, metal and all. Replaced everything to find out it was still an 88” stage one only, not a stage 3, which I was sold on. 30k miles later, she still running strong with all updated performance parts.
Now with the 88” upgraded, especially if it’s an 01-02, you have the coolest running TC with the robust 5 speed tranny which is bulletproof. If it’s carb’d, she’ll run forever. They had bigger problems after 06 but the peoples choice award goes to the 2005 TC with 💩 heads. 88’s after a cam plate upgrade are the most reliable TC out there, even more so with less failing parts than the Evo. YMMV but it’s the truth and time is proving it so.
First upgrade to my 03 RK was the cams,liters,pushrods ,cam plate,oil pump,and bearings. When with S&S parts. I did the work and the motor has 29,000 miles, bought it from the original owner. The tensioner shoes where almost gone. I saved it just in time.
This is why I bought an Evo. I actually found 88s with less miles and cheaper. I still went with the Evo! Long live the Evo!!!
I've known people to trade twin cams even for evos!
Long live the shovel head!! I have a 88 XLX !!
@@enricomandragona163 awesome! Nothing replaces old school!
Leaking Base gaskets for evos
@@DansCycles I have the front cylinder leaking but it is higher up. I think it is in the rocker box. It’s got a 102,000 miles on it, I’m sure something’s bound to leak.
I love my 2004 TW88 Heritage Classic. I did a screaming eagle cam plate, hydraulic cam tensioner, Harley Oil Cooler, Legend Suspension front and back. Ultimate Seat, and a few other dodads.
Very nice! You have a killer setup and for farrr less that the asking price of the new and improved which isn't all that improved.
Amen Brother!
Always check it!
06 88 with 18k and tension had cracked and was about to get ugly!
Glad I went in
A piece of advice when dealing with the dealer. After they mod your engine ask to see the old parts.
Camchest is definitely a high priority to at least check. Replaced mine with a Feuling camchest kit with 525 Reaper cams at 22,000mi. 03 Heritage. The service bulletin on the compensator sprocket nut backing out and causing damage to stator rotor and pinon shouldn't be ignored either. I think up to 06.
Love the channel! I ride an 06 Deuce with 36,000 KM as of now and swapping the tensioners, plate, oil pump, pushrods etc with the S&S kit over the winter, Can't ride in the snow up here in Canada so lot's of time to do it. Probly going with S&S 509 cams as that seems to best suit my riding style. Opened up the cam chest this past spring and saw the beginning of cam shoe damage so not taking any chances. Not cheap but a lot cheaper than a whole new engine.
Yeah I wouldn't chance it in the snow either! Literally have to winterize up there for sure!
Love my 88 carb. Checked my tensioner at 23,000 less than 1/3 wear. I got this 03 Dyna for 4 grand.
I just had S&S 510 Cams installed on my Dyna. Its gear drive now, not chain! The tensioners were fried and chewed up, I shit you not. My buddy said you timed this right, man, these things are smoked.I also threw on a bran new Mukuni carb, that thing was almost a grand by itself!. Made a hella difference! I wanna take out my baffles, prob sound even better, but the bafflles are in there for a reason!
Have never owned a "Twinkie", but have helped some friends who had them... enough to make me appreciate my old Evo.
I had an 88 but swapped it for a 1982 Sturgis, never looked back.
See No Twinkie, Hear No Twinkie, Ride No Twinkie.
Twinkies are fine if you fix the tensioner issue.
This is my go to channel information on Harleys, especially my 88 which fewer people talk about. After watching one of your videos about Spring tensioner’s I decided to go with the hydraulic cam plate and tensioners. For reasons I will not explain here I went with the Harley parts. I do a lot of cross country and now can do it in confidence. Thank you for all of your information keep up the good work.
Hi Donald, I think you did explain why you went with Harley parts. You do a lot of cross country. Enough said.
I bought my 02 lowrider with 28k miles cam chest was first thing I did to it. I did the screaming eagle hydraulic chain tensioner kit with the billet cam plate and high volume oil pump. My stock tensioners were in bad shape. Anyone buying an 88 first thing you should do is get the cam cover pulled and inspect them tensioners no matter what someone tells you.
Bought my ‘03 Electra Glide Classic (FLHTCI) with just over 6k miles in 2014 and I changed the cam plate immediately. Went with the Screaming Eagle billet plate with high-volume oil pump. According to the tech the tensioners where still in good shape but I wasn’t about to take that chance. Piece of mind.
Good move .... should of changed the cams while you were in there!! The tensioners put alot of pressure on them and wear them down!
I wait all week for your videos. You always give helpful information.
I got super lucky years ago when I bought an fxdx as my first harley. I didn't have a clue the cam chain tensioner was an issue until a fellow rider strongly suggested I have them inspected. Turns out it had S&S gear driven cams! However, I will never make that mistake again on my next TC88 purchase! Thanks for all the gear info dude!
Great timing bro.... my 88 is going in on the 26th here in Sydney Australia for this very upgrade. Doing it with reputable bike shop with over 30 years experience. Will keep you updated on outcome. Mines done round 30k miles and all going 💪
My 2002 softail is all stock except for an exhaust and air filter I have asked the shop that does my services about The tensioners he told me that they would start making noise way before they done damage my softail has 80,000 miles on it and other than service has never been a part it’s been the best Harley motor I’ve ever had
Usually if they start making noise, if you just happen to catch it that usually means the tensioner pads are gone and you're metal to metal at that point.
mine started getting a little chatter at 36k... was too late and if I was to do it over I would have put in an s&s after. cost more to rebuild mine the way I wanted.. I now own an evo
Get that checked out soon as you can. You’re running on hope at this point
I would take the cam cover off and take a look at it, it's really easy, or have a shop you trust look at it. My '04 RK had 32K miles on it when the previous owner had it looked at. The pad was well worn and he chose to install the SE hybrid cam plate and high volume oil pump. The bike already had SE 203 cams in it and punched out to 95 inches. After purchase, I pulled the cam plate just to make sure it was done. It was in there and every other check I've done on the bike reveals that it was a well taken care of bike. Unfortunately, sometimes when you first hear a "noise", it's too late. The pieces of the tensioner are drawn into the oil pump and grenade it or severely limit its ability to pump oil. Then everything downstream of the pump is at risk. It's money/time well spent.
@@tl5108 You're right that dude must be crossing himself every time he rides ?😁✝️✝️✝️✝️
I’ve owned Shovels…..they weren’t nearly as bad people say they were. If maintained and wrenched on good….you were going to be ok. I’ve gotten tons of miles on my EVO’s with very little problems…..let it warm up before riding away and don’t ignore noisy lifters. Owned a 1999 Dyna Convertible…..cam bearings went out at 10,000 miles. Traded and went back to the EVO. I got a 2010 Ultra Limited with the 103. I believe most of the Twin Cam issues were gone when the 103 came out. Personally…..the EVO was and will continue to be my favorite.
Love the channel! Looking forward to something on upgraded evo heads. Keep it coming brother!
I love the 88. Have had 3 of them and did the SE Hydraulic Tensioner cam chest upgrade to two of them and full-on SS510 Gear Cam and cam chest conversion to another. With a good fuel map these run strong and stay cool.
Love your videos. Always so informative and detailed. Keep it up brother.
Thanks, will do!
Great video! Thank you for all of your research. I am a twin cam fan, l have two Harleys, both with 88 engines. I changed the cam tensioners and cam plates on both bikes. (l also changed the cams, pushrods and oil pumps.) The old plastic tensioner shoes were very worn, one shoe fell apart when l took it out. Close call! The plastic shoes had air bubbles in them and with the over-sprung tensioner springs the shoes were completely worn out after 20,000 miles!
Electra Glide standard 03, 8000 miles when i bougth it, running very lean :( change to gear cam drive S&S 509, and did a good job on the carburator,runs great , just received Thunderheader mufflers,looking forward to a new riding season here in Denmark (Scandinavia).
Change the cam with a Thunderheader!! You need overlap with that pipe!!
ok,cant beat the,EVO had mine over 20 yrs do the service,motor still pumping.
Checked the run out on my 88 and went with S&S gear driven 510s. I like it!
I know this is an old video, but i took your advice and opened up my 03 heritage cam chest to check the tensioners. Lo and behold i have a gear drive tc 88. Thing is I checked it after i bought tensioners😂
That's a huge score! You never know buying a used bike what you really have until you get in the motor!
Thank you! You're a walking- talking encyclopedia! Outmost respect from Moscow!
Thanks for watching! I really appreciate the support!
@@GixxerFoo been watching your videos for four years since I've gotten my first bike ever- 2004 Road King... I wish I've started earlier))
Changed mine over fueling everything except cams. The 96 have bad compensators love your channel 🤙🇺🇸
pull it all out (the stock stuff) and put in a fueling cam package, you can't go wrong.
Great content bro, that was an awesome and complete explanation. New sub here, thanks for the time and energy you spent making it
I own an 02 Carbureted Electra Glide that I had the cam chest rebuilt with hydraulic performance components a year or so ago at 38k miles, and she rocks now. (Fueling hydraulic cam plate and tensioners, oil pump and S&S 510 cams). The tension pads were roughly 50% worn. Not as bad as I expected when opening her up.
I have had several guys ask me if I would ever consider selling. The answer is NO!…….. Yes, there are guys looking for older carbureted bikes.
And yes…. I have all receipts and still have the original parts. I may create a video showing the original parts. 🤔
I replaced my cam chain tensioners with an S&S gear driven system on my 2003 Road King in 2005 at around 10,000 miles. The shoes were almost gone when it was converted. I rolled over 110,000 miles this weekend with no problems. It may sound like it has rocks in it's chest, but I'd ride it anywhere and have ridden several Iron Butt runs on her.
I love my TC88. 😎
Another great video for my knowledge.
Your right the only thing you do is check it out yourself peace of mind.
Thanks my friend all the best from NZ 🇳🇿
Another great video!!
Awesome information!!
Thank you
A tale of two 88s...
My neighbors 01 bone stock 160,000 MI runs fine.
Mine... I flew from Tennessee to Massachusetts to pick it up 6 mi from my house the cam chain blew it had a stage 2 kit in it and 55 cams. Ruin the whole motor. I then bought new cases from Harley screaming eagle 113th bought a new crankshaft a 4 and 3/8 screaming eagle I had the crank trude and welded and I used Andrews 68g gear driven cams fueling cam plate fueling oil pump fueling lifters screaming eagle CNC heads and 4.070 screaming eagle Pistons with a thunderheart ignition system and an s&s super e I built that engine in 2014 after it sat from 2016 to 2021 due to my broken neck I put it back on the road now that I can ride it is absolutely reliable and I ride a lot my favorite rides are the cherohowha skyway the rest of 129 and 74/19
If you're going to buy an 88 have the crank trued and welded it is the weak link
As they say “Better lucky than smart”. I bought my ‘06 Dyna Wide Glide 88 Twin Cam with 11,500 miles on it sight unseen except for online videos and photos in December 2021 without knowing anything about the cam chain tensioners. GixerFoo was the first to inform me that I had won the 88 Twin Cam lottery and that Harley had updated the Dyna models to the hydraulic cam chain tensioners. Love the bike, but watching too many GixerFoo videos has given me upgrade fever and now all of a sudden I think that I need more cubes, better cams, ported heads, billet cam plate, high output oil pump, and numerous other modifications. I should’ve quit watching you, Foo, right after you told me my ‘06 Dyna had factory hydraulic cam chain tensioners as it would’ve been content and it would’ve saved me a lot of money!
I purchased my 05 deuce from my local harley dealer and they wouldn't do an inspection for me. Had it for a week and I took it to a great mom and pop shop who said I caught it just in time my tensioner and guides were aboit to let go. I dodge a bullet, but since everything g was upgraded its been an great running bike. Currently at 44k
I imagine they didn't want to inspect cause they wouldn't work on it. You for real dodged a serious bullet, those tensioner pads will wipe out an entire motor.
Matt’s dad here. Just bought another bike, Triumph Daytona 955i. Wish I knew a Triumph dealer in NJ or south east PA this good. Worked flat rate myself for three years. Believe me, Foo is at the top.
This is why I decided to do my S&S cam chest kit in my M8 Harley, I meet with the dealership and talked to local shops and I would not trust them to change the oil let alone tear into the motor especially changing the cam bearing which I have heard they never change they just say they did.
Did mine after I found out about this. SE plate and tensioner plus 204 cam.
I dont have to worry about the chain tensioner. As the last time it was at the shop 15 some.odd years ago, it had a bad cam bearing and bad cam. they put fast burn cams in, and converted to gear drive. I would recommend to covert to gear drive over keeping the chain drive for the cams. it's more reliable, and sounds cool
Oh boy, this hits close to home with my 88 that now is a 103. Had a lifter fail causing a cam to get scored(S&S 570s'). The gear drive went away and hydraulic tensioners were installed. Thankfully, it was my decision and the bike will only be pried out of my cold dead hands. LOL.
I bought my twin cam from the first owner...he said he'd only ridden it to the beer store on weekends, & the milage certainly matched that story, it only had 12,500 miles on it & it was almost 20 years old...but the first thing I did was open that cam chest up & look at those tensioners, which I immediately broke one of & had to replace, but they were good other than that...I've since almost doubled the milage & it's time to check them again...I want to do gears, but that's a pricey swap...I'd at least like to convert it to hydraulic tensioners & do an oil pump upgrade too...still not a cheap upgrade, but at least I won't have the added expense of replacing the cams...still might try to put together a gear swap though as it completely eliminates the problem, where hydraulic tensioners just put it off a lot further...
My cam chain tensioner shoes failed at 12,500 too. I got S&S geared cams, cam plate and high flow oil pump. Well worth it if you are going to keep the bike.
Your right on point about YOU JUST Don't know. I was sold bike by someone who said they thought they did the work but, they really are older and forgetful. I should have took bike in sooner but, I didn't know until to late about these TC's issues. I am pretty sure I bought the bike with the issues sadly.
Thanks for the info
My 02 cvo had 20,000 and caught them just in time put screamin eagle hydraulic cam plate and oil pump now change oil and ride
Every bike is different and some will go 50K on spring tensioners. Glad you caught that in time and got it upgraded!
Thanks for quick response 👍what would be good set cams to put in it a good all around its the 95 inch
Thanks for the info. I have a 06 Softail that I've been thinking about digging into this winter. Gives me background on what I need to do. It's very low mileage (14,000) but obviously I need to get an upgrade soon
Really just update your cam chest with the upgrade kit, get you some solid hydraulic tensioners in there and you'll be good to go!
Your cam chain tensioners may be in great shape, mine were not. Open it up and see what you got. No need for upgrades unless thats what you want of course.
@@rickymann66 I've found that to be true...I had a 2001 Road King that had 43 thousand miles on it and the tensioners were still in good shape. I changed them out anyway. I've talked to other people that had far fewer miles on theirs and they were shot.
Also have an 06 with about 10k miles when I bought it in 2020. About 14k+ miles now. Always wonder what kind of shape the pads are in.
Dam great videos.... they get better all the time. Time to pull the cover on my 88....
I bought a 02 softail standard and rode it for 75000 miles with the same spring. Tentioners and never had a problem. Took it apart at 76000 miles and the tentioners were fine.
Hi Foo, I have just recently purchased, 2003 twin cam , cheap, and I no for fact just buy looking at the state of the bike, first of all I removed the seat , the amount of shit and dirt, that’s just under the seat just for starters, let’s meet to believe that the internals of the bike could be the same, I’m in the process of repairing my garage at the moment, and once that is watertight and dry, the flight is coming apart, even to the point if I don’t ride it this year, at least at least I’ll have the enjoyment of working on a bike for the first time in ages, Right safe,
Sad to hear a bike ever got in that state of being, but I love a come back story and how you're approaching it! Keep me updated on your progress!
@@GixxerFoo Hi, Foo , thank you for your reply, I will definitely let you know on how it works out , this is my fourth HD , my first 2 were second hand,
When I sold them they looked brand new , in 1999/2000, I bought a new bike, I had done a lot of work on it, my bike was all ways spotless, and gleamed as it came out of the showroom, on one occasion, I think it was its first service, that HD done, I went to pick it up, and there was oil, dripping off the bottom of the engine front frame from where they had changed the oil, and hadn’t bothered washing it down properly, I went back in and I complained, they ended up, washing my bike down for me, I have a life story to share, only if I could read and write, I would write a book about it.
Some Good, And some Very Bad, Even to the point where my ex partner had scanned me for 100s of thousands of pounds and got my friends and relatives and family all involved in this as well, I am a English guy living in rural France, very rarely speak to anybody, so I’m looking forward to the day when I can start doing some work on my bike, and taking a trip out into the French countryside, and hopefully going to some rallies, ride safe, boys and girls,
@@GixxerFoo Hi 👋, I am not sure if I have already mentioned, I have now received my conformity paperwork, Great news,
Sending paperwork off now to get bike registered, There has been a lot of things happening in France, about a bike being now having to have a control techniques inspection, but at present they cannot test for sound, as they need special equipment set up in the control technique service stations, it could be next year or the year after when the new law comes in about sound admissions this does suck very bad,
Sound saves lives , a few months ago I walked across the road in my local town. I could not see and hear anything coming along the road., I stepped out across the road to be approached by electric car nearly got hit, it was so quiet I couldn’t hear it, I was thinking of purchasing a set of two into one pipes, something similar like I used to have on my original deuce, it is very difficult to try and find pipes that conform with regulations, so much shit going on over here,
Stay safe keep up the great work ,
Good morning 🌅, GixxerFoo, just been going over some things, watching things that are already seen before and that have been mentioned, but I’ve now found out a bit more about my engine, I still do not know whether it has got the big board kit on it to a 1550, but I’ve now found out that it’s got to set of S&S 510G , with the original Harley-Davidson cam plate, but cannot quite see whether it has got the upgraded oil pump beyond the back of it, The gear drive seems to be quite tight, I cannot feel backlash as such, and I’m not sure whether to bite the bullet and strip it all out and start from scratch with new components,
Great episode
Picked up my t sport with 38000 km and a fresh service lol.
Got her home and pulled the cover to find the outside tensioner disintegrated. Had the se cam plate ready to go so no problems.
Picking up a clarity cover to go with it
My ‘03 Softail Deuce has original stuff in it . I bought this bike with 34K miles ad now at 42K miles , I recently pulled the cam chest cover and inspected tensioners and the inside is worn good but still in solid condition ( not broken or exposed metal) so now I decided to not ride it till I can replace those parts or spring the $2K for a complete cam chest system upgrade push rods, lifters and all. I’m considering just replacing the tensioners with OEM and later doing the complete upgrade. I bought a new Moto Guzzi V85TT adventure for some motorcycle camping and off road touring so my softail will be spending more time in the barn . I’ve seen some quality videos on doing this tensioner replacement and feel confident I can do that part but the full upgrade I may take it to Harley for that work.
Great video as always! 😁✌️🇺🇸
Hey, if your going to keep running the same set up than go ONLINE to "Psycho Performance" and they have replacement pads they sell. The stock you have to buy the whole tensioner for $75 or $100 each ( not real sure on price but there high)
Anyways, the pads are $15 each and made of a different compound.
I run them and they are superior to stock ones.
I have over 35,000 mi on these pads and you can't see any wear on them whatsoever ....I mean absolutely no wear marks at all.
I think they may end up lasting as long as the upgrade ones will.
@@stanfordpittman1654 I believe I have seen these , you have to drill out the old pad’s pins and press new ones in the kit? Is this the ones you are referring to?
Thanks 😁
@@buddyringo21 Yea, that's the ones. The compound they use looks kind of like a lightly cream colored pencil eraser, and looks like it's to soft to ever work as a pad... but it's not...I was a little leary at first and i checked them every thousand miles due to me not trusting the way they looked, they just look to soft.
But after checking 5 times in the first five thousand miles with not even a scratch or hot spot on them, i went back to checking every 10,000 mi again.
Honestly I only do it that often now because its so easy to do. I have a mid length 2 into 1 performance (so the box says it is, but all 2 into 1 are performance torque exhaust) my whole unit comes off easy,
If it didn't come off easy, than with these pads i would go 20, 25 maybe even 30,000 before checking. Now that's on my bike and I now have seen how they treat each other. I wouldn't do that on a bike that hasn't run them before and is the first time trying, because all bikes are different and i would still check often till i was sure.
One last thing, when you change them out you don't need a press. What I did (and it worked perfect) was took my grinder, bench or handheld will do fine, and lightly ground one end off of the pin till it came out of the old one.
The new pin slides in easily, and one end is already sized big as a stop on new one and the other end has a small relief in it.
Place it on a solid surface to act as a back up. I took a mid sized punch and hit it 3 or 4 times with a hammer and it mushroomed out perfectly. I did sharpen the punch up a bit but not to a sharp point and i believe it helped.
Don't hit it till the pad is tight because pad needs to move freely as one side of the chain tightens and the other loosens when accelerating/decelerating and so on.
Oh yea. this is important, I know reply's getting long, but this part is important.
Before you remove the tension assembly from your bike, take a magic marker, or tape, whatever as long as it won't just fall off or rub off, a big fat magic marker works great. Take and mark the side if the pad that is pointing away from the plate and also put a mark on that same side of the metal piece the pin goes through. Then take the new one and hold it up to the old one while it's still in place, and turn it so it is matching the same as the old one , and now mark the new on on the same side as old one.
Reason why is because once the assembly is off the bike and than the pad being off to, it is real easy to get it all turned around and mixed up backwards and not realising it till you get it back together or worse not even catching the mess up.
It's just a good thing to do to me because one side of the pad is longer than the other, not by a lot but it is and it's critical it gets put back in with the long being downside of rotation, It just makes me positive i have it in the right direction, and no doubts about it. The worst part of the whole job is doing the inner tensioner, because you have to pull both cams out of engine and press them out of plate assembly, replace inner pad, than press cams back in and put it all back in the engine just to replace the pad, that sux's.
OK, man if you need anything else just feel free to ask, if i don't know it, then I also need to know it and i will find out how.
By the way I forgot to mention that I also have a deuce, a 2004.
@@stanfordpittman1654 thanks for this information! I will consider it. I have seen one video on these pads you discussed but without reviews like yours I would probably pass it off as a sales pitch. As for the inside tensioner , the Harley tool will remove it without removing the cams. That tool is like $150 ish
And I may purchase it to save me removing the cams. I plan on a whole new cam chest upgrade including nice moderate cams but if I can get a year or two without that expense ( $2000) I will be in a better position money wise as I will have my Guzzi V85tt paid off . You have convinced me of the quality and life span of these pads , now I have to decide on which way I want to go . Two new OEM tensioners and tool is about $350 plus gaskets and I could ride for 3 more years ,
💯 correct great info and love the humor lol ✌️
Other than the obvious tensioner issues 99-00 had a recall on the outer rear cam bearing. The cams also need to be pulled to check those inner cam bearing!!
Guess I better have somebody check I just got a 88 a few months ago 06 road King old police bike.
This is good to know I own a 2005 cop twin cam 88 with 15000 miles on it bought it with 600 miles on it so I better look into this thanks
My 99 road king went out at 6600 miles while doing 80 mph. I bought the bike new and took vary good care of it. It was a mess inside and had to be totally rebuilt. That was in 2000.
My favorite was 2002 cause that’s all I had to be concerned about was the cam anything pass 02 then I’m worried about the bottom end bearing and flywheel shifting but over all the 02 had good bearing, the big swing arm, and delfi fuel injection, hey U get of those for a good price then upgrade the cams u got a hell of a bike that will take a good beating for years to come tho u might break a few belts depending on just how hard U ride but the engine will be solid
Sold my 05 and got me a 95. Danged if the the 95 rear plug doesn’t show valve stem seal leakage just like the 05. But I got an ev 27 cam, S&S lifters, etc in the 95 and the pipes sound way more awesome. So I’m happy enough. But then again the 95 has a rear rbox leak that drops a couple drops on the garage floor from time to time. But the way I figure that is that that makes it a real Hog.
That stuff happens but it's not super hard to get it fixed!
@@GixxerFoo oh I know but that takes me some working up to and hell it runs good and just keeping the white walls a sparkling is nough for the summer. You keep em coming there Gixxer!
I have a 2002 stock injected 88 on my Deuce. I barn rescued my bike with 3200 miles. It's got 8200 miles now. I run the bike, but I don't beat on the engine hard. When I replace the cam plate and oil pump, I will probably swap for an S&S tensioner set up and not the gear plate. If I can leave the original cams in the bike, I would rather leave it the way it is, if I can. It's got big shots and stage 1. When my bike has 10K-12k mileage, I will open the cover and check tensioner shoe wear. At that point, I will probably have collected all the correct parts and do the upgrade myself. My buddy has the specialty pulling tools. I rebuilt a few cars, marine engines and outboards. I have never opened a Vtwin. I would like to find the Gixxer guy in my area to perk up my pony.
Great content and tips, Now I pose you this. I have an 03 TC88 that had the tensioner upgrade to hydraulic with oil pump new chains gears etc. at 45K in Oct 2017, bike is sitting at 93.5K now, when should I be thinking about inspecting the chest?
I have a 01 Road King, 97000 miles, original spark plug. Engine has never been touched. Runs and sounds like new. Biggest plus besides synthetic oil, I don't beat the Hell out of it.
Bought a 1999 Electra-Glide Classic in June 2022 with 66,000 miles for 5500, the cam chest will be replaced this winter with a complete kit from Zippers, it runs great.
Good one.
Had a 02 flstf 88 got from friend he bought brand new 02 I got in 2018 all paper work from HD check at HD original 9000 miles I put 130 first year up grade SE cam tensioner kit
2002 is an awesome year! That's a keeper for sure!
'99 also runs a cam position sensor and doesn't have splined rear cam. Luckily the winter is 5 months in the UK so no real excuse for rushing the job.
5 months of winter? I would go crazy trying to survive that!
The early 88 stock timken are the best bottomend but when they ditched the timkens they aint the strongest
You can convert the newer ones back over but you better do the crankshaft as well too!
Excellent point and with that being said, what recommendations you have for the 05' CVO Screamin Eagle 103, 24,000 miles on it, never opened up to date? Thanks brother!
Great info in that video, I'm looking at buying an 06 dyna wide glide. what separates that year from the issue your talking about?
At about what milage do the cam Tensioners need to be changed out I have 49000 on a 03 just checking to see if this is something that can be done this winter by the way great channel
Great video as always. I have a 2000 Ultra that I bought new and had the dealer install the Screaming Eagle Stage 3 kit before I pick it up ( Big bore, cam and air filer) It has 23,000 miles on it now (Yeah I know I haven't rode it much) I'm 68 and just started to spend my winters in Arizona and plan on riding the bike more. What do you recommend that I do to the bike? Should I just replace the chain tensioners? Cam bearings? Go with the Screamin' Eagle Hydraulic Cam Chain Tensioner Plate Upgrade Kit or and after market kit? I don't know how far I have to go to make the engine reliable.
Please listen to what Mr. Foo is telling you. The 88 is an outstanding engine, but it is an absolute must to open and inspect your cam chest. My nephew purchased a nearly-perfect 2001 Dyna Low Rider with only 14,000 miles. He was told that it was upgraded to a 95" with cams. I knew when I rode it that it was still an 88, and when we opened the cam chest, we found that the tensioners were ready to fail. What's nuts is I've opened some 88 cam chests at 25K, 30K, and 35K, and the tensioners looked near perfect. My point is you never know until you put your eyes on it yourself.
Me too. I’m bringing home a beautiful new Electra glide. Noticing it didn’t fit through the door frame broke the spot light off and caused me to drop it off the side of the porch. Same place mom fell off and broke her neck. Bless her, she’s dead now but. Unfortunately unable to pick up the new bike right away, down there. I was very sleepy ever since my boxing match back in 2001. I tried to shout to a neighbor or anyone that would stop. But nothing. So I had to leave the new motorcycle upside down for a few days. Weirdly the day I figured out how to use this thing I found out on the side of the highway., a ratcheting mechanism that allows me to pull the motorcycle up three inches at a time, the trucking company out back showed up. Eventually we all got the motorcycle upright. That’s the only place except in the house, this could have happened. The alarm system was missing and an acid stain appeared in the exhaust pipe. The thing is that nobody has, as of yet, been able to get the motorcycle to run for too long. I had it in the house for a year before I was able to take it for a ride. A small hate group of anti drug MADD or RADD may have been trying to teach an old dog new tricks and could have come around to get me back for drinking beer back in the nineteen seventies? There are creeps and murderers that wait in stairwells and dark places. It shuts off regularly, weirdly anytime before a deer jumps out, or before a switchback turn. Or at dusk or at dawn.
What to do? I easily fix acid burn with black paint. But the rest. If I try to stop it throws me down. So I brought it back to the dealership. But nothing.
“oh brother, call me next year” they say, “I’ve been working and now I got somebody else on this thing, I don’t know what it is”
Gosh at this point if I was going to buy a big Harley I would build it from the frame up and put an upgraded crate engine in it with all of the good parts already in it.
For years I shunned the Evo. Yeah, they had teething problems too. And it seems every change H-D made to save money, cost them big time. Always said 'New & Improved' really means 'Cheaper & Easier' to produce. When I saw the intro of the T-C at the York plant, and they had one fully disassembled and all pieces were laid out, I thought "Uh Ohhh, this ain't gonna be good!.
You hit the nail on the head with new and improved! You make a TC solid but it takes some $$
My dad and all his buddies that have ridden in a MC together for over 50 years use to give me shit about my Evo. They were still riding pans and stroker shovelheads. I have a 88" shovelhead that runs excellent but the evolution is the best engine that HD has ever built in my book. After this current year they are discontinuing the 48 and the 883 so the Evo will be no longer. The twin cam wasn't bad if you got a later model and got rid of the chain. It only had a 10 year run so it couldn't have been that great in HD eyes either. Just my opinion from lots of first hand experience.
@@channelx92 Yea, I like EVO's to, and pan's, and shovels, and knuckles and so on.
There's two way's of looking at which engine was or is the best.....
#1) The best engine Harley ever made is the one you like the best, and that is honestly the best engine because what someone else thinks is a better engine doesn't factor in one big part about "what make it the best engine" to someone else.
That would be just because that is the platform you like. You like the way it looks, the way it sounds, and as far as someone saying " It don't have as much power as the engine they like" well guess what? If it has all the power you need and you really don't even use all of what it has to ride the way you like to ride, than you have just as much power as they do, and if they are using every thing that their engine puts out and need more... than you have more power than they do.
Who has the most power, the one that needs more power or the one who never uses what power his bike has?
You see "Power" isn't in the #'s a bike makes... Power is in what a bike makes you feel.
That is what riding a bike is all about. If you are never content with the bike your riding and always looking for the one that everybody else says is the best or at least better better than what you have... Than sad to say but you won't ever know what it truly is to ride.
Sure you will know how to ride and ride well im sure if you can't find anything that can deliver what you need in a bike. I say that because when someone only looks at #'s and such as being the best than they don't see anything below that as being able to be contentful to ride.
That is the great thing about motorcycles... there like a dog.... you don't choose a dog the dog chooses you and even if at first you don't want it to follow you home cause if your gonna have a dog your going to shop around and see if you see something you like better.
You look at a bunch of pedigree puppies but you keep seeing that mutt on the street with no home and you look closer and more often and even if he ain't as good and have pedigrees he looks you in the eye when you speak to him, he's not all hyped up going 100 mph jumping and ready to go... he's just a laid back mutt, thats moves the speed you like to go, never falling behind you, never getting ahead of you, and you and him connect and form a bond and you both are content with what and who you got in life. Every time you are together it just feel right and you see something in that dog that no one else can see... he has your back in what you are looking for, and it's not a issue nor do you even give it a second thought when he gets hurt or sick, you have his back and take him to the vet when he breaks down. They try to tell you you should just get one of these pedigree dogs they have for offer, they say "It will cost so much the fix your dog up, and he's just a mutt and really not worth the money it will take. We can put him down and you can get one of these new puppies... they are expensive but you will have a dog everyone will envy you for having.
So you listen to the one who seems to know all about dogs and what dog will make you the happiest, so you go with what the vet says is best for you. The ole mutt was getting sick a bit more every time, the vet says to you, it will be better and you can even join the hunting camp with the great top of the line pedigree hunting dog you will replace him with.
You take the dog home and he's spastic jumping on everyone and chewing up everything. You get on to him and he don't even look at you like your not even there. He runs off when you let him outside and chases the old ladies cat next door and kills it. You walk him, but you have to put him on a leash cause he's to fast for you to catch when he runs off. You never once had to put the mutt on a leash, he liked to do the same things you like to do and at the same speed.
Now you don't see the things in life you use to see on your walks because you can't take your eyes off of the path or your dog will catch you by surprise and you will loose control of him and he will get away from you and pull you you down to the ground and drag you down the road on your face, yea, he's a strong and fast pedigree dog.
This dog has a bloodline of the best bear hunting dogs there is, he hunts better than the rest, he's faster than the rest, he is young and new and never gets sick, he is a super dog..... only one problem.... you don't hunt bears, you like to take your time and see the world around you not speed through it to be faster than anyone else, you don't mind helping a dog if it gets sick and needs the vet if you love that dog.... who is this other dog? you don't connect enough to know or even care.... he's not giving you contentment like the mutt did.... The vet was out today with the brother of your new dog and he was even wilder and the vet was all smiles and loved the attention that the wild ass fast powerful dog got him from others... but he never pet him or they never walked together, he just let him run as fast as he could everywhere they went than waited for people to compliment him on his fast dog.
Now everyday when you get home from trying to walk this dog... you worn slap out and didn't enjoy the walk. You past by things and people you and the mutt use to stop and see because that's not where the new dog wanted to go and do.
As you bow your head and think about everything you realise that the vet that convinced you that he knew what would be the best dog for you because that is the best dog, the #'s on the pedigree papers show it to be a fact and facts are facts that is the best dog made. You realise that that vet knows dogs, and he knows how to handle a dog well, and he is looked up to for his expertise on dogs... but he doesn't know what it is to truly walk a dog. He don't know the peacefulness felt between him and a dog like you did with the mutt. He doesn't know what it is to be content when walking down the roads and through the park when your with a dog you connect with and are at one with.
And as you ask yourself who really is the best dog made... you say with all honesty "that Mutt was the best dog made, not that pedigree dog!!!
To make a long story short (to late for that huh) the moral of the story is that the best engine or bike made is the one that you are content with and love for reasons only you know.
Being content when you ride is knowing what riding is all about. You don't need to ride with a M/C to be twice the biker they will ever be if their not content with a bike that isn't totally reliable or the most powerful... that's just a dog that gets the attention they love for them and that's where their contentment lies, not in the ride. Not that there's any thing wrong with that, to each his own.
And now for the second way to look at it.
#2)- Technically the ironhead sportster is proven to be the most bulletproof engine Harley ever made.
Ok, gotta go, later.
@@channelx92, I thought Harley put out the Twin Cam for nearly 20 years.
@@chrish5791 19 to be exact. I didn't word that correctly. In my eyes it had a 10 year run where I considered it a reliable engine. I wasn't clear about that. Sorry
Love my TC88 EFI.
Faster than those old man needs to ride
I've personally owned three 2003-88's. One thing I'd did to each bike and oddly I put just a bit over 7500 miles on each motor: Was I used only synthetic oil in scheduled oil changes. When I sold my Fat Boy (and too this day truly miss the bike) I saw it on the street sounding with a sick motor. The first thing I thought was, the second owner did not sacrifice and used synthetic oil for the engine change. It is known that if used synthetic then go back or use conventional oil, this process will cause unseen damage to any motor. I trust the motors of any HD as long as the owner used either conventional from day one or opted to start with synthetic oil and high octane gas. That is just one of my beliefs and owning a bike is a harsh reality of care and longevity. I learnt from owning a car in 1969, either take care of your vehicle or be forced to eternally be of foot mobile. Today at 72, others have tried to make a decision for me and force me to foot mobile. That is okay, because if the sign says 65, then that is what a speedometer was designed for Bottom Line. Oh yes, cosmetic of your ride, actually is ones choice. Personally, to me the cosmetics are more hype than truth, but that is my opinion, so do as you believe, for your accountability might depend upon one's choices.
The service manager at my local Harley dealer said I didn't need to worry about inspecting the cam tensioners until 30k miles. I have 13k now. 2002 RK.
In a perfect world I would go 30K but every bike is different and it depends on how you ride the bike. If you're just cruising I could see 30K but if you ride pretty hard I would check them at 15 to 20K.
@@GixxerFoo Got it, thank you for the reply!
change now, don't listen too harley dealer
Don't forget the 99 that has the keyed sprocket and you need the oil control kit for the upgraded S.E. hydro plate.
Those who criticise the 88, jump on the tensioner criticizing bandwagon immediately, but have likely never replaced a set! It's easy.
Pull the plugs, put it in 2nd/3rd and turn over the engine using the rear wheel, whilst on the center jack, cut pushrods with bolt cutters. I did the job and fitted S&S adjustable rods first time with new pushrod tubes,(you have to do so with adjustables) and I now can change tensioners in less than 1.5 hrs.
A 1/4" drive 20-200 inch/lbs torque wrench, a couple of hex head keys, a wrench or two, spark plug wrench, center lift jack, one cam chest gasket, some O-rings, a good, cold 'fridge with Stella Artois (in a bottle of course, to celebrate after) and you are all set.
Checking them is a 10 minute job.
Don't be scared, the 88 is not the demon is it made out to be. My 2006 engine is cammed, has well baffled short shots for back pressure and has EFI. Sure...it will be shown the way home by just about any >500cc crotch rocket, as would almost every other Harley, but I don't GAF.
I ride and leave the posturing to others who polish bikes.
So my road king had a SE 95 kit put on when it was brand new. They also upgraded the cams to SE ones. Should i still worry about this?
Hello, off topic for this video but I just picked up a 2008 street glide with the 96” and I noticed the base gasket ( O-rings) is leaking in-between both cylinder. I believe it’s just the front jug but either way. Is this something that needs to be addressed right away? Or can I get away with holding off and keeping an eye on the oil? It’s not leaking bad but noticeable after a ride. I also just did my oil change and used synthetic oil. Just looking for advice
I wish you would make a video about the S&S T111 motors.
I have the cams , cam plate, pump and lifters out of an 08 and a 2012 twin cam can I use those in my 99 dyna wide glide?
I bought a 103 twin cam softail with v/h exhaust and air filter. How can I tell if it has upgraded cams w/o opening engine?
I warn friends about 1999-2006 Twinkie Cams all of the time. 🤔
Most ignore my warnings.😮
Temkin bottom end. What is that? Just bought an 2002 yesterday. Love your channel
I have a 2002 Fatboy with a stock 88 ci other than a Bassani Road Rage II 2 into 1 exhaust, a K & N high flow air cleaner, and a Dynojet Power Vision tuner. I flashed the tune Dynojet sent me for what I currently have. I want to add a S & S cam plate kit with new oil pump and 509 gear drive cams if crankshaft runout allows it. My question is do I need a new Dynojet tune for the cam change? All the tunes I've looked at on Dynojet website only ask what you have for exhaust and air cleaner, nothing I can find about cams?Maybe the current tune I have will work with the 509 cam upgrade?