96 c.i. Cam Plate : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

flourmill · 07-01-2009, 10:57 AM

Question about stock OEM cam plate. Are they junk or will they hold up and perform well?
I have a feuling oil pump and just got done having 103 build done. My indy wrench did not mention need to go to other cam plate. Just read August Iron works Speeds performance says that the MoCo "eliminated the outer cam bearings in the 96 TC engines so the outer camshaft journals run right in the aluminum of the cam support plate, without bearings."
Is it difficult to swap out the OEM cam plate and put in after market?

Thanks,

Mark

Pikeslayer · 07-01-2009, 10:59 AM

They are fine. I'm running one in my build.

fatboy69 · 07-01-2009, 11:20 AM

From what I have gathered on this forum from the good builders is that they are fine running the cams bearingless in the parent material in the plate.

Northside · 07-02-2009, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flourmill

Question about stock OEM cam plate. Are they junk or will they hold up and perform well?
I have a feuling oil pump and just got done having 103 build done. My indy wrench did not mention need to go to other cam plate. Just read August Iron works Speeds performance says that the MoCo "eliminated the outer cam bearings in the 96 TC engines so the outer camshaft journals run right in the aluminum of the cam support plate, without bearings."
Is it difficult to swap out the OEM cam plate and put in after market?

Thanks,

Mark

Did the article also mention thet 'Speeds" just happens to sell aftermarket camplates with bearings. Is it strange that he would recommend them. I haven't heard of anyone having problems yet. Harley's been using them since '07 and maybe in '06 Dynas. I would use an aftermarket plate with bearings if I used heads with stronger spring pressure. That might over stress the "bearingless" cam plate but they seem to work okay in stock motors.

rbabos · 07-02-2009, 02:45 PM

Running cams in parent metal is old school now and has proven very satisfactory. Aircraft engines have done it since , like forever and still do. As for the stock cam plate, nothing wrong with it, and being cast is acutally more stable, in as maintaining a better gear lash tolerance between cold and hot engines.
Ron

claydbal · 07-02-2009, 04:00 PM

i have ran OEM late model plate with big cam, heavy springs, no problem.

you know all the talk about wood cams being hard on the valvetrain? bobby wood says to run the stock cam plate!

the problem with the BS in the magazines is they dont have a clue, the whole thing is one infomercial. you think they write those articles to help the public? nope, those articles go to the paid vendors.

cinci expo, spring 06, a company was awarded product of the year for a motor that had never been on the road, and only maybe 6 had ever been built!!!!! nuff said?

squale147 · 07-03-2009, 01:05 PM

i talked to a few builders about the stock cam plate... all said no problems with stock plate... im running a stock plate in my 05 after my build never a problem...

flourmill · 07-04-2009, 05:23 PM

I appreciate the input, new build and all- just want to cover bases, as it was a bit of coin spent on heads and all.

Thanks again,

Mark