Hey, I'm wondering how many trouble free miles a person should expect from a properly maintained Twin Cam engine ... i.e. no major engine work, no breakdowns ...

Does Stage I or II affect longevity?

How many miles on yours before problems ...?

Thanks.

.5 miles....... :yes:

 

My pipes and air cleaner went bad at 1k miles and had to be replaced.
7.5k now, and the heads, pistons, cylinders, cam and chain cam drive have gone bad and are being replaced.
Doc pointed out that my primary gears were probably shot, so I replaced those too.
Many parts that did not have the shiny, protective chrome plating needed replacing as well.

 

I had a Stage II conversion before the bike was delivered and have 12k miles with no problems. Just because there are problem engines out there does not mean you are going to have any trouble with yours. Internet forums have a tendancy to attract people with problems looking for answers.

 

:blink: :duh?:

 

:blink: :duh?:

Tell us how you really feel !!!!

 

WTG Mega.

I seen posted a guy got over 80K before a tensenor went south on a stock bike. I for myself only seen 45K (& counting) on a bone stock TC E-Gulid trouble free .

 

Doh ...!

My pipes and air cleaner went bad at 1k miles and had to be replaced.
7.5k now, and the heads, pistons, cylinders, cam and chain cam drive have gone bad and are being replaced.
Doc pointed out that my primary gears were probably shot, so I replaced those too.
Many parts that did not have the shiny, protective chrome plating needed replacing as well.

You know the problem, it's that super slippery synthetic oil you have been using. It must have puked out of your air cleaner all over your pipes and that shiny chrome you had ... no wonder you had to replace all that stuff. I bet that's what cloged the air filter as well ...

:beer:

 

Internet forums have a tendancy to attract people with problems looking for answers.

Theres alot of truth to this. You hear about every little problem. Its access to thousands of people. Anything has some problems. And its human nature to bitch.

 

The real point ...

Hey, I'm wondering how many trouble free miles a person should expect from a properly maintained Twin Cam engine ... i.e. no major engine work, no breakdowns ...

Does Stage I or II affect longevity?

How many miles on yours before problems ...?

Thanks.

Now, the reason I ask is that at this stage my 95" TC is in parts all over the local shop ... being rebuilt ... new crank, bearings, cams, pistons, rods, oil pump, etc ... the list goes on ... all this at just 35,000 miles. Not cheap. What I'm after is if this is a normal thing that I can expect every 35k or was it just bad luck ... or was it because of the 95" kit ...

That's the point here, just wondering how many miles people are getting before this normally happens ...

:chopper:
__________________
Ultra RB
'99 Ultra

 

All BS aside, what explanation did they give for it going that quick.
'Cuz it ain't normal.

 

The rest of the story ...

All BS aside, what explanation did they give for it going that quick.
'Cuz it ain't normal.

The dealer shop foreman says ... that the oil pump strated to fail, rods got tight, metal shavings started to come off and circulate in the system taking out the pistons, scoring the cyls, etc ...

Now, the oil gauge always read 32 lbs, down to 12-16 when idling ... so I'm not sure I buy that explanation ... but I don't have any other suggestions. Oil changes were always done ahead of time and the bike has been babyed, at least since I have had it ... 95" kit was installed by a dealer at 7000 miles, I bought the bike at 25,000 ... now at 35,000 it's being rebuilt ...

That's the story ... am I being fed bullshit here?

________________
Ultra RB
'99 Ultra

 

"That's the story ... am I being fed bullshit here?"

As a wise man once said, if it has wheels or titz you’re going to have trouble with it!

Hope you get it back together and back in the wind!
Ride safe!
Bob 02 FLHTCI 95" and so on :huh:

 

I've got 95,000+ miles on my 99 FLHT. The 95" BB was done at 71,000 miles. At that time, the original cylinders and rest of internals except for cam chain tensioners looked just fine.

I'd say yours is not the "norm". Also got a buddy that put over 100,000 miles on his 99 RK before he had to do anything.

 

The dealer shop foreman says ... that the oil pump strated to fail, rods got tight, metal shavings started to come off and circulate in the system taking out the pistons, scoring the cyls, etc ...

Now, the oil gauge always read 32 lbs, down to 12-16 when idling ... so I'm not sure I buy that explanation ... but I don't have any other suggestions. Oil changes were always done ahead of time and the bike has been babyed, at least since I have had it ... 95" kit was installed by a dealer at 7000 miles, I bought the bike at 25,000 ... now at 35,000 it's being rebuilt ...

That's the story ... am I being fed bullshit here?

________________
Ultra RB
'99 Ultra

Sounds like maybe the guy who put on the first 25k didn't tell you "everything"?

 

Who bumped it up to 95 inch?? I would be asking some questions!

 

Wisdom ...

"That's the story ... am I being fed bullshit here?"

As a wise man once said, if it has wheels or titz you’re going to have trouble with it!

Hope you get it back together and back in the wind!
Ride safe!
Bob 02 FLHTCI 95" and so on :huh:

So true man ... :cheers:
________________
'99 Ultra Classic
Black

 

Who dun it ...

Who bumped it up to 95 inch?? I would be asking some questions!

It was a dealership ... at 7000 miles ... 4 years ago ...

__________________
'99 Ultra Classic
Black

 

Keep or flog ...

I've got 95,000+ miles on my 99 FLHT. The 95" BB was done at 71,000 miles. At that time, the original cylinders and rest of internals except for cam chain tensioners looked just fine.

I'd say yours is not the "norm". Also got a buddy that put over 100,000 miles on his 99 RK before he had to do anything.

Hi Ed, good to hear ... The shop doing the work right now told me that there were a "few" '99's that had engine problems ... said mine is the 3 or 4th one he's done now. Apparently with the new upgraded parts it should be good as new ... again, I don't know if that's bs or not ...

But I have to wonder if I should be flogging it off in fear of future problems or keeping it cause it's now a gem with a new heart ... :hmmm:

__________________
'99 Ultra Classic
Black

 

Keep and enjoy.
Had the cam bearing update been done previously?

 

Cams ...

Keep and enjoy.
Had the cam bearing update been done previously?

Apparently yes ... but then who knows. Supposed to be 203 cams ... the dealer that is rebuilding assures me that they will replace all parts with the same or better ...

More bs ? ... I don't know ...

 

Ran into a guy today with 95,000 on an 02 Electra. He said the only thing he'd ever done was cam shoes at 55,000. Some people can break a rock. Aparently this man is not one of them.
RB

 

Pumping up the Twin Cam

I know someone is gonna get pissed off here, but......Why does anyone buy a nice Road King or Bagger and the first thang they want to do to it is ONE: Put loud obnoxious exhausts on it, TWO: Start trying to build the engine so as to compromise the reliability of the scoot. If you want a bike that's gonna be fast, buy a Sporty. If ya wants to be comfortable and profile, buy a 'Fat-Head' and cruise on it like it wuz meant for. A built Twin Cam (a few of my buds have them) runs HOT !!! They are always having problems with their scoots (spinnin cam bearings, bent valve guides, blowing oil, LEAKING OIL).
My Ultra was staged one. I'm keeping it a TC 88 for reliability issues. When I wants to go fast, I get on my XL1200 C. Why is it so important for groups of riders to beat one another between traffic lights? My '03 Ultra is gonna stay a TC 88 cuz it's meant for cruising, not racing. My '05 Sporty is a fast little mo'dicker and it DOES have a loud abnoxious exhaust cuz it's supposed too. Not my Bagger.
O.K. boys..........let me have it................I don't mind.....I'm gonna go ride my Ultra and listen to a C-D.

 

I know someone is gonna get pissed off here, but......Why does anyone buy a nice Road King or Bagger and the first thang they want to do to it is ONE: Put loud obnoxious exhausts on it, TWO: Start trying to build the engine so as to compromise the reliability of the scoot. If you want a bike that's gonna be fast, buy a Sporty. If ya wants to be comfortable and profile, buy a 'Fat-Head' and cruise on it like it wuz meant for. A built Twin Cam (a few of my buds have them) runs HOT !!! They are always having problems with their scoots (spinnin cam bearings, bent valve guides, blowing oil, LEAKING OIL).
My Ultra was staged one. I'm keeping it a TC 88 for reliability issues. When I wants to go fast, I get on my XL1200 C. Why is it so important for groups of riders to beat one another between traffic lights? My '03 Ultra is gonna stay a TC 88 cuz it's meant for cruising, not racing. My '05 Sporty is a fast little mo'dicker and it DOES have a loud abnoxious exhaust cuz it's supposed too. Not my Bagger.
O.K. boys..........let me have it................I don't mind.....I'm gonna go ride my Ultra and listen to a C-D.

Its called choice! I did not do much to mine until I got an oil leak at 15,000 miles and as long as it was going to be opened up---I thought I would have some fun with it. I was not aware that Sporties were for hopping up and baggers were not. To each his own. Good job. %potstir@
Ride safe!
Bob 02 FLHTCI 95" and so on.

 

Well, let's see....
First, I'm not interested in street racing. I'm interested in not having to shift like I'm on my KX250 when riding in the mountains. Second, you can have a decent sound without it sounding like a shovel w/ drag pipes, and that's what I have. Third, the cams I put in are gear drive w/ torrington inner bearings, so I don't have tensioners to grenade through my engine and I've got superior cam bearings now to boot. Me, I'd rather put on 10k a year with a smile on my face and maybe face a rebuild 10% sooner than be cussing the bike's lack of guts for another few thousand miles between rebuilds.

 

Each to their own ...

I know someone is gonna get pissed off here, but......Why does anyone buy a nice Road King or Bagger and the first thang they want to do to it is ONE: Put loud obnoxious exhausts on it, TWO: Start trying to build the engine so as to compromise the reliability of the scoot. If you want a bike that's gonna be fast, buy a Sporty. If ya wants to be comfortable and profile, buy a 'Fat-Head' and cruise on it like it wuz meant for. A built Twin Cam (a few of my buds have them) runs HOT !!! They are always having problems with their scoots (spinnin cam bearings, bent valve guides, blowing oil, LEAKING OIL).
My Ultra was staged one. I'm keeping it a TC 88 for reliability issues. When I wants to go fast, I get on my XL1200 C. Why is it so important for groups of riders to beat one another between traffic lights? My '03 Ultra is gonna stay a TC 88 cuz it's meant for cruising, not racing. My '05 Sporty is a fast little mo'dicker and it DOES have a loud abnoxious exhaust cuz it's supposed too. Not my Bagger.
O.K. boys..........let me have it................I don't mind.....I'm gonna go ride my Ultra and listen to a C-D.

Karyven ... I hear you on the upgrades ... but ... coming off other bikes that had a lot more power ... when you get on a stock TC88 it's pretty anaemic for a 1450 cc motor ... especially if you are trying to pass, etc ... I don't ride my bagger for speed, but it's sure nice to have that juice when you want it ... kind of like the V-8 in my Mustang ... nice and tame when you are cruising but if you need to give'er the roar is at your fingertips.

Now, since HD supplies the parts and they are dealer installed one would like to believe that all this stuff has been tested and should not cause long term problems ...

What pi$$'s me off is more along the lines of why HD doesn't just supply the 95" engine as standard rather than putting an underpowered powerplant that then you have to spend big $$$ to upgrade … sometimes before it’s ever left the showroom floor …

I know … Marketing 101 … *TIBS*

__________________
'99 Ultra Classic
Black