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I have had leaks on a S&S but they are miner easy to fix stuff . If you have a case leak you have to split the cases (tear down the whole motor) . I'm not a bigg fan of ultima . I'm not saying they are bad just not what I want . I have friends who have them . One has been abused it's whole life and runs like a top . The other one had rear cylinder problems .
As far as quality goes S&S is top shelf.They have been around for a lot of years.Leaks is a new oneon me,but if the motor is assembled correctly and heat cycled as per directions there should be no leaks.Anything mechanical is only as good as the person assembling the parts.My S&S 124" Evo has been a true joy for the last 5 yrs.
I had a cam seal go out on one of mine . No big deal had it fixed in an hour . I wouldn't exactly call it a problem . It didn't leak until around 10 K miles . My 124 & 113have been great also . The only way I would think about another motor other than S&S is maybe a R&R . If you don't use there cases they use S&S cases so that must tell you something ! No other company has devoted the time in money and r&d that S&S has . I second dog on his comment . If you are having a problem it is more than likely an assembly error . To combat this S&S has stopped selling their motors disassembled in the last year or so . I think if you are a well established engine builder you can still get them unassembled .
I see a lot of bikes and engines go thru here and when it comes to quality and resale value you cannot beat the R&R stuff. They take a S&S 113, show polish it, tighten it up, balance it, install their billet heads, and kick itout for $9,200.00, prerun, 1 year warranty, 130 torque and hp, smooth, cool running, kick ***. I have an extra one here I'd make someone a sweet deal on.
I have a crate HD evo in mine and it's great. I like to use motor's from the motor company, a factory 96 would bea solid choice. Aftermarket would offer u more finish options though.
I am a big TP fan, have had them in my last four chops, and never had a problem. I am putting a S&S 124 in my Road Glide, it's a buyers market right now on motors.....you get ready I can save you some MAJOR coin.
I am not trying to hijack this thread, but I believe that I am faced with the same problem as the original poster.
I have a 2003 Road King Classic. I bought the RK this summer and it leaked oil from day one. I stored the RK immediately and had a local shop tear down the motor this week. Apparently, a loose object (most likely a nut or bolt) damaged the entire bottom end of the motor. The oil pump, rods, crank assembly, pistons, heads, cylinders, and flywheels are shot. The cases are good and the cams (i.e., S&S 625 cams) are good. That's all I know at this point. The motor started as an Axtell 107 cubic inch, fuel-injected motor.
Could anyone provide suggestions on where to go from here? What other details are needed for a full analysis?
I am considering a HD crate motor as discussed above, but most likely will rebuild my current set up with S&S components. I think that stroker fly wheels can push my current set up to 120 cubic inches. King and Shooter, you mentioned saving some coin on set ups that you have. Could you send me details via pm or by return post?
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