Ultima engines your results
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 5
From: Clinton, NC
zoood
Stage II
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Ultima 127 piston problems at 1500 miles
Purchased Ultima 127 six months ago. Had it installed, and it started a tapping noise in the engine after first 100 miles. We contacted Matt at Midwest and he asked us to change lifters. That did not fix it, But we noticed lifters tagging cam lowb and tappet blocks. We corrected that but noise continued to get worse. After 1500 miles we have aluminum in oil and 20% leakdown.
We have sent a request for full set of bearings, gasket kit and oversized pistons and rings. We shall see how well they back their product.
I sure expected more than 1500 miles out of a new motor! Anyone else had this type of problem out of an Ultima engine?
We have sent a request for full set of bearings, gasket kit and oversized pistons and rings. We shall see how well they back their product.
I sure expected more than 1500 miles out of a new motor! Anyone else had this type of problem out of an Ultima engine?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
What jets were you running?? What was the timing set at?? What oil and filter were you running?? Matt and midwest are pretty good about backing their products. Keep us posted about what you find.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 535
Likes: 14
From: Highspire Pa
Purchased Ultima 127 six months ago. Had it installed, and it started a tapping noise in the engine after first 100 miles. We contacted Matt at Midwest and he asked us to change lifters. That did not fix it, But we noticed lifters tagging cam lowb and tappet blocks. We corrected that but noise continued to get worse. After 1500 miles we have aluminum in oil and 20% leakdown.
We have sent a request for full set of bearings, gasket kit and oversized pistons and rings. We shall see how well they back their product.
I sure expected more than 1500 miles out of a new motor! Anyone else had this type of problem out of an Ultima engine?
We have sent a request for full set of bearings, gasket kit and oversized pistons and rings. We shall see how well they back their product.
I sure expected more than 1500 miles out of a new motor! Anyone else had this type of problem out of an Ultima engine?
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...is-report.html
The high aluminum in ours was from the rocker supports and also tore up the bushings in the rockers , that was pretty easy and not to expensive to fix, I was very careful to make sure the new rockers fit and were smooth etc. We also had two different Ultima lifters go bad, the front cylinder was first then a thousand or so miles later a second lifter went out in the rear cylinder, which also wore heavy on the cam so I replaced that as well.
Right now it has maybe 17,000? miles and seems better, but the iron levels are still higher than normal. I was not too lucky getting help from Ulitma, and I did not push the issue because I waited too long after the tapping noise started, but the total costs for repairs so far were not much more than $500.00.
The biggest problem owning an Ultima engine for me was finding a good Indy shop to work on it - one that I could trust, located near me. I may have found one in Harrisburg Pa but I haven't contacted him yet as now things seem to be pretty good. I am still happy with it all, even with the $500 costs over 2 years and 17,000 miles doesn't seem unreasonable to me. I am more upset that we were unable to ride much this year because of personal problems.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 5
From: Clinton, NC
Ours started tapping at about 500 miles, at first I did not know what it was and rode it like that for the first year, and it gradually got worse. I started sending oil in for analysis but did not understand the results.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...is-report.html
The high aluminum in ours was from the rocker supports and also tore up the bushings in the rockers , that was pretty easy and not to expensive to fix, I was very careful to make sure the new rockers fit and were smooth etc. We also had two different Ultima lifters go bad, the front cylinder was first then a thousand or so miles later a second lifter went out in the rear cylinder, which also wore heavy on the cam so I replaced that as well.
Right now it has maybe 17,000? miles and seems better, but the iron levels are still higher than normal. I was not too lucky getting help from Ulitma, and I did not push the issue because I waited too long after the tapping noise started, but the total costs for repairs so far were not much more than $500.00.
The biggest problem owning an Ultima engine for me was finding a good Indy shop to work on it - one that I could trust, located near me. I may have found one in Harrisburg Pa but I haven't contacted him yet as now things seem to be pretty good. I am still happy with it all, even with the $500 costs over 2 years and 17,000 miles doesn't seem unreasonable to me. I am more upset that we were unable to ride much this year because of personal problems.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...is-report.html
The high aluminum in ours was from the rocker supports and also tore up the bushings in the rockers , that was pretty easy and not to expensive to fix, I was very careful to make sure the new rockers fit and were smooth etc. We also had two different Ultima lifters go bad, the front cylinder was first then a thousand or so miles later a second lifter went out in the rear cylinder, which also wore heavy on the cam so I replaced that as well.
Right now it has maybe 17,000? miles and seems better, but the iron levels are still higher than normal. I was not too lucky getting help from Ulitma, and I did not push the issue because I waited too long after the tapping noise started, but the total costs for repairs so far were not much more than $500.00.
The biggest problem owning an Ultima engine for me was finding a good Indy shop to work on it - one that I could trust, located near me. I may have found one in Harrisburg Pa but I haven't contacted him yet as now things seem to be pretty good. I am still happy with it all, even with the $500 costs over 2 years and 17,000 miles doesn't seem unreasonable to me. I am more upset that we were unable to ride much this year because of personal problems.
RJ
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
The Ultima engine is nothing more than a large bore long stroke EVO, for the most part the smaller parts like lifters, cams, rocker arms are the same as an EVO. The largest cam that you can put in the 113 without doing some changes is in the .640-.650" lift and you will have to at least check piston to valve clearance. Hope this helps
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 5
From: Clinton, NC
The Ultima engine is nothing more than a large bore long stroke EVO, for the most part the smaller parts like lifters, cams, rocker arms are the same as an EVO. The largest cam that you can put in the 113 without doing some changes is in the .640-.650" lift and you will have to at least check piston to valve clearance. Hope this helps
RJ