New to EVO's and still learning..........
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,876
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From: Washington State
New to EVO's and still learning..........
I bought my FXR3 back in Feb and have been reading up on the EVO motors on here. My recent project of removing the S&S Super G carb, and going back to the stock CV, had me face to face with the cam cover........
The original owner said he had a cam and "hot" ignition installed. He couldn't remember the details, since it was done a while back, and was going to look for paperwork on it. Well, that was over 4 months ago, and he still hasn't located them. Granted, he said he moved since the work was done, and he said he may have lost them in the move.
So, I popped the cover off and I see he had a Crane HI-4 put in, but I also see he still has the stock coil. As for the cam, unless I tear it apart, I will never know for sure, but it doesn't appear it's anything radical.
Can someone enlighten me to the Crane HI-4 ignition? Are they an easy product to work with? Any info would be appreciated.
The original owner said he had a cam and "hot" ignition installed. He couldn't remember the details, since it was done a while back, and was going to look for paperwork on it. Well, that was over 4 months ago, and he still hasn't located them. Granted, he said he moved since the work was done, and he said he may have lost them in the move.
So, I popped the cover off and I see he had a Crane HI-4 put in, but I also see he still has the stock coil. As for the cam, unless I tear it apart, I will never know for sure, but it doesn't appear it's anything radical.
Can someone enlighten me to the Crane HI-4 ignition? Are they an easy product to work with? Any info would be appreciated.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,201
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From: NW AR
On your Crane, this is "net wisdom," taken from my reading teh interwebz, y0. When they work, people like them. The problem was that they tended to stop working, just from my reading on the board here. Seemed like for a year straight every single "I have no spark" was traced down to a Crane Hi-4, and the version that is "all in the cone." Then Crane went bankrupt. You do the math there.
The important thing on your era bike is to replace the inner cam bearing, especially if you have an aftermarket cam. If the guy you bought the bike from doesn't know if the inner cam bearing was replaced, personally, I would pull it apart and look to see if it is "the good one." There's pictures on the board here of good and not good (OEM) ones. Search for "torrington cam bearing" and you should find some threads.
The important thing on your era bike is to replace the inner cam bearing, especially if you have an aftermarket cam. If the guy you bought the bike from doesn't know if the inner cam bearing was replaced, personally, I would pull it apart and look to see if it is "the good one." There's pictures on the board here of good and not good (OEM) ones. Search for "torrington cam bearing" and you should find some threads.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Washington State
My HI-4 looks to be an older unit, as I've compared pics and none look like anything sold now. The bike only has 13,600 miles on it and fires right up, so maybe I got one of the good ones? 
I've done cams on my twin cam, how does pulling the chest on a single cam EVO compare? From what I see, the oil pump is on the outside of an EVO, as compared to being in the cam chest on a twin cam. Looks much simpler to me.
Here's some pics of my HI-4 (sorry, there from my phone)
I've done cams on my twin cam, how does pulling the chest on a single cam EVO compare? From what I see, the oil pump is on the outside of an EVO, as compared to being in the cam chest on a twin cam. Looks much simpler to me.
Here's some pics of my HI-4 (sorry, there from my phone)
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,687
Likes: 9
From: SoCal & West TN
Well, one thing to remember with the EVO is that the nose cone (cam cone) is an intricate part of the support of the cam. This is different from the TC as the cover is just that, a cover.
When you take the nose cone off, be careful that you do not move the cam. The cam will be under pressure from the lifters so the cone will be hard to remove unless you take the push rods off.
Once you remove the the push rods and timing plate, you can carefully remove the cone to inspect the cam and cam bushing. You can leave the cam and lifters in place to check the nose cone bushing.
Just don't just pull the cam without removing the lifters. If you don't remove the lifters, they will just drop in the cam area when the cam is removed.
When you take the nose cone off, be careful that you do not move the cam. The cam will be under pressure from the lifters so the cone will be hard to remove unless you take the push rods off.
Once you remove the the push rods and timing plate, you can carefully remove the cone to inspect the cam and cam bushing. You can leave the cam and lifters in place to check the nose cone bushing.
Just don't just pull the cam without removing the lifters. If you don't remove the lifters, they will just drop in the cam area when the cam is removed.
Last edited by Ultra89Rider; Jul 18, 2011 at 01:24 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 11
From: Northern Ontario
If you plan on removing cam cone and want to leave cam in place be sure to give the end of the cam a light tap tap as you pull the cone off or the cam will come off with the cone.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
If you remove the nosecone without removing/loosening the pushrods, valve spring pressure will make it impossible to put the nosecone back on without doing damage.
The ignition you have is a non-race version that was meant for street engines. They work very well on the street. Hope this helps.
The ignition you have is a non-race version that was meant for street engines. They work very well on the street. Hope this helps.
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Outstanding HDF Member
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From: Washington State
Ok, I talked to the guy I bought the bike from (original owner) and he found out the following info on the mods done. It has a Crane High-Roller 286 cam, Torrington inner bearing installed, and the exhaust side of the heads were ported and polished. So that saves me a tear down, just to find out about the bearing.
I'm a little confused on how to tune using this HI-4 ignition, and also about timing. Done plenty of timing adjustments on my old muscle cars, using a standard timing light, but never messed with timing on a Harley. Once I get the CV carb put back together and get the bike back on the road, I will know more on whether anything else needs to be addressed. It ran fine before I removed the S&S, so I may be fine.
I would still like to hear about timing adjustments, and also what this HI-4 has for adjustments. Couldn't find anything on the Crane website.
Thanks!
I'm a little confused on how to tune using this HI-4 ignition, and also about timing. Done plenty of timing adjustments on my old muscle cars, using a standard timing light, but never messed with timing on a Harley. Once I get the CV carb put back together and get the bike back on the road, I will know more on whether anything else needs to be addressed. It ran fine before I removed the S&S, so I may be fine.
I would still like to hear about timing adjustments, and also what this HI-4 has for adjustments. Couldn't find anything on the Crane website.
Thanks!
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
The explanation of setting the timing is a little wordy, so if you go to the Crane website you can download the instructions and print them out to use as a guide. The process is actually simple once you've don e it. Hope this helps and welcome aboard!!
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 77
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From: Maricopa, CA
I had a Hi4 till it detonated in my cone and shredded the rotor, the pick ups are molded in plastic and its very cheaply made. Besides, that system is obsolete now. They closed shop. I been running a dyna 2000i ignition in my evo and it seems to run a lot better. Plus the entire module is metal, not plastic.
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