tHE DAMAGE IS MAJOR
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 10,236
Likes: 798
From: Indiana
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 421
Likes: 1
From: louisiana
The problem started when I replaced my idiot lights because they were broken. While wiring that harness together I took a call and thought when I came back to the work that I may have switched the wires on the light. Well I convinced myself that I had not but the next day when they did not shut off at the regular time I thought to myself that I had switched the wires. Checked the oil and it was fine. Checked even the top of the rocker boxes and oil had been there and also in the pushrod tubes. For sure now I knew the problem was the wire switch, nothing else. Mardi Gras night after 20 plus hours on the bike and at dawn it was very cold going home so to warm up I placed my legs around the top of my motor and traveled at least 60 miles at over 95. until a loud thump occurred. I stopped the bike and briefly turned her over while I listened and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She cranked back up with ease and rode home about 4 miles with less power than she had all day. Next morning checked oil and the bike nothing out of the ordinary except the oil was darker than usual but I thought near 600 miles had brought and it was time to change it anyhow.Starting having an electrical problem, one cylinder not firing or intermittingly. Then the story is known.Should not have assumed that if I had oil in the tank and in the rocker boxes that it was being filtered. The oil pressure light was wired correctly and that was the problem, no circulation through the oil filter because of a broken tooth on the drive gear in the oil pump case side.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
My own experience was of looking to upgrade my own Evo and I planned on buying new crankcases. Just using rough pricings the likely cost of a ground up rebuild, with new parts as required, was eye watering (although I live in the UK and costs here are higher than in the USA).
There is just a possibility you can get a factory motor through their reman programme (see HD website), which comes with a warranty. It will be bone stock but have the latest parts throughout. An alternative is an aftermarket engine. I went with an S&S 107", recently replaced with a 111". With 100/100 it is a satisfactory successor!
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 538
Likes: 3
From: Florida
With a failure like that, I definitely stand by my first post. You're potentially opening an expensive can of worms rebuilding this engine. I guess if you have the time and money, you will definitely learn a lot and still end up with a good engine. Thats exactly what I did with my last rebuild and i dont necessarily regret it, but If I found myself in a similar situation again my options would be:
1 Aftermarket crate - moderate to high price, quick turnaround, very reliable with warranty (and FAST)
2 Harley reman program - moderate price, moderate turnaround, very reliable with limited warranty (but slow...)
3 Pick up a used evo - very cheap, quick turnaround, reliability unknown no warranty
The least palatable option IMO is:
-Rebuild current - moderate to high price, slow turnaround, reliable but no warranty, lots of potential unknowns
Just my $.02, hope your back on the road soon and happy whatever you choose
1 Aftermarket crate - moderate to high price, quick turnaround, very reliable with warranty (and FAST)
2 Harley reman program - moderate price, moderate turnaround, very reliable with limited warranty (but slow...)
3 Pick up a used evo - very cheap, quick turnaround, reliability unknown no warranty
The least palatable option IMO is:
-Rebuild current - moderate to high price, slow turnaround, reliable but no warranty, lots of potential unknowns
Just my $.02, hope your back on the road soon and happy whatever you choose
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
broken idiot lights ???
The problem started when I replaced my idiot lights because they were broken. While wiring that harness together I took a call and thought when I came back to the work that I may have switched the wires on the light. Well I convinced myself that I had not but the next day when they did not shut off at the regular time I thought to myself that I had switched the wires. Checked the oil and it was fine. Checked even the top of the rocker boxes and oil had been there and also in the pushrod tubes. For sure now I knew the problem was the wire switch, nothing else. Mardi Gras night after 20 plus hours on the bike and at dawn it was very cold going home so to warm up I placed my legs around the top of my motor and traveled at least 60 miles at over 95. until a loud thump occurred. I stopped the bike and briefly turned her over while I listened and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She cranked back up with ease and rode home about 4 miles with less power than she had all day. Next morning checked oil and the bike nothing out of the ordinary except the oil was darker than usual but I thought near 600 miles had brought and it was time to change it anyhow.Starting having an electrical problem, one cylinder not firing or intermittingly. Then the story is known.Should not have assumed that if I had oil in the tank and in the rocker boxes that it was being filtered. The oil pressure light was wired correctly and that was the problem, no circulation through the oil filter because of a broken tooth on the drive gear in the oil pump case side.
???
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 538
Likes: 3
From: Florida
sounds like his oil pressure light was on and he attributed it to a wiring mistake. Turned out to be no oil pressure do to failed oil pump. at least thats what im getting
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Well, whatever the problem is.... If it calls for a ground up rebuild of the motor, consider the option of just buying a crate engine. I know it may sound out of the question or too expensive, but hear me out...
When you are rebuilding a 20year old motor especially if you are going to upgrade a little you want to do it right. No sense in having a stout new bottom end and putting the tired old valve train in it, or not cleaning up the heads. If you take this route of rebuilding it right you run the risk of finding lots of things that you need to change, lots of "while im in there"s and lots of "if I get a new X I have to replace Y". It adds up fast, and next thing you know your standing next to your fresh rebuilt engine with a bill thats a few hundred shy of buying a crate engine, and after all the extra time you wasted you don't get a warranty!! ask me how I know....
Although maybe you'll be lucky and the rest of your engine is in great condition and it'll be fine if you just slap a new case on it, is that the risk your willing to take before you're "past the point of no return"?
When you are rebuilding a 20year old motor especially if you are going to upgrade a little you want to do it right. No sense in having a stout new bottom end and putting the tired old valve train in it, or not cleaning up the heads. If you take this route of rebuilding it right you run the risk of finding lots of things that you need to change, lots of "while im in there"s and lots of "if I get a new X I have to replace Y". It adds up fast, and next thing you know your standing next to your fresh rebuilt engine with a bill thats a few hundred shy of buying a crate engine, and after all the extra time you wasted you don't get a warranty!! ask me how I know....
Although maybe you'll be lucky and the rest of your engine is in great condition and it'll be fine if you just slap a new case on it, is that the risk your willing to take before you're "past the point of no return"?
Just goes to show how different life in NZ is from the US, down here we would always go with a rebuild as it would be the cheapest option by far....we don't have the option of Reman and crate motors cost the earth...but there is always a guy somewhere who can perform miracles for very little money....sometimes that guy is me and it makes me very happy to resurrect a blown motor that the dealership said was toast.
Look at it this way Pinetop.....if it hadn't blown up you would have happily ridden it and there aren't very many parts in a Big Twin motor.....refresh the bottom end, overhaul the heads and do as much of it yourself as you can and see how that stacks up against a Reman or crate motor....you may be surprised!
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 538
Likes: 3
From: Florida
Just goes to show how different life in NZ is from the US, down here we would always go with a rebuild as it would be the cheapest option by far....we don't have the option of Reman and crate motors cost the earth...but there is always a guy somewhere who can perform miracles for very little money....sometimes that guy is me and it makes me very happy to resurrect a blown motor that the dealership said was toast.
Look at it this way Pinetop.....if it hadn't blown up you would have happily ridden it and there aren't very many parts in a Big Twin motor.....refresh the bottom end, overhaul the heads and do as much of it yourself as you can and see how that stacks up against a Reman or crate motor....you may be surprised!
Look at it this way Pinetop.....if it hadn't blown up you would have happily ridden it and there aren't very many parts in a Big Twin motor.....refresh the bottom end, overhaul the heads and do as much of it yourself as you can and see how that stacks up against a Reman or crate motor....you may be surprised!
Last year i snapped a crank pin and my $2000 "throw a new crank, bore the cylinders with .30 over pistons,and clean the heads because everything else is good" turned into a $5000 "new crank,new cylinders/pistons, case was cracked=new case, 4 cracked seats 4 cracked guides 2 toasted valves=new heads, breather bore f&*$ed=bored and .30 over breather, and more...". Here in the US $5000 gets you pretty damned close to a 100% brand new high end crate motor with warranty.
But all of that said, I am going to repeat my last sentence from my other post....
Although maybe you'll be lucky and the rest of your engine is in great condition and it'll be fine if you just slap a new case on it, is that the risk your willing to take before you're "past the point of no return"?