EVO reliability question
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 317
Likes: 48
From: Minnesota
I remember sitting in the kitchen at the farm house, hearing Gramps in the distance pulling plow. I could tell when he hit mud cause the JD would lug down and dig in. Putt putt putt. Sounded a lot like Dad's '39 Knuckle. Just sayn'.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,874
From: Upstate New York
All good advice here so far. I have 189,000 on my '94 Heritage as of this writing (98,000 on the current motor). I maintain it faithfully, change the lifters/cam bearing every 40K (that's what cost me the first motor), and it's always taken me there and brought me back.
If you're going to upgrade the front pulley, throw on a new belt for peace of mind. Also, consider replacing the vacuum operated electric switch if you still have the stock ignition. The rubber diaphragm in it doesn't last forever.
If you're going to upgrade the front pulley, throw on a new belt for peace of mind. Also, consider replacing the vacuum operated electric switch if you still have the stock ignition. The rubber diaphragm in it doesn't last forever.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
My old school, old guy, indie mechanic believes that an EVO will go much farther than a twinkie without major repairs if two things happen. 1.) No performance modifications beyond stage one. 2.) Regular servicing.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
All good advise from the Bros.
An Evo that has been taken care of will go and go and i personnaly believe that this is due to its tried and true basic design that has performed in the last two world wars as the engine that won the wars.
That being said ... an older motor with many hours / miles requires appropriate attension at the appropriate time . That makes a vintage machine a runner and not a museum piece.
An Evo that has been taken care of will go and go and i personnaly believe that this is due to its tried and true basic design that has performed in the last two world wars as the engine that won the wars.
That being said ... an older motor with many hours / miles requires appropriate attension at the appropriate time . That makes a vintage machine a runner and not a museum piece.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 11
From: Northern Ontario
See if the guy will let you do a compression test on the motor. Check for leaking top end, that will tell you how its been treated. Check in the front pulley area for leaks.Bring a volt meter and check how its charging. The earlier posts were all good info. You take care of an EVO and it will take care of you. These bikes are nice to wrench on as well, I've always done my own work and there's a great group of guys here.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,507
Likes: 3,732
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
As much as I like my Pans and Shovels, I think the Evo is propbably the best designed and most durable motor that MoCo developed
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56,052
Likes: 89,273
From: Western South Dakota
The "B" motors are preferred over the solid mounts.
I had a solid mount (99 Fxstc, last year of the evo softails) and there was nothing soft about it. lololol.
It did not have much over a pan-head that I rode on occasion.
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naga77777
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Jul 12, 2013 10:17 AM