Reliability/longevity of EVO vs. early Twin Cam
 

I know there were issues with the chain and tensioner in the Twin Cam engines. Other than that, how much of a difference in reliability and longevity is there between the EVO models and the early Twin Cam models? Assume the Twin Cam models compared are carbureted. Also assume the whole vehicle, not just the engine.

Once dialed in, the EVO wins...

Evos had issues with the INS cam bearing and base gaskets. They have likely all been fixed by now. Mine has had a Torrington bearing and James base gaskets in it for a long time now. Well over 100,000 miles and counting.

Carbs are nice because you can fix them yourself in your garage if you need to. Haven't needed to.

I rode an FXRP for a few years and beat the snot out of it. Only problems was a leaking base gasket on the rear jug and a primary chain guide/tensioner letting go. Good power for only 80 cu. in. with the 49 state cam. The California cam EVO was dangerously slow.

There where even porous cases during the mid to early nineties .
Oil would seep through the cases and was found with a die and ultra violet light to locate the seepage.
All being equal they are reliable machines that if treated like a machine and not beaten they can and do run for many miles with basic repairs.
Rob

Still riding my Evo FLSTN daily at 222,000 miles. Only weakness I had was the early design tappet rollers which cost me my first engine. 131,000 miles on the current H-D remanufactured engine. No oil leaks, no oil burning, good compression, runs great.

Show off!

Yup, EVO.

And lifters that need be replaced more often than a TC, leaky/weepy 3 piece rocker boxes, porous cases, cracked cases, cylinder studs pulling out, cracked inner primaries on bikes that make real power because the trans and motor aren't married together......

Don't get me wrong, Twin Cams surely have their problems too. But when it comes to older HD engine designs, the romance makes people forget a lot.

The TC is a POS the MOCO is hoping to forget.
Go to your local HD on Monday morning, have a look in there'll be mostly the TC POS in there being worked on because they have exploded the timing chest or scissored the crank or any of the over 30 recalls for the bucket of schit.
The Evo is a classic and has style and charisma the TC is just a POS.