Real results and comments on Stage III for 114 softails
#1
01-05-2018, 03:27 PM
Real results and comments on Stage III for 114 softails
So it has been awhile now since the 114 to 117 stage 3 kits have been out. Felt like it is time to hear your experiences. I know the new 2018 bikes have the new HD series 4 oil pump to address oil sumping. My results were pretty impressive as I am pushing a peak horsepower of almost 130 and torque of almost 138 but what is really pleasing is even staying under 3500 rpm I can feel a very noticeable difference. You have to carefully break in this new kit just like you did on your new motor to let the rings seat. I am still almost 600 miles to go( due to unseasonably cold weather) but just babying around under 3500 it is very impressive. No noticeable additional vibrations, no oil sumping at all and a much deeper exhaust note with street cannons and actually louder as well. The charts HD shows are very conservative to say the least.
Would like to hear from other folks who have recently done a stage three to their new Softail M8. How do you like it? How is it holding up? Any oil sumping issues? Like to hear from you folks about your experiences.
Last edited by BigRed117; 01-05-2018 at 04:12 PM.
#3
01-05-2018, 09:05 PM
If I don’t break it in correctly the rings will not seat properly. Gotta keep it under 4000 rpm for around 1000 miles. SOP for any new combustion engine. You don’t get those rings to seat properly .....you get high oil use and possible sumping but that is more related to oil pump.
Sounds like your not a fan of breaking in a new engine.
Sounds like your not a fan of breaking in a new engine.
Last edited by BigRed117; 01-05-2018 at 09:09 PM.
#5
01-05-2018, 09:20 PM
Anyone have real knowledgeable experience with the stage three in their new Softail? I can’t believe I am the only one to have upgraded to 117.
Last edited by BigRed117; 01-05-2018 at 09:22 PM.
#6
01-06-2018, 02:44 AM
Grand HDF Member
I stopped at stage 2 but the stage 3 kit/numbers were extremely tempting at the time. Great bang for the buck WITH warranty too. Gotta love that. Glad you're enjoying it. I may still go that route in a few years if all goes well. I think there's a few others here as well. I'm sure they'll chime in eventually. Interested in hearing the results too.
#7
01-06-2018, 07:20 AM
http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
You must run the motor hard to seat your rings in the first miles
You must run the motor hard to seat your rings in the first miles
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#8
01-06-2018, 07:40 AM
I stopped at stage 2 but the stage 3 kit/numbers were extremely tempting at the time. Great bang for the buck WITH warranty too. Gotta love that. Glad you're enjoying it. I may still go that route in a few years if all goes well. I think there's a few others here as well. I'm sure they'll chime in eventually. Interested in hearing the results too.
Thanks for your comments. I hope a few other folks on here have gone down the same road as myself. Just curious to hear their experiences.
#9
01-06-2018, 07:53 AM
http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
You must run the motor hard to seat your rings in the first miles
You must run the motor hard to seat your rings in the first miles
You know this is not my first rodeo. I used to help my good friend build motors for corvettes as a form of relaxation. I saw several motors that were abused during break in ( run hard high rpms) because the owners thought they should run them hard to break them in. They leaked oil like a sive. You can find anything you want on the internet but talk to folks that actually work on the motors and see for themselves what happens when a motor is not broken in correctly. I think HD is far more knowledgeable of their product than anyone else out there. The above is just more internet noise to confuse folks. I hope everyone knows to talk to an expert you can trust and ignore all the BS on the internet.
I have no intention of this thread getting into discussions of how to break in a new motor. Please post elsewhere if you want to discuss break in methods. Thanks
I have no intention of this thread getting into discussions of how to break in a new motor. Please post elsewhere if you want to discuss break in methods. Thanks
Last edited by BigRed117; 01-06-2018 at 07:56 AM.
#10
01-06-2018, 07:54 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
You must run the motor hard to seat your rings in the first miles
You must run the motor hard to seat your rings in the first miles