I have a 2001 fatboy. Looking to upgrade motor and would like some feedback. I am not looking for an all tire shredder. i want power and reliability. Following is what i would like to do all at once. I need help understanding the pro and cons of this set up and dynotune and possible modules i might need to add. The bike already has a big air breather and vance and hines longshots on it.910-0201; 97" Big Bore Kit, $1017.95

106-5289; 583 Chain Drive Easy Start Cam Kit, msrp $458.95

310-0731; Oil Pump/Cam Plate Kit, msrp $723.95

330-0518; Hydraulic Tensioner Kit, msrp $142.95

106-6051; Quickee Pushrod Kit, msrp $251.95

330-0718; Tappet Set, msrp $224.95

900-0593; Performance Valve Spring Kit, msrp $134.95

33-5303-2; Tappet Cover Gasket Set, msrp $7.95

900-0534; Rocker Box Gasket Kit, msrp $75.95

Total: $3039.55

Would i need to get a power commander module or would a dynotune of the ecm work just fine? What can i expect from this setup? (my thoughts are that it will pull between 1500 rpm and 4500 rpm. I ride solo and two up. I want passing power on the highway and a little zip in the motor) How reliable are S and S setups. I want my bike to remain reliable and not have to wrench on it every other day. Will i have beef up my compensator? What about clutch?
Thank you

 

No matter what, you´ll need some kind of tuner as the SE Race tuner or a powercommander to change anything in your ECM during dyno.

 

I'd use the S&S 583 EZs in gear drive and forget the tensioner conversion provided your crank TIR is within spec. I have them in my Road King with an S&S crank and Timken conversion. Your bike has a Timken left side and forged crank.

I wouldn't use a BB kit that comes with cylinders. I'd pick the pistons I wanted and have my seasoned cylinders bored for those pistons. There's a big difference between the two. Kirby at Vee Twin Racing is who I use. He goes by Prodrag1320 here.

I like the S&S standard adjustable pushrods myself, a little cheaper than the Quickees and all you have to do is raise the lifter covers to get them in. That said, on this trip in I'd also drill the rocker plate oil return holes to 1/8" and replace the stock breathers with the better stamped versions for about 15 bucks per cylinder.

Whatever you do, replace the INA inner cam bearings with B148s and I would stud & arp nut the two doweled cam plate holes (in the RS engine case) as they don't have as many threads in them as the others do.

Keep all bolts in a cardboard template and return them to the place they came from. Some are longer than others but are 1/4-20. Using the longer ones when mounting the camplate can dent a lifter bore and that's a pull the engine, split the cases and have the bores sleeved kinda thing.

In my opinion, doing something once is the way to do it right. I would consider head work by someone who knows what they're doing; I use Kirby at Vee Twin Racing in Florida. The guy flat knows what he's doing. You tell him what you want to end up with and that's what it'll be when it's done. The heads on your bike are more restrictive than later Twin Cam heads, you could wind up being disappointed if you overlook them.

No need to change the compensator, the early models don't suffer the same problems like the 2007 and ups do. I'd go for a SE clutch spring and call it good. If you aren't doing hole shots and beating on it in 1st or 2nd you'll be fine. If you find you have trouble later on you can swap the clutch no problem.

I'll leave you with this; if I had all the money I spent half assing stuff in my life, I'd be a rich man.

 

I'd personally suggest going with Gear drive cams and swap out the chain drive Harley had a fault in the cam chain tensioners which can potentially grenade your motor (read potentially not guaranteed)

 

Nomadmax gave some good info/suggestions, but I don't understand the highlighted portion...

IMHO....

Regardless of crank run out, which will probably be very good for that year engine, I would most certainly replace the spring cam tensioners...

I didn't recognize/or check on the part numbers you listed, but I would change over to the '07+ cam plate/oil pump/hydraulic tensioners and use conversion cams... I'm fond of the Andrews conversion cams, but there are several choices out there...

I'm also good with using a big bore kit from a quality vendor, who has experience with their various kits. They will supply parts (cylinders, pistons, cams, & even head work) that work well together. Vendors like FuelMoto, Hillside Cycles, or a few others.... I would trust their packages, rather than throwing a bunch of parts together, unless of course you have some experience/knowledge to back up your choices....

I would most certainly replace the inner cam bearings while in there, from the INA brand OEM inner cam bearings to the better Koyo/Torrington brand bearings, as mentioned..

You asked about a tuner, so I assume you have EFI... The best choice would be a dyno tune, from a competent dyno tuner..They are not as plentiful as you would think, so do your homework/research to pick one. A dyno tune would require you to buy a tuner, or tune license, for either a PowerVision or TTS tuner... I'd buy the tuner, so you have access to many other features/tuners, instead of access to one specific dyno tuner. I'm partial to the PowerVision...

Good luck with your decisions/choices...

 

What I was saying was, he probably has a good crank. If he's within TIR spec, skip the conversion kit & camplate by using gear drive cams but now that I think about it the inner journals are smaller on his year and I dunno if S&S makes the 583G EZ with a smaller inner journal (or any EZ start conversion cams for that matter).

 

That makes sense.... I thought you were suggesting that with good run out, switching out the spring tensioners wasn't necessary...

I figured I must have misunderstood..... I usually agree with your posts...

I looked into gear drive cams for my 2001, a bit more cost than the hydraulic conversion, but I was still tempted even though that engine is gonna stay just a stage I ...

They make gear drive cams for both pre-'07 engines, and post '07-engines..... IIRC, you use whatever cam plate/pump comes with your engine, and the gear drive cams are made to fit it like OEM, but without the tensioners....

 

Hatt,

If I know me, I probably said it wrong. But yeah I was about skipping the hydraulic conversion and going gear drive. The bonus if he sticks with his cam plate and gear drives is he has bearings on both ends of the cams. I might take some of that money I saved and get an S&S TC3 oil pump, I have one on my Road King. Andrews makes some good cams but I really do like the 583G EZ starts and he wouldn't have to have A/M CRs machined into the heads. That said, I dunno if S&S has gear drive conversions cams in gear/ez. If I ever have to split the cases on my 2002 I'm going to have the right side case machined to take B168 inner cam bearings. The possibilities are endless then.