Twin cam 88 upgrades
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Novice
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 18
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From: Michigan
Twin cam 88 upgrades
Hello everyone, this is my first post as I am new to the Harley community. I have had plenty of motorcycles but always wanted a Harley. I am looking to purchase either a project Rushmore street glide or save some money and purchase an Electra glide with a TC88 and build it to my liking. My only concern is all the common issues with the TC88 engine. I would like to know EVERYTHING I should replace on an early twin cam to make it 100% reliable. What all do I need and what special tools do I need to buy? Gear drive, cam plate, etc. I want to do it right if I go this route.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,252
Likes: 142
Welcome. The biggest issue is the cam chain tensioners. They will over time disintegrate and can cause big issues. Some people also say 2003 and up, has a weaker crank and lesser bearings. I have a 2003 Road King Classic with the TC-88 in it and all I have done was I put stock tensioners back in and S&S 510 cams as well as a fuel management system. It hauls *** big time. You can go with hydraulic tensioners as well but sooner or later the shoes will have to be replaced or you can go with gear cams and do away with that nonsense. Rather pricey though. For what they wanted to do gears, I was able to put the tensioners, cam bearings and Cams. I guess it all depends on how you plan on riding. There are thousands of tc-88s out there and they seem to be a good motor once you look at the above. My $.02.
randy
randy
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,252
Likes: 142
Inspecting is not a big job at all, just pull the cone off the right side and remove the front pipe. I had a guy do the cams, tensioners etc for me as I didn't have a press to put the cam bearings in. I don't get into the TC88s, I'm an ironhead and shovelhead man but everyone says they are not too bad with the right tools.
randy
randy
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,146
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From: along the Front Range in Colorado
....... if you can afford a Rushmore, buy it.
.... sooo many improvements above & beyond the 15ci motor bump
........ be smart w/yer money, enjoy the ride
Welcome to our Forum, lots of good info here.
There is nothing wrong with a good running TC-88 with the right mods, but if you are looking
for a used Electra Glide try for a n 07 or a little newer. They can be made into a 103 or a 110
with a bolt on big bore kits since they have a longer stroke. They also have the newer type
of hydraulic cam chain tensioners that work better than the old style. Gear Drive cams provide
consistent cam timing, and make a little more engine noise.
A Rushmore Street Glide will solve most all the problems the older TC 88 had in their cam chest.
WE all like "A Fast Harley, A Fast Woman, & Fast Food"
John
There is nothing wrong with a good running TC-88 with the right mods, but if you are looking
for a used Electra Glide try for a n 07 or a little newer. They can be made into a 103 or a 110
with a bolt on big bore kits since they have a longer stroke. They also have the newer type
of hydraulic cam chain tensioners that work better than the old style. Gear Drive cams provide
consistent cam timing, and make a little more engine noise.
A Rushmore Street Glide will solve most all the problems the older TC 88 had in their cam chest.
WE all like "A Fast Harley, A Fast Woman, & Fast Food"
John
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 377
From: Georgia
How far are you planning to tear down the 88 to mod it?
If you dont plan on getting into the crank then get one with a forged crank. Not sure of the year but somewhere around 02 sounds right. If your going into the crank then pretty much any year/size will work. Just have the crank welded and trued. That is actually probably better in the long run because you get a strong crank with good runout and can put good/better bearings in too.
If you dont plan on getting into the crank then get one with a forged crank. Not sure of the year but somewhere around 02 sounds right. If your going into the crank then pretty much any year/size will work. Just have the crank welded and trued. That is actually probably better in the long run because you get a strong crank with good runout and can put good/better bearings in too.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 304
From: mid Michigan
It's a bigger job than ajustment of vavles on a metric. If your mechanical , follow manual , u-tube & read up on hear you can do it. The inside tensioner is the hassle, pump & cam plate must come off so pushrods need removed. Couple different ways to go about it, much information on site already. If you want to build a motor a 96 would be better.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
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From: Bedford UK
Hello everyone, this is my first post as I am new to the Harley community. I have had plenty of motorcycles but always wanted a Harley. I am looking to purchase either a project Rushmore street glide or save some money and purchase an Electra glide with a TC88 and build it to my liking. My only concern is all the common issues with the TC88 engine. I would like to know EVERYTHING I should replace on an early twin cam to make it 100% reliable. What all do I need and what special tools do I need to buy? Gear drive, cam plate, etc. I want to do it right if I go this route.
Last edited by grbrown; Jul 31, 2017 at 06:02 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 135
Likes: 12
From: Omaha
How far are you planning to tear down the 88 to mod it?
If you dont plan on getting into the crank then get one with a forged crank. Not sure of the year but somewhere around 02 sounds right. If your going into the crank then pretty much any year/size will work. Just have the crank welded and trued. That is actually probably better in the long run because you get a strong crank with good runout and can put good/better bearings in too.
If you dont plan on getting into the crank then get one with a forged crank. Not sure of the year but somewhere around 02 sounds right. If your going into the crank then pretty much any year/size will work. Just have the crank welded and trued. That is actually probably better in the long run because you get a strong crank with good runout and can put good/better bearings in too.
Most ommon issues are as follows:
Inner cam bearings
Spring loaded tensioners (mostly the chains didn't get debuted, and caused failures, usually the inner tensioner, you one that can't be gotten to easily)
Oil pressures relief valve(doesn't build good pressure at low RPM, dumps excess oil in cam chest)
There's others, but those seem the most common.
If I could do it over, I'd get a 07 or later model and not build it.
Do pipes, AC, maybe a cam (inner bearings if you do), Baker Comp and Hayden or manual primary chain adjuster, that's it. Then just ride it. If you build with non Timken crank bearings and/or a press fit crank, you're just asking for reliability issues, IMO. You did say 100% reliable. My recommendations will get you close, because that's the boat I was in when I bought mine.
But the above is just my opinion.