ACR's and clean up.
 

I would like to add ACR's and while the heads are off the bike I might as well do some mild porting.

What kind of work would go well with 48H cams? Would .030 head gasket to bump up CR be a bad idea with 48's? Not trying to do anything big just want to put the best combo together.

I'm assuming ACR's will help with hot starts? Already upgraded to SE compensator but hot starts still have something to be desired.

I cant tell you about the head work but i can give a little about a compression release. My chainsaw has one. I know its not a bike but its still an internal combustion engine. If i forget to hit the release i can barely get it to pull. If im fully committed and do get one cycle out of it, im not getting the second. I think the release is awesome. If i think its awesome, im sure your starter will too.

Lol, watch out for burns.

It may actually be cheaper to get some used 103 heads already set up for ARCs and sell your heads than having your heads machined for them (S&S easy starts are another option). Either way I would think about more cam if ya are getting the heads worked. Talk to a few good head guys and listen to them.

If you're that far you could have a 103 for about $400, probably a better bang for the $ than head porting, or due both. I'd just do manual CRs should be about $200, gaskets about $100 & mild porting about $500 would make a sweet running ride.

I Know Not, but ….

Having my heads drilled for ACRs, the valves reseated, and new valve seals installed cost me about 5 bills. (no porting, but they installed the ACRs too.)

That does not include the wiring.

I chose ACRs because I don’t think it is cool to push on manual CRs, just cheaper, and it is not old school, just old technology.

But some are so used to manuals that it is second nature and would not have it any other way.
That is their choice and I am not knocking it.

If I were to do it again I would look at picking up a set of good 103 heads and send them off to be ported and new valves, springs, seals, etc. installed. That could be done with the bike still on the road.
(BTW, I had a problem with a weak stock spring which showed up a while after putting everything together, which is why I would suggest changing them while everything is apart.)

Just keep in mind, a lot of people have their bikes laid up for the winter and are doing similar things before riding season, so it make take a while for the heads to get back to you.


And BTW, as my friend kept pointing out to me when we pulled my heads to do the ACRs, those jugs come off real easy at that point …now I have a 107 ... Just saying.
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Ya, but why do 90% of the work amd the money for 50% of the end result.

I had thought at one time about porting heads but have since stopped chasing more and quit throwing money at a bike I'm was happy with to begin with. I did have ACR's put in when it was ready for a rebuild at 112,000 and bumped it from a 96 to a 103 with cams for the first time. My indy has the machining tools and knowhow to drill them out and do a better grind on the valve seats. While doing the research about porting, I found Big Boyz Head Porting site and found their site to have some interesting reading. I like the way they describe their porting for the street and not the track. I haven't actually used them but they have pricing on their site so it will give you an idea as to how much it would cost. If you are worried about the crank, have the run out checked.

http://www.bigboyzheadporting.com/index.php

I picked up a set of ultra low mileage 103 ACR heads here in the classified section for $300+ shipping in anticipation of upgrading my 96 to 107 down the road.

As discussed, other options are MCRs but I didn't want to fool with them, esp. since my 2010's factory harness will work with ACRs.

IMO the 103 ACR heads are simplest solution once they're wired up and turned on via PowerVision or some other tuning software.

As I have a 96 just like the OP, if I'm taking off the heads, it's not much more effort to replace the pistons and jugs. So I'm not planning any gasket change or headwork until I go to the 107. That being said, I don't have hot start problems as the Wood 555s are a little big for the low comp 96 so it actually starts easier than stock...I assume that wouldn't be the case with the Andrews 48s.

Just my 2 cents.

I have manual compression releases. They are just fine and I'll stay away from anything "automatic" if at all possible (except cars). I have no clue why some do not like MCRs. They are no trouble at all. I simply make it a habit to push them in any time I turn off the cycle. Apparently these are less expensive too--all the better. Of course, if a fellow cannot drop down to see where his finger is going, he might get burnt.

It probably has something to do with one being manual and the other being automatic. Just like some people like the convenience of pushing a button of an electric starter and some people like the no frills basic kick starter.

After all the back and forth chatter.... I think I'll just pull the heads, machine in some MCR's and use a .030 head gasket when reassembling.
After that I'll take it to RC Cycles for a dynotune and leave it alone until its ready to be refreshed.

It's crazy how it starts with compression releases and turns into Port/Polish which leads to Big Bore. After that it's change the cams that you liked because you've outgrown them. That turns into now you need to weld your crank because your top end is too much for a stock crank.

So anyway .030 gasket and MCR's will be worth pulling the heads.

Quote from Wild Hogs (Woody aka John Travolta) "I just wanna ride man"

As Old Hippie and others have said, getting a set of 103 heads with ACRs is your cheapest route, then do your head work. The thing to remember about manual CRs is that a hot re-start at a traffic light when stalled is going to be slower, either you take the time to push them in or the motor slow cranks as it did before. It's also possible for a manual CR to become carboned up and stick open. Auto CRs are there for every start, are controlled by the ECM, provided they don't malfunction. I chose to use S&S EZ Start gear drive cams as an alternative to both. Always there, not electronic and nothing for me to do. When adjusting push rods on EZ Starts you need to make sure the exhaust PR is off the EZ Start lobe, real easy to do.

Thanks for the correcting my syntax on ACR and MCR. I edited my post so it doesn't confuse anyone. Good luck.

I did the head swap with 103 heads with the ACR's on my 2010 when I did the motor. I didn't want to mess with sticking my hand on a hot head every time I wanted to start it.

I went all out on my motor, heads, cams, big bore. I sold the 48's that I had in it before. The dyno showed 126tq 116hp. Shop said I could pick up a few more with a different exhaust (D&D is what they wanted me to go with). The bike is a bast to ride and I haven't had any issues with durability with the bottom end. I did install an AIM VPC clutch when I did it. If you are going that far why not go all the way? The shop that did it does a lot of builds like mine and said that they have seen as many stock bikes with crank issues as they have motors that are built up. They also said that they have not seen many that had shifted in either configuration.

IMO or at least it works for me
If you put in a big enough cam for the correct CR pistons you don't need compression release.
It is that 1/2 arsed jobs that get stoick , a very high static CR.
They get HOT, Pingy, stubborn, hard starting,

You gits the disease!
HRH (hot rod heart) you ain't going to leave it alone anymore then I am.
Every winter is a transformation.

... and you don't have to buy the HD harness for the ACR's just wire them through the "start switch" and you're good to go ... Just a thought

On the 2011 Road King with the 96" engine the harness and connectors for ACRs is already there. FYI for anyone who's thinking of ACRs on a Touring bike newer than 09.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...113cfb2cdd.jpg

I don't want to hurt your wallet but I can say it's worth it. I didn't have a huge problem with hot starts with the 48's. Either way you go the compression releases make a difference.