I sent a bunch of emails out for pricing on getting the 103 done

 

I have about 10,000 miles on my 103"/SE 255 kit and love it. I did have them later install the automatic CRs , SE compensator and high torque starter. My dealer always installs the Torrington bearings whenever they change cams.

 

paco ritter, thanks for the input. Just what does an SE compensator do? I know how the compression releases work but not the interaction of the SE compensator. You mentioned burned fingers with the manual CRs, what do others do to avoid this or is it really that bad?

 

Yes to the compression releases, use the ACR's (automatic compression releases) they engage when you hit the starter. These will definitely save a lot of wear on your starter with the higher compression.

 

The SE compensator is much stronger in design, has more springs for less slack in the primary chain and will keep your engine from kicking back, spitting thru the throttle body, grinding the starter, etc. when you try to start it. I fought this problem for about 6 months after my 103/SE255 upgrade with everything you can think of tried by my dealership to cure my starting issues. Finally, the owner of the dealership who also happens to be an HD Master Tech called HD and after a very lengthly talk with the HD guru tech on my particular issue, the HD factory tech finally told my guy that they had seen substantial improvements with starting issues by installing the SE compensator. They installed one on my bike and my starting issues disappeared immediately. I am living proof that this one and only thing included in a 103/SE255 upgrade will eliminate your starting woes. I swear by it.

That being said, I also feel that compression releases, be they manual or electric, will also solve any starting issues simply by reducing the compression when the engine is in starting mode. Simple, effective. The down side is electric ones are expensive mainly because the cost of the wiring harness and the compression releases, while only slightly higher than the manual versions, are expensive to have the heads machined for the releases. The machining is done in the top of the head and the jig to do this cost over a $grand$. Most dealerships do not have one because of the cost for this drill jig. It is rumored that the once faulty electric compression releases have been much improved since they were first introduced, so that makes them a bit more attractive over the manual versions. All the Police 103's come standard with the electric CR's, as a matter of fact, all HD factory 103 engines come with them as far as I know. So do all the SE bikes with the 110 engines.

Manual compression releases, while the cost is only around a hundred bucks or so for the parts, still have to have machining done to the heads. This drill jig cost around $400. Most dealers have it on hand. While the heads are off for the upgrade, they could be drilled, costing usually 2-3 hrs labor. This is the cheapest way to go, around $400 or less for this vs the cost of the electrics which would probably be in the $500+ range, probably much more due to the machine work involved (like I said above, dealers don't have the jig, so they have to send the heads to a machine shop and have it done, so cost would be dependant upon their charge for this action) The only down side to manual compression releases is that YOU WILL BURN YOUR FINGERS on the hot engine. No matter how careful you are, sooner or later, you are going to get hold of a hot engine instead of the top of the compression release you were trying to push down. Been there, done that.

I did considerable research on all of my options while trying to find the cure for my starting woes on my new 103/SE255 set up. I had manual compression releases on a 2003 Fatboy that I had a stout 95ci engine built with the SE HTTC heads that had manual compression releases. I HATED THEM. I swore I would never use them again. May just be a personal issue, but that is my stance on manual compression releases. If the SE Compensator had not worked for me, my next step was electric compression releases, whatever the cost.

Hope this answers some of you questions. PACO

 

Really? Cant say I have had that problem. Seen two guys that have never been on my bike before do it. But your not supposed to rest your fingers on them. Just push them down, thats all.
By the way your CCP has much more to do with wearing on the starter than your static compression.

 

my personal expierence with compression releases was as I stated above. More than once I have touched the wrong thing or gotten my hand/fingers against the hot engine while trying to find the compression release, especially on the front cylinder and in the dark. You are right, you only need to push them down, not rest your finger on them. Obviously this has not been a problem for everyone, but I can truthfully say I did not like the manual versions and would never have them on another bike. This is my own assessment of manual compression releases and my opinion of the same based on past expieriences with them.

And you are right about the CCP being the culprit for the starting problem (which is consideralby more with the SE255 cams than the stock cams), but slack in the primary chain caused by the weakness of the factory compensator is where the problem lies. A stronger starter may help, and compression releases will circumvent the problem, but the SE compensator takes out the slack...period. It may lead to the next "weakest link" showing up in time and the problem coming back due to another reason, I don't know about that yet. Just know for sure what works for me right now on my bike and has for hundreds of starts, cold, hot, what ever....PACO

 

 

Thanks folks. I've decided to go ahead with the build. Have them bore the cylinders, SE 255 cams, cast pistons, manual CRs (using the HD ones that have rubber tops on them vs TPIs that are stainless steel - should be a little less hot), and he will mill the heads between 020-030. He will keep compression less than 10:1.

I'm excited about the build, but will have to wait until next spring to ride the fr'n thing :-(

He will also do a baseline and after pull on the dyno, but for now, no dyno tune. The builder said I could expect an increase in HP and TQ in the 10-15 range using an adjusted HD map for that build. Should really be noticable on the torque side.

 

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