My bike, four months old and 5k miles, leaked oil from the oil cooler plugs the first day I rode it home. HD fixed it but it slowly started to leak again. Saturday it was fixed again and they said if it leaked again it was probably a problem with the casting. It was leaking again that afternoon. So they called the rep and are going to replace the motor case. That blows. But the silver lining is that they said any upgrade work will be with free labor and warranty. I just hope it all goes back together like it was.
So here's my question....should I go with a 103 upgrade kit or go with SE255 cams? With money being a factor I can only do one or the other. Some will say "do em both and do em now", but I can't. My thought is that I can add cams later and it would easier and cheaper than a 103. But...which would I get the most oomph for the money if I had to stick with one for a few years? I have a couple days to decide before the new motor case gets in.

 

I would say do the 103. 255 cams aren't that great anyway. Go with some Woods 555's later on...

 

I'd do the 103.

 

I would do the 103 now and upgrade cams later. Since they are tearing it down you are going to have a breakin period anyways. Plus it is alot easier to do cams yourself and if you are not going to do them yourself and have a shop do them the labor will be less on the cams than the 103.

 

If you do the 103" with the intention of changing cams later I would add the automatic compression releases now. You will need them after you add the cams and the heads will have to come off again. Add them now while the heads are already off, MUCH cheaper without the additional labor of pulling the heads again.

I understand that the factory 103" motors now have them installed from the factory so they must be needed.

 

While I've done my work on my bikes, I've never been in the engine other than checking out my cam tensioners on my previous 88. I had to look up what an Automatic Compression Release was. Descriptions said machining would have to be done and HD probably won't cover that under the warranty work they are doing. Maybe they would....but it'd still push me over what I want pay. From what I understand I will also have to have a tune after the upgrade, be it cams or the 103 @80/hr. Sounds like the 103 is the way to go and then do the cam install myself.

 

If the dealer will allow you, and you have the extra money, ask them if you can send the crankshaft out to be trued and welded.

This would be the #1 upgrade I would do if I was faced with splitting my cases.

#2 upgrade would be to install Torrington B-168 (Screamin Eagle has them also under their own part number) inner camshaft bearings on the new cases.

* You already have the "lefty" bearings (upgraded rollers) on your 2010 right and left side crankshaft cases, so upgrading to a Timken left side bearing is most likely overkill.


As far as a 103" upgrade, as many have chimed in, yes you should do a 103" big-bore cylinder and flat-top piston kit......and the labor should be 100% free to do so.


After all this is done, have them reassemble the bike and ride home, ride it for approx. 200 miles to break in the cylinders and make sure she doesn't leak, and then do a cams at home. Most cams (except SE255) will reduce the need to have compression releases installed.


Thus, the only "out of pocket" money will be:

Weld/True crank, sublet labor and shipping.

2ea. B-168 bearings (cheap), parts only.

SE 103" cylinder and piston kit (which will come with the SE high flow air cleaner), parts only.





After the cams (and pipes?) you can tune the bike to run super-strong.



My $.02

 

My stage II 103 kit for my 09 came with 255 cams. Kit was $700

 

Lama, I actually have considered doing that with the crank. There is a shop here where the guy does that. It's actually the guy who invented the STA-BO bushings for the swingarms. Not sure how much it costs but it'd be worth looking into as I have a little vibration right in the 2700-3000 rpm range. Not sure if that's the answer but it'd be worth a try.

 

The vibration you have is most likely a product of the ECM tune, or another mechanical issue. The biggest reason to weld and true the crank is the new pressed crankshafts are sometimes the cause of major failure of the oil pump. By doing this mod, you will preclude the chance of this ever happening....at least for as long as you own that bike.

This will also allow you to get almost as wild as you want (within reason) with your engine as far as modifications go, as the lower end of the engine will be very robust.


Another idea you could toss around, and it is a wild departure ($$$) from what the warranty repair is:

Ask them to give you a price on what the entire warranty case repair will cost, and see if they would apply this cost to an SE120R engine, and you pay the difference.

You would have a monster bike with a 120.