Cam Choice
#11
#12
I put the 255's in my 96" 07 FLHT with SE A\C, Rinehart TD's and PC-V and loved it! Liked it so much, started looking for that 100hp mark so did the 103" Andrew's 54 cams and Big Boyz heads (along with SE compensator a 49 tooth clutch basket to "fix" the gearing of the earily 6 speed). While the bike was A LOT more fun above 4500 rpm, I found for my riding style, I was rarley up there. Still have the 255's with about 3,000 miles on them and will likely go in the '12 RGC eventually.
#13
Rodney,
No dyno for that special, just the generic stage two HD download map.....
I know everyone on here swears by the dyno tune, and I'm sure that if I had a tuner and a dyno, I would boost performance...... But right now, that would have put me into it for more $$$ than I wanted to spend.
No dyno for that special, just the generic stage two HD download map.....
I know everyone on here swears by the dyno tune, and I'm sure that if I had a tuner and a dyno, I would boost performance...... But right now, that would have put me into it for more $$$ than I wanted to spend.
#14
With the Feuling's no problem with plenty of get up and go. The SE-255's would run out steam around 4000rpm's, not with the 574's.
I am getting much better fuel mileage with the Feulings as well. I was getting 33-35 mpg with the SE-255's and getting close to 40mpg with the Fuelings.
I have also noticed the engine runs 20-30deg F cooler (based on oil temp gauge on fairing) with the Feuling cams vs the SE-255's. Even when ambient air temp is 95deg F the oil temp is around 200-210degF (with an oil cooler which I had with the SE-255's too). It would be 230ish with the SE-255's.
With the lugging, temperature, mileage, and weak top-end performance you describe I have to wonder about the tune you had with that setup or possibly the correctness of the cam installation. Just getting the cam timing off one tooth or experiencing crankcase sumping can cause the temperature, mileage, and performance issues you describe. I suggest this in good faith considering I don't hear most of the observations you mention here from other owners with this setup.
Last edited by iclick; 07-08-2012 at 12:40 PM.
#15
Have you had a chance to check them out cruising in 6th gear? MR396 says he had a problem with them running out of steam pretty early with his '08 but the gearing in my '08 Street Glide was a good bit higher than the gearing that my '12 has. That change in gearing would probably make a good bit of difference at cruising speeds in 6th.
#16
The 255s will not pull as hard as some other cams in the higher revs, due to the ultra short duration. As motor speed increases, the length of time the intake valve is open decreases, and the cams don't have the duration needed to fill the cylinder. They're a lot like stock cams, in the higher revs, you can run them up to redline, but there's no real reason to. Just because you can run it all the way to redline doesn't mean it's making more power along the way. Ride a bike with a cam that's a little more balanced, and you'll get better than stock performance everywhere, not just in one area.
In some ways, I preferred the 103/se204 motor over my current 107/tw8. For a daily driver, it was hard to beat, the motor had a great idle, good street manners, quiet valvetrain, no oil blowby issues, and it felt very strong sop.
#17
mikebaby
#18
iclick
I have a 103ci engine and that will make a difference in fuel mileage, rpm's, lugging, engine temp. I ran the 255's for about 4 years and 30,000 miles in all kinds of weather, temps, elevation, city, highway, etc. I paid close attention to the fuel mileage after every fill up and also watched the oil temp. So I believe I have a good handle on it. I have an oil temp gauge (HD set with probe in front side of oil pan) in the fairing (which i had with the 255's as well as Feulings) as well as a digital one in the oil dipstick hole and compare them both. So I can say for certainty that the engine does run cooler, I get better gas mileage, and better torque. As far as gas mileage, for some reason where I live I get crappy gas mileage, but the Feulings have increased it from 33-35 mpg avg to around 40mpg in the same kind of driving conditions and same fuel stop. Once I get out of this state I seem to get better gas mileage, when I did an 8500 mile ride last year out West I was getting closer to 40mpg with the SE-255.
Running in 6th gear around 70 mph is about 2500-2600 rpms. With the 255's, while not exactly lugging, it just did not feel like it had any get up and go, i always had to downshift to get up and go, if I was going up a big hill, etc. With the Feulings it is way different. No need to downshift going up hills or to get up and go. Now if you really wanted to you can always downshift to get the rpms up higher to accelerate quicker. It seemed to me when I was passing and trying to get by a truck the 255's just lost the umph after 4500 rpms. Not so with the Feulings.
The torque curve is not flat on the 255's all the way to redline, at least not on mine per the dyno sheet. It is with the Feulings though. I have a ThunderMax on it it is always adjusting to the correct AFR ratio.
Every bike is a little different, every rider style is different, etc. I am just relaying my own personal experiences with the 255's vs the Feulings.
I have a 103ci engine and that will make a difference in fuel mileage, rpm's, lugging, engine temp. I ran the 255's for about 4 years and 30,000 miles in all kinds of weather, temps, elevation, city, highway, etc. I paid close attention to the fuel mileage after every fill up and also watched the oil temp. So I believe I have a good handle on it. I have an oil temp gauge (HD set with probe in front side of oil pan) in the fairing (which i had with the 255's as well as Feulings) as well as a digital one in the oil dipstick hole and compare them both. So I can say for certainty that the engine does run cooler, I get better gas mileage, and better torque. As far as gas mileage, for some reason where I live I get crappy gas mileage, but the Feulings have increased it from 33-35 mpg avg to around 40mpg in the same kind of driving conditions and same fuel stop. Once I get out of this state I seem to get better gas mileage, when I did an 8500 mile ride last year out West I was getting closer to 40mpg with the SE-255.
Running in 6th gear around 70 mph is about 2500-2600 rpms. With the 255's, while not exactly lugging, it just did not feel like it had any get up and go, i always had to downshift to get up and go, if I was going up a big hill, etc. With the Feulings it is way different. No need to downshift going up hills or to get up and go. Now if you really wanted to you can always downshift to get the rpms up higher to accelerate quicker. It seemed to me when I was passing and trying to get by a truck the 255's just lost the umph after 4500 rpms. Not so with the Feulings.
The torque curve is not flat on the 255's all the way to redline, at least not on mine per the dyno sheet. It is with the Feulings though. I have a ThunderMax on it it is always adjusting to the correct AFR ratio.
Every bike is a little different, every rider style is different, etc. I am just relaying my own personal experiences with the 255's vs the Feulings.
#19
Had the 255s installed from new on my 2012 SG, price was in £ so no real relevance to you..
Anyway I figured on the 255s quite simply as most riding in reality is up to 3000 rpm, we don't have hundreds of miles of straight roads here and its traffic city. Anyway it pulls like a steam train with top gear roll on from 70 mph to 100mph in the blink of an eye
If I needed more I'd buy a faster make
Anyway I figured on the 255s quite simply as most riding in reality is up to 3000 rpm, we don't have hundreds of miles of straight roads here and its traffic city. Anyway it pulls like a steam train with top gear roll on from 70 mph to 100mph in the blink of an eye
If I needed more I'd buy a faster make
#20
In the past we've also discussed your riding style vs. mine. You are a more aggressive rider and don't want to compromise power in the top end, while I'm quite content keeping my RPM's below 4000. Neither of us is wrong in what we want, and everyone must determine their own priorities.
I pulled them out of a friends 103 last fall because of detonation problems that he couldn't get tuned out, he finally gave up and went with 204s, which have proven out to be a great fit in the stock 103 bikes.
The OP may indeed want something other than what the 103/255 offers, and he's doing the right thing by asking and taking the time to research the topic rather than let some dealer make the decision for him.
The 255s will not pull as hard as some other cams in the higher revs, due to the ultra short duration. As motor speed increases, the length of time the intake valve is open decreases, and the cams don't have the duration needed to fill the cylinder. They're a lot like stock cams, in the higher revs, you can run them up to redline, but there's no real reason to.
Just because you can run it all the way to redline doesn't mean it's making more power along the way.