what to look for w/ a 58k motor Harley Evo Discuss what to look for w/ a 58k motor in the Motorcycles forums; About a year ago I purchased a '91 FLHS which now has 58k on the clock. The original owner told me a cam bearing let go @ about 20,000 miles ...

[earthbound misfit]

About a year ago I purchased a '91 FLHS which now has 58k on the clock. The original owner told me a cam bearing let go @ about 20,000 miles which resulted in having the top end done by a Harley shop. The motor's got a cam, S&S carb, and free flowing duals. It uses little oil, starts good and runs strong. What should I be looking at?

PS: Love the bike, so does the little woman.

[frisco-rigid]

Hello again Earth

If it's using a wee oil it could be rings or valve guide seals for instance..
Is there alota burned oil evident on the plugs or does it just disappear like in my 120",, don't know where it goes..

58,000 is Not that many miles for a well maintained motor..
I would not doubt for a moment that you get another 30K trouble-free miles..
Maybe waaay more..

Just don't EVER lug it, keep on top of the little things like cleaning the crankcase oil screen..
If your summers are Very hot,, consider an oil cooler..

Eventually you'll need a new Primary chain for instance..
Maybe an Intake leak will develope as miles roll by.. All normal stuff..

Just keep your ear out for new noises as the miles mount up and also do as much Maintenance and Mods and general work as you poss can cuz YOU are your sickles Best mechanic and Friend, for real..!
Total familiarity will get you more miles than the "other guy" and will insulate you from the "know-nothings" that would lead you astray..

[earthbound misfit]

Frisco,
Thanks to you I had confidence in the old gal for a weekend trip. 500 miles of river roads two up & fully loaded. She ran great and used NO oil the whole trip, never missed a beat. Cool! I'll try to follow your advice on doing my own wrenching as much as possible, the bike came w/ a factory shop manual. I'm a farmer so I'm no stranger to busted knuckles & greasy fingernails.
thanks again.
Earthbound

[BCJ]

58K not bad. Like frisco said stay on top of the maintenance. Very inportant to keep the oil changes up to date. If you have some concerns, you can do a compression check it is in the maintenance manual how to do one, very easy. I do one about every 20k just for a peace of mind.

[Trigger87]

You may want to think about replacing the lifters. They are generally good for about 20K miles. Watch for weeping at the base of the cylinders, which could mean bad base gaskets. Keep the tappet screen clean, be diligent with your oil changes, and don't worry if she pukes a little oil after prolonged sitting, its just the nature of the beast.

[lightning]

If anybody has any used evos drop me a line