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EVO: Engine Mechanicals

Camshafts

Cam Specs - OEM & SE

400

  • 86-87 “T” cams will not work on 88 and up engines.
  • 88-90 “C” cams will retrofit to 86-87
IntakeExhaust
Cam GrindLiftOpensClosesDurationLiftOpensClosesDurationOverlap
T 1).278“1°ATDC42° ABDC221°.250”40° BBDC18° ATDC238°17°
C 2).278“1°ATDC42° ABDC225°.280”42° BBDC3° ATDC225°

Comparing OEM and Andrews Cam Grinds

These figures are from the Sportster Evolution Cams PDF from Andrews Products. 3)

GrindI/ETiming
@ .053“ Lift
CLDuration @
.053” Lift
Durarion @
.020“ Lift
Max LiftTDC Lift
WI10°/28°99°218°256°.474”.122“
E38°/16°101°234°272°.474”.138“
N4I30°/46°98°256°296°.490”.216“
E52°/24°104°256°296°.490”.189“

I/E = Intake/Exhaust — CL = Centerline


Thanks to Maxeffort of the XLForum for the following Flywheel Degree Charts of these various cams.4)

The measurements are based on the .053 lift specs. Also, take note that the predominance of the intake valve opening occurs on one rotation of the flywheel and the predominance of the exhaust valve opening occurs on the next rotation of the flywheel. It takes two full rotations (720°) of the flywheel to complete the four-cycle process. (This view of the flywheel would be from the right side of the engine.)






Removing / Installing Evo Cams

Sub Documents

EVO Cam and Pinion Gear Sets

  • 86-99 - Matched cam gear set includes pinion gear and gearcase cover.
    • Cam gears are individually matched to each specific gear cover using computer modeling in a controlled environment. 5)
    • Cams are colored coded with a colored dot.
    • Factory gearcase covers were also color coded on the inside with a color dot at each pinion and cam gear location.
    • This allowed for separate colored gears to be factory assembled (and later replaced) using gears optimized for the lowest gear whine and rattle.
      The dealer had to match the cover and gear colors for replacement covers.
  • 00-03 - Options increased;
    • Matched cam gear sets w/ pinion gear,
    • Gear sets w/ #2 cam and pinion gear (only).
    • The gearcase cover was now sold separately.
  • 04 - Matched cam gear sets were only sold with the pinion gear, pinion gear also sold separately.
Year ModelCam Grind
I.D. Letter
Cam #1Cam #2
Outer
(big gear)
Cam #2
Inner
(small gear)
Cam #3Cam #4Pinion
Gear
86-87 6)(25488-86) All
cams, pinion gear and cover
T28T36T28T28T28T18T
88-90 7)(25488-88) All
cams, pinion gear and cover
C
91-94 8)(25488-89) All
cams, pinion gear and cover
D
95 9)(25488-89A) All except 1200C
cams, pinion gear and cover
D
96-97 10)(25483-96) 1200C
chrome cover
D
98-99 11)(25448-89B) Std/Hug/1200
cams, pinion gear and polished cover
D
(25483-96A) 1200C
cams, pinion gear and chrome cover
D
(25491-98) 1200S
cams, pinion gear and silver cover
W
00 12)(25193-00) all except 1200S
cams and pinion gear only
D28T46T28T28T28T23T
(25194-00) 1200S
cams and pinion gear only
W
(25190-00) all except 1200S
#2 cam and pinion gear only
D
(25191-00) 1200S
#2 cam and pinion gear only
W
01-03 13)(25193-00A) all except 1200S
cams and pinion gear
D35T46T35T35T35T23T
(25194-00A) 1200S
cams and pinion gear
W
04-06 14)(25193-00B) 883/883C
cams and pinion gear
D
(25194-00B) 1200C/1200R
cams and pinion gear
W
07-17 15)(25194-06) all except XR1200/XR1200X
cams and pinion gear
W
09-12 16)(25271-08) XR1200/XR1200X
cams and pinion gear
?

Cam Gear Changes

  • The #2 “W” cam may or may not have a provision for a timing cup after 03. 17)
    • If you intend on installing 04-up “W” cams in 03 and prior engines, look at the end of the #2 cam.
    • If it does have a provision for a timing cup, they'll work for prior year applications.
    • But, you'll have to either update your pinion gear, or use a press to swap your #2 cam's drive gear.
    • For 03 and prior year engines, it needs a drilled and tapped hole in the middle of it and the timing cup notch.
  • Below (L), you can see the notch on the cam on the right very easily.
  • Below (R), shows the (00) #2 cam gear pitch change from the (99) style #2 cam gear.

18) 19)

Tappets (lifters)

Hydraulic Lifters

Sub-Documents

See also in the REF section of the Sportsterpedia:

There was a running change to new style hydraulic lifters in 1986 for Sportsters. 20)
They were the same as those used in 1340cc engines beginning in the 1986 model year.
This change was made to allow for one component to service the entire product line.
Beginning with Sportster crankcase numbers;
883: 1786 127 043
1100: 1886 127 001
The new lifters were identified with the presence of two notches opposite each other in the pushrod socket.

Oil feed to lifters

A hydraulic lifter self-adjusts within a certain range. 21)
In other words, if your pushrods are too long, the lifter automatically shortens, and if the pushrods are too short, it automatically lengthens.
The hydraulic lifters used in HD motors have about .200 of plunger travel.
As long as it's preloaded between about .050 and .150, it adjusts itself properly.
So in other words, there's about a .100” range of pushrod length.
The lifter will automatically adjust it's length to make it all work properly.

91 and up engines have a horizontal passage on the top of the cam box that is fed oil from the filter pad.
This horizontal passage feeds into the lifter bores.

91-99 engines have a single passage in that top
area, the tappets are connected by internal
passages from this small cavity.
On 2000 and up engines, oil travels to each lifter
individually from this cavity. 22)

91-99 Lifters

91-99 engines have AMC-Mopar style lifters (.903“ diameter). 23)

91-99 lifters (18526-89A) 24)

91-99 Anti-Rotation Pins

Parts:
4 - screws (884)
4 - washers (6099)
2 - pin plates (36804-89)
4 - O-rings (11176)
4 - anti-rotation pins (18532-89)

Torque: 80-110 in. lbs. (9.0-12.4 Nm) 25)

91-99 anti-rotation pin hardware 26)
App. pin dims 27)
App. pin plate dims 28)
Slide the pins in the holes, install the O-rings over the pins. 29)
Then install the plate and torque to 80-110 in lbs. 30)

2000 and Up Lifters

2000 and up have GM/twin cam style lifters (.842” diameter). 31)

Lifter from an 02 XL883 32)

00-05 Lifter Ant-Rotation Screws

Parts:
4 - anti-rotation screws (18532)

This is the redesigned version of the anti-roll pins.
Comprised of a single pin for each lifter as before (4 in all).
However, this is a one piece design that is threaded into the case with no holding plate.

Torque: 55-65 in. lbs. (6.2-7.3 Nm) 33)

00-05 anti-rotation screws 34) App dims (photos by Hippysmack))
End of screws run up into the case. 35)

06-Up Anti-Rotation Device

Parts:
2 - Anti Rotation Device blocks (18505-06)
The ARD is a flexible piece of plastic that is designed to flex in operation to allow for an imperfect lifter bore location. 36)
It is designed for lifters that have a flat cut on each side.

These work OK for stock cams.
But if you're upgrading to bigger cams, anything more than .600 lift has too small a base circle. 37)
(and they will nearly drop out of the ARDs and they can also spin away from them)
The big issue is that they turn sideways with the roller not turning on the cam lobe.
(which can heat up and destroy the roller and the cam lobe)

ARD block 38) ARD block installed 39)

Pinion Gear

Compatibility 40)

Frame mount Evos 1986-2003 do not list a part number for the pinion gear and it appears the pinion gear is part of the (cam gear set).

Pinion Gear Part#Year Models
24047-002004-2016 All Models

XL Pinion Gear Color/Size Info here: http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1963918

Timing Cup (Rotor)

Timing cup bolt thread size: #10×32
Wrench size: 5/16“
Torque: 43-53 in/lbs 41)
Use Loctite 242 (blue) on the bolt threads 42)
Installing timing cup bolt on a 98 1200S 43)

Cam Bushings

  • The cam bushings get their oil from the fling off of the cam gears and drain back from the top end down the pushrod tubes that puddles in at depressions in the castings where the cam bushing slots are aligned. So basically they are drip fed. Also the cam bushings on the case side are open to the crank behind them, and probably get splash there too. 44)
  • Worn bushings can cause excess backlash. 45)
2010 1200X Inner Cam Bushings (broken teeth on oil pump gear) 46) 2010 1200X Cam Cover and Bushings 47)


1) , 2)
MMI Evolution Cam Specs dated 10/5/92
5) , 45)
1986 HD Dealer Sportster FSM pg 3-45
6) , 7)
87-88 HD Sportster Parts Catalog pg 17
8)
91,92,93,94 HD Sportster Parts Catalogs
9)
95 HD Sportster Parts Catalog
10)
95-96 HD Sportster Parts Catalog pg 15
11)
98 HD Sportster Parts Catalog pg 15
12)
00 HD Sportster Parts Catalog pg 17
13)
01 HD Sportster Parts Catalog pg 19
14)
04 HD Sportster Parts Catalog pg 17
15) , 16)
07 HD Sportster Parts Catalog pg 19
20)
1986-1990 HD Sportster FSM pg 3-44
23)
“A 4 liter V8 eater” of the XLFORUM http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1611832
25)
98 HD Sportster FSM pg 3-5
26) , 27) , 28) , 29) , 30)
photos by Hippysmack
32)
photo by Scuba10jdl of the XLFORUM http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1706033
33)
04 HD Sportster FSM pg 3-7
34)
photo by Hoppysmack
39)
photo by chris_b_owens of the XLFORUM http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?p=5042968
40)
From HD Parts Catalogs 2004 pg 17, 2005 pg 19, 2006 pg 19, 2007 pg 19, 2008 pg 19, 2009 pg 25-27, 2010 pg 25-27, 2011 pg 25-27, 2012 pg 25-27, 2013 pg 29-31, 2014 pg 17, 2015 pg 19, 2016 pg 19
41) , 42)
1998 XLH FSM pg 7-56
43)
photo by Hippysmack
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