What kind of engine does a Harley Davidson shovelhead have?
In the year 1966, Harley Davidson launched new variants of motorcycles which had the Harley Davidson Shovelhead engines. The Harley Davidson Shovelhead had a V-twin engine which came with 74-cu.-in along with a chassis of OHV Big Twin which was considered to be one of the longest-running models in Harley Davidson.
How to find out what year a Harley Davidson Motor was made?
Find the “H” or “J” in the second to last character position of the VIN. If the letter is an “H”, the engine was made somewhere between 1970 and 1979. If the letter is a “J”, the engine was made in 1980. Look at the number that follows.
What’s the last number on a Harley Davidson engine?
Engines that were put on Harley bikes from 1970 to 1980 have the model year of the engine designated as the last two digits of the VIN number. The second to last digit will be an “H” or “J” followed by a number.
How to tell the size of a Shovelhead engine?
Shovelhead engines built between 1970 and 1980 were available with 74 or 80 cubic-inch displacements and used a similar coding system as the previous engine types. However, the model type is indicated by the first two characters, while the next five digits indicate the production run,…
When did the Shovelhead motorcycle engine come out?
The Shovelhead engine is a motorcycle engine that was produced by Harley-Davidson from 1966 to 1984, built as a successor to the previous Panhead engine.
When did the Shovelhead engine get an alternator?
The Shovelhead engine got a major improvement in 1970 with the switch from a generator to an alternator to provide really adequate electrical power. This meant that the old bottom end taken straight from the Panhead with its slab sided lower engine casing was replaced with a nose-cone shaped casing.
Why did Harley Davidson add belt drive to Shovelhead engine?
Towards the end of the Shovelhead’s production, Harley-Davidson made numerous modifications in an attempt to keep the engine usable for production. Belt drive was added to their motorcycles in 1980 to prevent the oil leakage from the enclosed chain, along with a 5-speed transmission and rubber motor mounts to help reduce vibration.
1966-1969 Shovelhead. The Harley-Davidson Shovelhead motor saw numerous changes over its 17 years in production. For the first three years, it ran a generator and kept the old kidney-shaped timing cover from the 1958-1965 Panhead. These 1966 to 1969 Shovelhead engines are sometimes referred to as a flat-side Shovel, or Pan-Shovel.
Why do I need to adjust the valve on my Shovelhead motorcycle?
Valves require adjustment over time due to wear. You may notice a ticking noise in the top of your Shovelhead engine. If so, it’s likely your motorcycle requires a valve adjustment. To make such adjustments, you must fine-tune the pushrods by increasing and decreasing their length.
What was the VIN on a 1979 Harley Davidson shovelhead?
In an attempt to curtail theft, the Motor Company used different frame and engine numbers on some 1979 models. The frame numbers didn’t match the number stamped on the engines. The first two digits remained the model code. From 1981 to 1983, a 17-digit VIN appears on the frame, and the engine had a partial VIN.
What’s the difference between a panhead and Shovelhead engine?
Redesigned cylinder heads were aluminum versions of the Ironhead Sportster heads, and gave a 10% increase in power over the Panhead engine. Whereas the Panhead engine had valve covers, Shovelhead cylinder heads were covered by rocker boxes, which resembled upside-down coal-shovels.
1966-1969 Shovelhead. The Harley-Davidson Shovelhead motor saw numerous changes over its 17 years in production. For the first three years, it ran a generator and kept the old kidney-shaped timing cover from the 1958-1965 Panhead. These 1966 to 1969 Shovelhead engines are sometimes referred to as a flat-side Shovel, or Pan-Shovel.
What kind of oil filter does a 1975 Shovelhead have?
Bought a 1975 Shovelhead a while back from a very shady character and among other things, when you start the engine, it starts puking tons of oil all over the floor. There is a braided metal line about 6-8″ long with a small filter on the end of it. Looks like a crank case breather line, on the right side of the engine.
How did the Shovelhead motor get its name?
In 1966, Harley-Davidson unveiled the powerful Shovelhead motor, which took its name from the coal shovel shape of it’s rocker covers. Although workmanship on the this motor is believed to have suffered during Harley’s temporary merger with American Machine and Foundry Co.
In an attempt to curtail theft, the Motor Company used different frame and engine numbers on some 1979 models. The frame numbers didn’t match the number stamped on the engines. The first two digits remained the model code. From 1981 to 1983, a 17-digit VIN appears on the frame, and the engine had a partial VIN.
What kind of bike is the 1980 Shovelhead?
1980 Harley Davidson 80 CID,5 speed, Shovelhead, all original bike, great for restoration or ride as is , runs good, approximately 50,000 miles,has ha…
How much horsepower does a shovel engine make?
A good Shovel engine should make about 10% less power than a comparable Evo. This means your 80 CID Shovel can make 70-80 horsepower without to much trouble. The Horsepower Gallery provides an extensive list of bikes , the power they produced and the major engine components. This list covers Evolution, Twin Cam 88/95 and Shovelhead engines.
Which is more reliable a Shovelhead or EVO?
Shovelheads can be constructed to be more powerful and more reliable than any Evo. Many racers prefer the shovelhead because it is easier to modify and capable of tremendous extremes of operation. You can get an incredible variety of specialized parts, including high performance cases, pistons, valves,…
Hey guys, got an 82 shovelhead with an S&S super e carb on it. Fresh engine build by professional, electronic dual fire ign., kick only. 265 intermediat jet, 68 main. Very hard start cold.
Are there any ignition problems with my Shovelhead?
Shovelhead ignition troubles… So I took her out the other day, she was spitting, coughing, backfiring, black smoke. Took her home, checked the points, cleaned the carb out, it starts, but rough. It’s kick only.
How many volts does a Shovelhead have?
Took her home, checked the points, cleaned the carb out, it starts, but rough. It’s kick only. Ran through the electrics, points are good, reads less than .125 at the condenser with the points closed, full 12 volt battery voltage when they’re open.
Where is the timing mark on a Shovelhead?
With that timing mark centered in the hole…the small lobe of the points cam should be coming around towards the point rubbing block. The idea is you can now put a small screwdriver or scribe or awl through that 3/8″ hole you drilled in the plate, using that tool to move the advance weights outward to the full advance position.
What causes a Shovelhead to stick on an engine?
In some cases it led to a complete failure of the engine. Low oil and high heat were a bad combination that caused valves to stick and run the top end. Serious modifications were needed to fix the problem as the average early shovelhead would only last for a range of 500 to 5,000 miles.
When did the Harley Shovelhead engine overheat?
A new blow came in 1974 when the first phase of the fuel crisis resulted in a decline in fuel quality and with the lowering of the octane rating of the fuel the Shovelhead engines with their higher compression ratios became prone to engine knock which in turn lead to overheating.
How many miles does a Shovelhead engine last?
Serious modifications were needed to fix the problem as the average early shovelhead would only last for a range of 500 to 5,000 miles. The problem cost them a lot as the Japanese bikes surged ahead in popularity and dependability, at least until the Shovelhead issues were resolved.
What kind of oil do I use for Shovelhead engine?
For break-in and standard operation of the Ultima Shovelhead engine we recommend using high quality petroleum based API service SJ rated motor oils, such as Ultima’s 60 weight oil, MW# 103-111. The oil’s viscosity should be matched with the climate conditions but in most cases Ultima 60 weight motor oil will work fine.