The Custom Motorcycle Magazine

Remanufacturing Evolutions By Harley-Davidson

Breathe New Life Into Your Evo-Like New

By K. Randall Ball, Photography by Brad Chaney
Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
The engine is inspected upon receipt and the VIN number verified. Wendy has an overhead electrical chain hoist to help her move the engine onto her work station-lucky girl.
Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
The engine is inspected upon receipt and the VIN number verified. Wendy has an overhead el

We jumped at this opportunity to cover the Harley-Davidson factory Evolution remanufacturing process from start to finish. If you have an engine remanufactured by the factory, removed and replaced at a dealership, your warranty is restored. The factory is also capable of remanufacturing your original powerplant or replacing it with a new, very reasonably priced unit containing your original VIN. Options such as chrome or polished engines are also available.

It starts with your dealer removing your engine and shipping it to the Factory's Capitol Drive Facility in Milwaukee. When it reaches the factory, they will unpack and prep it for disassembly. The process from the factory costs $2,000 for an Evo engine and $2,200 for a black and chrome job. Your dealer will probably also charge you for R&R. Twin Cams are slightly higher, but there's more options. You can ship your Twin Cam engine and the factory will install a big bore kit and reman your engine at the same time.

The new engine and reman program started in 1999, and it takes only two weeks from the time your baby lands in Milwaukee before it's shipped back home. The factory runs through about 1,500 reman Evos a year and sells almost 2,500 new engines. Quality engine parts can be remanufactured to original specs and saved, while others are discarded. All reusable parts are cleaned and freshly powercoated. Reusable parts are machined, rehoned, and rebored to exact tolerances, and then passed through rigid specification checks.

Crankcases are set, bearings pressed, and parts reassembled. Chromed and polished parts are replaced. Each engine is upgraded to meet the latest specifications where possible. For compliance and warranty program acceptance, all engines will be built with stock camshafts. If you have installed performance cams, they will be discarded and replaced with the stock versions before your engine is returned. You might consider installing a stock cam before beginning this process.

  • Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
    All polished and chrome parts are replaced with new ones. Usually the engines are shipped with no oil. The dealership should drain all fluids before shipping. The VIN on the old crankcase is destroyed, and the customer's original VIN will be stamped on a new crankcase when the reman engine is assembled.
    Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
    All polished and chrome parts are replaced with new ones. Usually the engines are shipped
  • Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
    Oil pump gears are checked for clearance, fit, and cracks. This is a cool process. Imagine if every engine was checked to this level of precision after 50,000 miles?
    Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
    Oil pump gears are checked for clearance, fit, and cracks. This is a cool process. Imagine
  • Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
    The Factory uses a number of measuring devices to determine the wear and tear on engine components, including this pinion shaft.
    Harley Davidson Evolution Engine Remanufactured
    The Factory uses a number of measuring devices to determine the wear and tear on engine co
By K. Randall Ball
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