1995 Heritage not much power

[dubepj]

My 1995 Heritage Softail is stock except for Sreaming eagle slip on mufflers and a High flow air cleaner. 
CV carb has 45 and 175 jets. 
Rear pulley is stock 65 tooth.
i know I'm not winning any races but it sure seems pretty gutless. Bike runs A-1 and I enjoy it once up to cruising speed.  Takes a while to get there.   I've had several Evo Dynas and a 1997 FLH.
All those other bikes had the 70 tooth rear pulley.  Is that rear pulley difference enough to make this one seem like a dog.
I'm thinking a EV27 cam would help.  Or can I just put in 180 jet.
Your opinions and suggestions are welcome and appreciated.  Thanks

[dubepj]

My bike is a California Model and had Catalytic convertors from the factory ( Long gone now),  Did these California models have other crap on them to make them gutless.

[Hossamania]

Yes, the pulley can make that much difference. The larger pulley is used to keep rpms down to reduce vibrations.
The EV27 cam will help produce more power. Not a whole bunch, but more than stock. It will work even better with more compression (shave the heads).
The 180 jet is no help unless the motor needs it. Even then, it will not help feel substantial more power, only run better. Again, if it is needed. Measuring AFR will tell what the motor needs.

[JW113]

First off all: Does it still have the stock "C" cam in it? If it does CHANGE IT ASAP!!!  Now, I can't remember when they went to a different cam for the CA bikes, but I kinda recall it was '96, and the "N" cam. Which indeed is not a lot better.

When I picked my '91 up from the dealer, I honest thought there was something wrong with it. Absolutely NO power. I took it back in a couple days after I bought it and asked WTF is going on? They sort of chuckled, and smirked, and said "cam". Pulled it out and replaced with a Crane FB300-2b, man what a difference.

I would not go straight to an EV-27 without bumping up the compression. An EV-13 will work better with the stock compression.

Yes, the stock gearing on that thing is 2.94:1, pretty tall for a stock motor. Works OK at highway speed, but as you've noticed, getting there takes some time. I have mine at 3.15:1, using a 70T rear pulley, and I really like that gearing. Not too tall, but not too short either. A bit of a PITA to replace the belt, but nothing that a Saturday afternoon-evening and a 12 pack of beer can't manage.
IF you have the tools, that is.

-JW

[kd]

   And too much carb fuel is never good.

[MikeL]

65 tooth pulley keeps engine rpm lower.
I bought a 1997 Bad Boy brand new. Bone stock took it on Alligator Ally she wouldn't go past 95 mph couldn't keep up with the pack I was in. From what I remember it got up to speed pretty good just was gutless over 95mph. Anyway pipes, cam, air cleaner and the dreaded Thunder slide which worked well for the 20 plus years it was installed.
What you could do is make sure the little passages in the throat of the carb are open. Make sure your diaphragm is moving  fully up and down when you twist the throttle. You may have a small hole or tear in the diaphragm.

                                                                                                                                                                  MIKE

[harpwrench]

Make sure the VOES system is in good shape and working right

[Hossamania]

For reference, I had a '95 Heritage as well, I put an ev46 cam in it. It is an rpm cam, not a power cam like the ev13. The 46 produces power in the upper rpms, and is technically the "wrong" cam in this application. I rejetted the carb, Screaming Eagle carb kit, got a Screaming Eagle ignition to advance the curve and extend the rev limit to 6000 rpms, no headwork.
It was still doggy in the lower rpms, 55 or 60 mph in 5th gear was about the same as stock, doggy. But down shift to 4th, or 3rd gear, and now the fun starts! I tend to favor horsepower over low end torque, I'm a quarter mile and top speed kind of rider. I would often use 4th gear cruising at 55 or 60 mph, no loss in gas mileage, and in fact often better than 5th.
Friends put in the EV27, no headwork, and it is a good cam, but could not hang in drag races or top speed.
Just throwing options confusion into the conversation!

[jsachs1]

A hi-flow a/cleaner, a decent exhaust, and an EV 27 cam, with a spot on tune up, should bring around 75 H.P.  with NO loss of low end power.
John

[Reddog74usa]

I just experienced this with my 98 FXSTC. Was just flat so I put a V-Thunder 3010 cam in it, put a set of SE slip on muffs (same as the cycle shacks) and changed the gearing to 312 by snagging a 24 engine sprocket and a 37 tooth clutch basket off ebay. I didn't want to get into changing the rear pully and belt as that would effect the speedometer accuracy and believe it's cheaper to do with the primary gearing. I up graded the cam chest while there with a new S&S steel breather gear and Torrington inner cam bearing. Bike runs great with good low end and mid-range.

[dubepj]

Can Iinstall a 70 tooth rear pulley instead of the 65 without changing the belt???

[Reddog74usa]

Not to my knowledge.

[JW113]

Correct. It won't.

-JW

[kd]

How about with the 30 tooth transmission pulley and a 70 rear?  Doesn't that allow you to use the Harley belt too?

[JW113]

If you're going in deep enough to change the trans pulley, you in deep enough to change the belt, right? I think the jist of this is how to change the gearing without pulling the primary drive off. Unfortunately, ain't no easy way.

-JW

[david lee]

If you're going in deep enough to change the trans pulley, you in deep enough to change the belt, right? I think the jist of this is how to change the gearing without pulling the primary drive off. Unfortunately, ain't no easy way.

-JW

thats what puts me off rear belt drives  your buggered if you break 1

[Hossamania]

If you're going in deep enough to change the trans pulley, you in deep enough to change the belt, right? I think the jist of this is how to change the gearing without pulling the primary drive off. Unfortunately, ain't no easy way.

-JW

thats what puts me off rear belt drives  your buggered if you break 1

I've broken one in over 200,000 miles of riding.
It wasn't the belt's fault.

[motorhogman]

If you're going in deep enough to change the trans pulley, you in deep enough to change the belt, right? I think the jist of this is how to change the gearing without pulling the primary drive off. Unfortunately, ain't no easy way.

-JW

thats what puts me off rear belt drives  your buggered if you break 1

I've broken one in over 200,000 miles of riding.
It wasn't the belt's fault.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH  Now ya done it..  Don't tell mine.. It's approaching 21 years and 118,000 mi..  shhhhhhhhhhhh

[JW113]

thats what puts me off rear belt drives  your buggered if you break 1

Not at all. It means a flatbed ride home or to the local dealer, and fix it. There are millions, if not billions, more miles on Harley-Davidson final belt drives than there are on Harley-Davidson chains. If it were really a problem, this would not be.

-JW

[david lee]

thats what puts me off rear belt drives  your buggered if you break 1

Not at all. It means a flatbed ride home or to the local dealer, and fix it. There are millions, if not billions, more miles on Harley-Davidson final belt drives than there are on Harley-Davidson chains. If it were really a problem, this would not be.

-JW

its just that a mate broke 1 on his 93fxr miles from home strnnded for hours

[Scotty]

thats what puts me off rear belt drives  your buggered if you break 1

I have ridden all over OZ with a belt and never ever had one break and in large groups and no bike has broken has belt.
Check the belt and sprockets for wear and damage takes about 5 minutes and replacing a belt is not that hard.
Wait till you have a chain break and get jammed around the transmission cog and smash your case then you are in the same boat as a belt IF it breaks.
But that is the point is it not IF IF IF IF IF something happens deal with it then not worry about what might happen.

[kd]

Belt or chain it's all about quality, maintenance and regular inspections.   

[Deye76]

"I have ridden all over OZ with a belt and never ever had one break and in large groups and no bike has broken has belt."

:up:Exactly. Since the first year I  got a rear belt (1988) I've put on  between 375,000 & 400,000 miles on them, never a problem. 4 of those bikes put out in excess of 130 torque. I love these discussions, kind of like oil.  

[david lee]

"I have ridden all over OZ with a belt and never ever had one break and in large groups and no bike has broken has belt."

:up:Exactly. Since the first year I  got a rear belt (1988) I've put on  between 375,000 & 400,000 miles on them, never a problem. 4 of those bikes put out in excess of 130 torque. I love these discussions, kind of like oil.  

wow that many miles on a belt

[PoorUB]

On a Harley the belt is the last thing I would worry about unless you were drag racing every weekend. I have run close to 200,000 miles with belts and never broke one and I beat on then too.

[david lee]

On a Harley the belt is the last thing I would worry about unless you were drag racing every weekend. I have run close to 200,000 miles with belts and never broke one and I beat on then too.

what about a primary belt ? mines around 30 yrs old and the last time my hd mech had a look about 5 yrs ago with very little miles since said it was in perfect condition

[kd]

I think the key here is "Harley belt".  The are known for their unbelievable durability that does not appear to be matched by any other belt.  The seem to be a well kept secret on who makes them as well as what their real make-up is.

[turboprop]

My 1995 Heritage Softail is stock except for Sreaming eagle slip on mufflers and a High flow air cleaner. 
CV carb has 45 and 175 jets. 
Rear pulley is stock 65 tooth.
i know I'm not winning any races but it sure seems pretty gutless. Bike runs A-1 and I enjoy it once up to cruising speed.  Takes a while to get there.   I've had several Evo Dynas and a 1997 FLH.
All those other bikes had the 70 tooth rear pulley.  Is that rear pulley difference enough to make this one seem like a dog.
I'm thinking a EV27 cam would help.  Or can I just put in 180 jet.
Your opinions and suggestions are welcome and appreciated.  Thanks

Hmm, your other bikes had a 70 tooth rear pulley but this one has a 65 and seems slow. Seems like you have answered your own question.

The EV27 cam is certainly a great improvement over any of the oem harley cams.

Simply switching to a a 180 main jet makes no sense. Changing to a jet that is optimum for the combination is best. Either dyno tune or get an on board AFR gauge.

[hogget]

innocent question here - my 88 heritage is still on its original belt - admittedly only 40k miles
the original owner (for 6 months) had put a larger pulley on the rear to improve performance
is there a problem getting longer belts to fit larger pulleys?
seems like a simple fix
mine will pull 100mph which is as much as i want out of it
no its not like a sports bike, but i have a few of them if thats what i need on any given day

[JW113]

No problem at all.

-JW