M8 Engine Must Have Upgrades / Harley-Davidson / Engine Building

The M8 engine has been out for 6 years now & during that time a few 'weak spots' have been found when hotting these engines up. These are some of the more 'basic' upgrades that should be considered.

The OIL PUMP has had a bad name since the get go with all the sumping issues that happened. a few revisions of the oil pump have been made along the way & now the 8 lobe oil pump from Harley has solved that issue.
From 2017 up until late 2019 is the troubled range of bikes that may need the pump replaced, especially if you are getting any engine upgrades.

The COMPENSATOR ramp should always be upgraded when any big bore builds are carried out, or if you like to ride 'hard'.

The INNER CAM BEARING is one of those cheap things that should always be swapped out for the full complement option when any camshaft is installed.

LIFTER GUIDES are one of those inexpensive things that can be installed for peace of mind & longevity. The stock OEM plastic units are absolutely fine to run on camshafts with under .500" lift.

LIFTERS. The OEM lifters are cheap & do fail! Replacement/upgrade is paramount when any cam or engine kits are installed.

PISTON OILERS. These guys should be swapped with new ones if your engine has a few Ks on it & you are looking at an engine upgrade.

CLUTCH SPRINGS. The Screamin Eagle 1275nm springs hold up to the task of supporting the 150ft/lbs of torque I regularly get out of many of my engine builds.

CAM PLATE. The OEM Cam support plate is absolutely fine to run with just about any cam out there today. If you want an upgrade I strongly suggest the Screamin' Eagle Pro Billet Cam support plate & Oil pump combo. If you're just after a plate upgrade I recommend the FUELING OE+ cam support plate.

I know I left out the vented transmission cover & dipstick options as I didn't have an example to show on camera. However, it is something I like to fit to big bore builds.

I hope I have helped you understand some of the components & there use within the engine.
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments.

Thanks for watching!