What year heads fit on an 88 engine?

[kip]

I need a front head for an 88 motor. Like an idiot I did not think the heads changed between the years and so I bought one for 11 bucks on ebay ( 30 bucks shipping of course ). It is actually in pretty good shape but ... here is my cam holder ( left ) vs. the one I got ( right )



so ok it has an extra oil passage is that a big deal? I am thinking.... then I looked for the oil pipe connector on my "new" head. My orig 88, which looks like it has been in the ocean for a while on left and the one I got on ebay on the right



ruh roh! no oil pipe connector, it is where the brass washer is near the intake port on the left head. From a little research I think the ebay head is a 91 that had no oil pipe? It pumped oil up a hollow stud I am guessing. The 88 stud is solid. Anyway I am guessing there is no reasonable way to get this head to work on my 88 motor. If anyone knows a way to make it work let me know. So in my new new search for a front head, should I look for 88's only or will an 89 or 90 will work? I know the oil pipes are different between 88 and all others.

[jaysun0ne]

not sure to answer your question

i got the rear head from the same engine off ebay. so if the front one wont work for you, let me know and maybe we could work something out.

[kip]

I guess you are "taco.." on ebay? sorry about the mini bidding war.

I see no reasonable way to make this head work on an 88 bottom end unless someone with more info lets me know different. I think you would have to machine it to add the input for the oil pipe or alter the bottom end of the 88, both of which I would prefer to avoid.

I was going to re-ebay it, but if you are interested you certainly get first dibs. It is in good shape, it is missing a few bolts/nuts I can list for you if you want. I may end up with extras of the bolts if I find another 88 head that I could send too. PM me if you are interested.

[motorcycleman]

You probably need to pm someone with alot of hawks, like Steve Lenac or maybe Doc. I couldn't see the variation you bought in the pdf of the manual, and I haven't really looked at my engine (89) to see if it has that extra oil port... it could be that the 88 is different (does it have the "passing gear"?) I'll look at mine and see if I can tell anything.

[Doc]

OMG! My name in the same sentence as Steve's!!!! I have half a mind to edit that out!

I do not have alot of Hawks! Steve or Hord are the men you wanna talk to. Or even Gino. I am no where near their league.



Thanks for the compliment though.

[kip]

Mine does not have the elusive passing gear

Thanks guys. I just realized I could look at the parts fiche. Duh. It looks like the 88-90 are the same parts, head casting, cam holder... etc. Same part numbers and all. 91 head is a different beast altogether apparently. Not sure why they went through the trouble in the last year.

If anyone needs a 91 front head let me know.

[Doc]

This is good enough. Something I bet alot of peps didn't know.

[Hordpower]

Kip is right, the 1991 is an altogether different bird. (as far as oil routing) If you were bored and had access to a mill, the 1991 heads could be made to work on 88-90. Check out the intake ports Kip, see how different the 91's are? They are a lot better I think, a flatter floor and nicer short side radius where it turns to the valve.

Actually there are also some very small differences between 88 and 89-90, but they really aren't worth worrying about. Like how the oil line is fastened to the side of the engine, the output shaft seal retainer, etc.

From what I have seen all the 650 engines still in production use the internal head oiling first seen on our '91's. I guess it makes sense, one less thing to go wrong.

[jaysun0ne]

yo kip

do you still got the 91 head???

i got some extra money, figured i would take that off your hands before i miss my chance or have i already?

[kip]

I do. You are welcome to it. I will send it to you for shipping cost if you want. Not positive but think it would be less than 20$. It is missing some bolts and I did use the valve cover off of it since mine are salty and ugly. You may be able to clean/polish my orig cover. I can send it along if you want. Your polishing looks great. PM me with your addy and we can work out the details.

[joel]

Do you still need a head? I have a spare set of Cali 88-90 heads,have to make a block-off plate but it'd otherwise be good to go.Dunno why I never looked at this thread before I need to check - I might have a non-Cali front head as well,know I saw another rear head in the basement but dunno if there's a front around...would stand to reason but at one point of insanity I swore off Hawks and carted most everything I had to Jersey and have no idea what all I took down there.

[kip]

Thanks for the offer Joel. I found a 88 front head a couple weeks back and have it all bolted up now... even with the correct firing order now . I don't have it in the bike yet though. Cross your fingers for me.

[joel]

Coolness - kinda feel a bit toolish for passing over this...would've told you the difference and sent you a head...typical me,day late and a dollar short to ever be helpful!

[kip]

No worries. You have been giving me key tips, like the Marvel Mystery Oil one to unseize the motor, all along the way. Thanks again.

The guy that sold me the 91 didn't know they were different than the other years either and so he hooked me with the 88.

[LeftRightLeftThrottle]

Keep it up Kip, its about time you get on the road and another
hawk can show up at Michael's on Sunday!