883 Head numbers

Hi
Can anybody give me information on head numbers 16662-86B and 16663-86B heads? These are heads for an 883 sportster, but from what year? Will they install on a 1995 sportster and perform properly?

THANKS!!!

They appear to be the heads off of the 883 models(99-03) should fit 91-03 models.
Why are you looking for another set of heads??

Just looking for a set of spares. Wanted to be sure spares would be compatible with my sportster.

The last 2 numbers in a H-D part number (after the dash) tell you the 1st year that part was used & if there's a letter added, that means it's a later version / revision of the original part. So in this case, the heads were 1st used in 1986 & the B indicates the 3rd version of them - i.e., -86 would be the 1st version, -86A would be the 2nd & 86B would be the 3rd.

1986-1990 models used the same heads & yes they will bolt on to a '95, but the combustion chambers are different & the compression ratio may be off with stock '95 pistons, but probably not much on an 883 - way too high for a 1200 though. I'm not sure about the B designation, but many of the '86-'90 heads are the highly desirable "bathtub chamber" heads & there's enough "meat" in 883 heads that they can be worked into many configurations - e.g., I've got a set that a machine shop turned into Buell Thunderstorm heads, but actually better, with a machined-in "squish band" & larger valves.

If you had a photo of the heads it'd be pretty easy to see if they're the "bathtub chamber" type & if so, you can use them on a 883 or a 1200 (with the right pistons) & with a little bit of clean-up work, they'd perform quite well - definitely better than stock 1200 heads, which have a wide open but inefficient combustion chamber.

I used Google to see if I could find a photo of the -86B heads & I did - go to:

Original Like New Rebuilt Heads [16662-86B] - $850.00 : Old '97 Choppers, - Rocket Rogers

then scroll down & click on one of the 2 "Larger Image" photos showing the combustion chambers. Those are not stock 883 heads - an open combustion chamber like that with stock 883 pistons would make the compression ratio way too low. 883 heads have a much smaller combustion chamber than the wide open 1200 design.

I knew we were missing someone on this post!! Good to see ya Art
!!

I have a set of 96 883 heads that I want to get rid of!