Sportster Cam help

[DRare]

Trying to fire this 92 sportster 1200. I'm new to trying to build a motorcycle. It cranks but wont start. I have good spark and it's getting fuel. Only thing I could think of would be timing. I seem to remember when I timed the cam gears I lined them all up fine except I lined them up with the rear cylinder on TDC. Would that matter? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[WillSCB]

Check your service manual, but I am pretty sure that you need to line it all up with the front cylinder at TDC, and if you set it up on TDC at the rear, it will be 180 out.

[DRare]

Yeah the manual I have mentioned TDC but not which cylinder. Would appreciate anyone else possibly weighing in. If this is the case I'm gonna kick myself in the balls.

[Dragstews]

What #'s are ya getting on compression ??

[DRare]

I dont have a compression tester. It ran fine before I did all of this hardtail stuff. Was more looking for the importance of timing the cams to the front cylinder TDC instead of the rear.

[Dragstews]

The timing mark on the flywheel is of no concern ...
The marks line up like what you see in the image .... Cam to Pinion can only line up one way ...

[DRare]

So whichever cylinder was at TDC would not matter then? I lined my cams up exactly as that picture shows with the rear cylinder at TDC. So when people say its 180 degrees out of time is that inaccurate? This stuff is such a learning process.

[Dragstews]

Get a compression test done ...

[JBinNC]

So whichever cylinder was at TDC would not matter then? I lined my cams up exactly as that picture shows with the rear cylinder at TDC. So when people say its 180 degrees out of time is that inaccurate? This stuff is such a learning process.

What D is trying to show you is that the pinion gear has a timing mark that must line up with the timing mark on the #2 cam. Where the pistons are is IRRELEVANT.

I know on the big twins, neither piston is at TDC when aligning the cam and pinion timing marks.

Jim

[DRare]

Thank you. I appreciate it JBinNC. I lined the cams up on the pinion shaft exactly as the manual and picture described so I suppose that isn't my crank but no start problem. Thank you fellas.

[Dragstews]

Where the pistons are is IRRELEVANT.


Jim

Whoa, a four syllable word
(Don't see many of em, where I came from) .. !! Lol

[JBinNC]

Whoa, a four syllable word
(Don't see many of em, where I came from) .. !! Lol

I can spit out those 50 cent words 'cause I got spell check.

Jim

[Dragstews]

... Lol ... ^^

My spellcheck sucks ... Just like my dictionary ....

Went to look up the word frenzy ...
It said .....

fren·zy
/ˈfrenzē/
noun

Two blind lesbians .. in a Tuna factory ... !!!



.../// https://www.facebook.com/GifsGaloreA...7150493032841/ \\\...

[bryan83taco]

Yeah, piston position has nothing to do with cam timing. Line up the marks like this, start with getting the pinion gear in the 11 o’clock position then install cams.

[DRare]

yep, thanks. I lined the cams up like that and should be fine. gonna get a compression tester tomorrow and check both cylinders. trying to figure out the crank no start issue. if compression is fine i need to look up a more detailed explanation of the VOES system. according to the manual you just hook up the power wire, ground wire, and hook a hose from the top of the carb to the VOES. Hopefully it's nothing serious. This is my first complete rebuild though and i did it exactly to the HD Service Manual so i'm not sure how hard it should be to get started for the first time.