some people guys put straws in the spark plug holes an watch if they go up an down while turning it over. I used 6th gear to turn my motor over while installing cams an push rods. If everything is good you got everything for about what the motor would cost.

 

You can't see the pistons or the connecting rods looking in the exhaust or intake ports. If it turned over it isn't locked up. If you want to see the piston movement you're gonna need to put a long dowel in the open spark plug hole and watch it rise and fall. But there's really no need, if you got it around with a ratchet it passes that test.

Looking in the exhaust ports allows you to see the exhaust valve opening and closing.

 

No disrespect intended but you need some serious assistance my friend and should not have bought this setup without having someone with more technical knowledge inspect the unit first.

If the rods are moving, the pistons are moving; you cannot see the pistons through the exhaust ports. You can see the exhaust valve but not the pistons. If you want to see the pistons, invest in a cheap bore scope camera and you can look inside the combustion chamber.

 

I would never turn the motor from the cam side!
Pull the outer primary cover, turn the motor from there, not the transmission.
Lets do a compression test!

 

Y’all are exactly right. I wasn’t thinking clear when I thought I could see the piston rods it was the exhaust that I was looking at. I believe that I was just over thinking the whole thing just hoping I wasn’t getting screwed on the purchase but after speaking for the last 30 minutes with my Harley mechanic I believe I made a good purchase at a good deal. But I do want to thank every single one of you for talking with me about it. Cause I am not nor do I claim to be a Harley mechanic. But I am learning as I go so thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.

 

Don't disagree with turning from the primary side or a compression test but hard to do a compression test with the motor on the floor.

 

I wouldn't think it was all that hard.

First I would pull the primary cover and see that the motor turns over with the plugs out. Can look in the cylinders with one of those cheap scopes. Put the cover back on and stuff a starter into the proper location and use a battery to spin the thing over. (don't need to refill the primary) Might want to make sure the CKS hole is plugged and if so desired, install a mechanical pressure gauge to see if there is any oil pressure while cranking.

One thing to note is that the whole assembly won't fit into a bagger. Transmission and primary would have to change. Front head would need some machining if 09 up frame.

 

Well, I guess that depends on one's definition of "hard". No disrespect to the OP but implenting the procedure outlined above might be "hard" for someone that thought piston movement could be observed via the exhaust port, if you get my drift. The degree of difficulty (you know this) varies with the knowledge and experience of the doer. In this case, I still think setting up for a compression test would be "hard" for the OP without some assistance but that's JMHO.