Sportster Project Won't Turn Over
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Stage II
Joined: May 2026
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: New Mexico
Sportster Project Won't Turn Over
Hey all, first time post. I just got a 2007 Sportster 1200, my first ever EFI bike. Was a total basket case project. I wired up the starter at first and seemed like the starter solenoid was bad, so I got a new one off Ebay. The new one bench tested just fine and I got one of those handy push button starter things to engage the starter motor even if solenoid is bad. FInally got it all wired up and went to start and would only hear one loud clunk. This is my problem now, pulled primary cover off and realized that even with a cheater bar I can't turn the engine over by hand. I'm using the engine sprocket nut (forgive my names for things, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed), or whatever you call the thing in primary case to the left of the clutch basket. I have built ironheads through the years and always been able to turn the engine over by cranking on this nut. Am I doing something stupid, is the stator locked up, or just pistons have some crud for sitting sometime. Of course I pulled plugs, and I'll put a scope in it later and update this post.
This bike is very new to me, and I'm an idiot so my guess is that I'm missing something easy. Planning to proceed by letting some marvels mystery fluid sit in the cylinders and then trying with some heat to free up the pistons, while jamming on that nut both CW and CCW. Any and all advice or judgment welcome.
Thanks in advance.
This bike is very new to me, and I'm an idiot so my guess is that I'm missing something easy. Planning to proceed by letting some marvels mystery fluid sit in the cylinders and then trying with some heat to free up the pistons, while jamming on that nut both CW and CCW. Any and all advice or judgment welcome.
Thanks in advance.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,589
Likes: 4,019
From: San Diego, CA
Sounds like it's seized up to me. Have to start by pulling the heads and cylinders and hoping for the best from there. If you have to force it to turn over, you're gonna need to go inside anyway.
I assume the transmission is in neutral and that's not holding things from moving with the engine sprocket? I don't think the stator can lock up the motor, but anything is possible I guess.
John
I assume the transmission is in neutral and that's not holding things from moving with the engine sprocket? I don't think the stator can lock up the motor, but anything is possible I guess.
John
Last edited by John Harper; May 23, 2026 at 06:20 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,078
Likes: 19,235
From: The Wasteland
Can you jack the bike up? If so, get the rear wheel off the ground, put it in 5th gear, and see if you can turn the motor over by spinning the wheel.
Pulling the spark plugs might make it easier to spin the wheel.
Pulling the spark plugs might make it easier to spin the wheel.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,310
Likes: 2,446
From: Eastern NE
Like others recommended...check the cylinders to see if motor's seized. Guessing bike sat for a bit - was it ever turning over?
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: shore of Gitche Gumee
As long as you've got the plugs removed, you might squirt some of that Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders.
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Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: May 2026
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: New Mexico
Thanks for all the replies. Got the whole top end disassembled and there was some rust on the cylinders that was likely stopping it from spinning. However its still seized, and wont turn over by hand. Pulled the cam cover removed the cams / oil pump just to double check they were causing this binding but now I'm totally stumped. Will add pictures later today, but the connecting rods are open, bike is out of gear (the belt sprocket turns freely) but still totally tight on the engine sprocket. Really wasn't planning on rebuilding the entire motor, but no idea what could be binding in now? Do I have to pull the clutch basket and primary chain off to see if the flywheel will spin by hand? At this point any rebuild will likely be over budget so I'm just going for curiosity and will sell it for parts.
Thanks for the initial sanity check and hope that some genius in here can point out what I'm missing because I'm stuck.
Thanks for the initial sanity check and hope that some genius in here can point out what I'm missing because I'm stuck.
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