I have a 96 sportster custom 1200, i had to replace my front belt pulley and when i was doing that i wanted to replace the primary and timing gaskets.
Now it won't start up, i have a manual and i've done everything it say but i must be doing something wrong or missing something.

 

hook the battery back up

 

Where does the problem start? Got power? Does it try to turn over?

 

The battery is hooked back up and is getting power, yeah it turns over.

 

Did you remove the cam gear cover? What "timing gasket" did you replace? Did you remove the cam gears? More information would help.

John

 

Yeah gear cover, the only the gasket. One cam came out but put it back in the way the manual said,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...psc9ac73cc.jpg

 

Two things come to mind -

1) Are you certain you got the cams lined up properly - w/the dots aligned on all 4 w/the front piston at TDC?
2) Did you properly align the timing rotor when you reinstalled it? Reconnect the module connection?

Do you have the HD factory manual?

 

I'm pretty sure i lined them up properly, i'm going to take off the cover tomorrow and double check them. How do you know when the front piston is at TBC?
I did align the timing rotor when i reinstalled it, i didn't disconnect the module connection.

 

The best way to know is to pull the timing plug and line up the timing mark on the flywheel. then - you need to make sure you've got the #2 cam ( the one you probably yanked out by not first pulling the ignition module and rotor like the factory manual instructs you to do) lined up with the alignment on the pinion gear, and the #1 and #3 cams, while also making sure that the #4 (rear exhaust) cam lines up.

You need to be at face level looking straight at the cams, and not sitting on your stool looking down, or you'll misalign them by a tooth.

 

What did you do to take the valve spring tension off the lifters? There are some horror stories on this site about pulling the cam cover off before pulling the rocker arms (I think) to relieve pressure on the lifter/cam lobe area. Be careful when you go back in.

John