Sepixlh nailed it nicely! Good pics too.

The pinion gear timing mark is on the outside (where you can see it) of the gear. There is also one spline on the crank that is wider than the others. This keys the pinion gear to the crank. So the only way to install the pinion backwards is to have the face with the mark facing in......... pg

PS: Oh, and be sure to adjust the push rods after you are done putting it back together.......BEFORE YOU START THE ENGINE!

 

Here is a link to the service bulletin regarding cam shimming. Read it and consider whether you need to shim them or not. Most believe that shims are unnecessary.

This is on my SkyDrive. Select the icon [right side] and click on "DownLoad" [left side].

http://cid-e2880b68d32bbca8.skydrive...vcBullM860.pdf

 

Wow thanks for all the information on the oil tank, nice drawing. The over flowing was happening because I had the filter in and it wasn't passing through it as fast as it was pumping so I just took it out and watched it pump. I have another question, do I need to warm up the bike and then check the trans oil level also or should this be done while cool? Thanks again for all the info.
Jeremy

 

Either way is fine. If the oil is checked when the machine is cold, all of the oil will be sitting at the bottom.
If checked when hot, some of the oil is going to be clinging to the clutch, primary chain etc. But probably no noticable difference between reading it either way.
It's 6 of one or half a dozen of the other............. pg

 

That's both interesting and comforting -- I came to the same conclusion on my recently assembled, but not yet run, XL engine. I will be running shimless.

I have an engineer friend who says, "Never measure with a micrometer if you're gonna mark with chalk and cut with an axe". My take on that is don't introduce precision into a scenario where it will be a stranger.

In my experience, ironhead trans oil varies more day-to-day than it does hot-to-cold.

 

I neglected to add that there have been reports of cam shims getting crunched and messing up the oil pump. Many believe the spec in the manual [.005] is too tight, that if you do shim it should be to .015.

 

Aye, exactly what my intuitition told me. 0.005" might be fine for the NASA's orbiter, but not for a vintage harley.