Motorcycle Repair: 75 ironhead sportster not starting, ironhead sportster, positive cable

Question
Hello mike:
I hope you can help me I have a 75 ironhead, I charged the battery to 13 volts and it seems that when it turns over it doesn't have enough juice to turn the motor over fast enough, I checked the compession on both cylinder and they read 60psi is this too low please help I've been trying to start this thing for a week now.

Answer
60 psi is not very good.  Did you check it with both plugs out and the throttle wide open?  Your starter may be getting tired but I would check to make sure it's grounded properly and that the positive cable doesn't have broken strands inside the insulation.  After you crank it for a few seconds feel the cable, it should not feel hot. You might just need a new positive and negative (ground) cable or have dirty connections at the the battery or starter.  Is the timing correct and are your pushrods properly adjusted?  Pop the pushrod covers and make sure you can spin both pushrods freely when that cylinder is at top dead center on the firing stroke.  Just remember the basics:  you need fuel (the right mixture), spark (a good thick blue one at the right time), and sufficient compression to get that baby going.  If it's backfiring or spitting fire out the carburetor your ignition timing has to be off.  If your pushrods are too tight you won't get sufficient compression.