You test the crankcase seals under both compression & vacuum by fitting an adapter plate with a spiggot in it over the carburettor port if it has no external impulse line .
In theory you can do the testing via the plug hole but that relies on you making sure the internal induction port is open and remains so during the testing.
I find this need 5 hands as the piston does not want to stay there and on a lot of engines exactly where the port is is difficult to determine .
So the easiest thing it piston at TDC and crank locked then leak down test.
While the cylinder is sitting there pressureised you can pull off the carb and hook up the crank testing gear.