Stelvio issues

[11514v]

They did say that I should keep my receipts in case! Nice. There is obviously an engineering defect that they acknowledge but aren't standing behind. Seems like bad business to me. I've been an evangelist for MG before this. Even though I had the main seal lead TWICE! I really don't know what to think now. I'm going to Austin this weekend for MotoGP. There is a show "The Handbuilt Motorcycle Show" there that MG is sponsoring. I'm going to the show...I'll be looking for their rep!

Thanks, give them a blast for me as well - I have had the main seal leak twice myself though my dealer came through for the labour to fix it the second time (didn't replace the defective flange, don't think the communication to the dealers is very good either) I have had almost every published issue with the Stelvio:

Issues covered under Warranty:
cam recall
peeling paint shroud 1st time
peeling paint shroud 2nd time
fuel tank replaced
Battery replaced
LH mirror replaced
RH mirror replaced
Speed sensor replaced
Heated Handgrip replaced - probably a dealer installation f*%&k up
ECU replaced (probably a dealer f*%&K up - was primarily a BMW dealer!)
Front cover oil leak 1st Instance
ECU cover - factory bulletin

Issues I have/will pay for myself:
centre stand
Spark plug wires arcing
Y-Pipe Exhaust gasket failed
Front cover oil leak 2nd Instance
Rear Crank Seal Oil Leak 1st time
Rear Crank Seal Oil Leak 2nd time, Crankshaft Flange replaced - new dealer paid for labour - thank you!
Left side valve lifters?- excessive noise: cam recall v2.0?

I have been through 4 dealers since I bought the bike as well, the latest one - Corsa Meccanica in Toronto has been good with taking care of me but the others were awful.

I don't even mind replacing the parts as much as the idea that they will fail again in 40k - would be happier if at least the roller cams were available. Did you get the revised parts?
or just the same ones which will presumably fail again (like the rear main seal)

I still love the bike but am amazed that a company that has been operating for almost 100 years and pioneered many significant improvements to motorcycle design can't design tappets that will last for more than a few years!

The strange thing is that I still don't regret buying the thing - I don't see any other make on the market that has the same appeal as the Stelvio, I just wish that Moto Guzzi/ Piaggio would get their shit together and avoid some of these beginner's mistakes.....

 

[Bloomie]

Fortunately I haven't had the same experience with my dealer/service - otherwise it sounds like we're brothers from a different mother!
When I left town they were putting together the part list to order. It will be the updated parts. I'll tell you what I find out.

 

[11514v]

[
Thanks Bloomie, I would appreciate hearing how your issues turn out and confirming that the updated parts are available.

Unfortunately I think there are a lot of brothers out there! I thought the days of "don't buy the early model" were over but obviously that is not true for Guzzi.

Still, a lot more soul than a Japanese bike but the initial quality still is stuck in the 1970s.

 

[Bloomie]

Well I did have a chat with the MG folks in Austin last weekend. I'm pretty sure the guy I talked to is the head technical guy for the U.S. After listening to me vent for a while he put it to me this way... He said that it was not so much an engineering issue but a part supplier issue. He said that about 5% of the parts in question failed and that the "Kit" (if produced) would contain the newly engineered train (roller rockers etc.) not because they were poorly engineered but because those are the parts they are going forward with - meaning I think that they don't want to have old style replacement parts manufactured again. He said that he wasn't sure when (or if) they would have a "campaign" in the US and Canada but that it obviously would not be before the new parts became available (ie the Kit). I told him that I thought it was pretty #$%&ed up that my daily commuting vehicle has been in the shop for 3 months and the only apparent remedy was to replace with the old parts with a 5% chance that they are defective too. He agreed and told me that he would agree to pay for the temporary parts (not labor) and then if the new parts become available to supply those at no cost again but of course not the labor again.
I left feeling like that was an acceptable solution - I could at least be riding again while we're waiting.
I checked back with my service guy several times this week. He has been in communication with the guy I talked to in Austin but now he's just saying that they should know tomorrow April 21st if the new parts would be made available...

 

[11514v]

Thanks Bloomie,

Looks like I am in the same boat - did you get any information on whether the new parts were available,?If not I guess I'll have to install the old and hope I didn't get another set of the 5% parts.

I'll see if I can get the parts supplied at least, that would help ease the pain of never ending issues....

Thanks

 

[Bloomie]

All of the sudden the new parts are available and being shipped to me from Georgia (the U.S one)! Obviously they are in the country. Hopefully the same for you!

 

[11514v]

Thanks, that is good news. My dealer has come through for me, they are taking the top end apart to check for wear that could be the cause then hopefully Guzzi will supply the parts to get it sorted out. I will probably have to cover the labour for the repair but it's better than the whole bill.

I really hope this is the last problem!

I'll let you know how it goes and give us an update on your repair as well.

 

[WitchCityBallabio]

All of the sudden the new parts are available and being shipped to me from Georgia (the U.S one)! Obviously they are in the country. Hopefully the same for you!

Great news.

I've been waiting for the call from my dealer as to when the roller kit would be available. I'm on a second standard set, but would like to get the rollers in before another issue. I'll ping my dealer today. Thanks for putting a bug in their ear.


Doug

 

[Rodolfo]

You are making me nervous!!! My 09 Stelvio has nearly 60,000 hard miles and runs beautifully.........Should I be afraid to ride to New Finland in the next couple of weeks :shock:

 

[fatal]

Rodolfo you must be one of the lucky 95% who haven't had the cam follower problem

 

[11514v]

Thanks, that is good news. My dealer has come through for me, they are taking the top end apart to check for wear that could be the cause then hopefully Guzzi will supply the parts to get it sorted out. I will probably have to cover the labour for the repair but it's better than the whole bill.

I really hope this is the last problem!

I'll let you know how it goes and give us an update on your repair as well.

Time moves slowly in Guzzi land. I have finally had my issue confirmed and parts are covered by Guzzi but not labour.

The kit is the roller cam kit and includes new head gaskets and a new engine map when complete.
The exhaust lobe had the worst damage but intake was affected as well. It certainly looks like a hardening issue at manufacturing.

Hope to get it sorted out within a few weeks, will depend on availability.

 

[WitchCityBallabio]

Well as an update, my 09 Stelvio has been rollerized and runs nicely. Now. Sadly, when the dealer gave me back the bike, they left it with a serious intake leak, valves way out of adjustment (one intake was at .2mm and the others not much better), they didn't reset the tps, or resync the throttle bodies so it was running like crap. Luckily it's a dream of a bike to work on and I squared it away in about an hour.

The bad news, is that while servicing my wife's Griso SE this past weekend, it appears the tappets/cams are going tits up on her bike as well. Her Griso has 33,500 miles on it currently. Made a call to the dealer and they won't be able to get it in to verify until mid June. Bummer.

 

[11514v]

Good to hear - mine is back together as well and running great (had to do the TB balancing myself as well) - owning your own tuning equipment is a must for these things as the mechanics don't seem to know how to set them up properly.

The only problem I have noticed is that the fuel economy readout is now way off in litres/100km - similar to the newer bikes. Have you noticed this as well? Mine is optimistic by 1.5 to 2 l/100km. It may be a US to IMP gallon conversion error but a bit irritating as it used to be a lot more accurate and this information is critical given the mediocre fuel economy and a tiny tank...