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'98 EV: An Italian Smorgasbord of Issues

Bill Hagan

GT Reference
GT di Razza Pura
Joined
Oct 29, 2008
Messages
1,700
Location
Above Pott's Camp along Braddock's route, Virginia
Most of these are minor, at least in the sense of "I can live with 'em" ... tho the first might put my gluteus maximus on the pavement if I am not careful! :eek:

So, had a grand time riding my EV to Atlanta and back recently.

Ticked over 100K miles along the way, too. Here’s a slideshow if you care … http://bill-and-kathi.smugmug.com/EVDoesFirst100K/n-Hnz9dw

Mod John Z even gets a speaking part. :clap:

But that isn’t why I write!

I have encountered a few issues that I am now attempting to diagnose and, if possible, fix. Sure hope to ride the EV at the Southern Spine Raid at Tellico Plains, Tenn., early next month.

Here they are:

Headshake. This is disconcerting. Doh. Not sure how long this has been around as I don’t often do “Look, Ma, no hands.” It actually becomes near violent somewhere between 30 and 50 mph. Above 50, one could run hands-off with no issues; below, and especially in the 30 - 50 mph range, it quickly becomes uncontrollable. FWIW, I usually ride with both hands on the bars (!), but in the course of checking stability — OK, OK, boredom on a straight stretch! — ran across that issue. As stated, this condition may have been around for a while and I just missed it, as when your hands are on the bars it is unnoticeable. Front wheel bearings? Those seem to be OK when I wiggle the wheel.

Decel popping. I thought I had figured that one out and thought I’d just do the old "beer can fix” at the joint of the rear cans and the Stucco H-pipe crossover. It seemed on looking at the set-up that the rear cans did not extend as far as optimal over the H-pipe. On removal of the former, however, it appears that those connectors are snug enough, and the rest of the exhaust system from headers to crossover seems just fine. [FWIW, I recently had Winchester Motorsports balance the throttle bodies and (try to) check mapping, etc. The PADS system would not connect to the EV’s ECU, with the screen reading words to the effect, “Does not recognize the ECU.” The tech said he'd seen that before and it usually was a faulty connector on the Guzzi.]

Oil leak. This is perplexing to me and interesting at the same time. I usually keep my EV on its side stand and, over time, believed that it had a rear-main-seal leak, as it seemed that oil engine oil — no, not tranny stuff — was coming out that little slot at the bottom of the bell housing. John Z and I even talked about that when we met at the N.C. gathering at Cruso mentioned in that slideshow. Anyway, after changing the oil and filter -- and using a hose clamp for the first time! :rofl: -- I cleaned the whole bottom well before this last long trip. Along the way, I noticed that the oil seems to be coming from the area of two bolts on the right rear that connect the transmission housing to the engine proper. Those appear to be # 7 & # 12 in the parts diagram. They also seem quite snugged down. This is not an Exxon Valdez situation, but does drip a drop or two a day, at least after a run. Nada just sitting. So, just ride it or OMG?

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Front wheel fastener. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Why did the factory use that odd nut? I have — or think I have! — removed the front wheel before, but now wonder how I removed that expletive-deleted POS. What “ordinary” tool works? What “ordinary” nut would sub?


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OK, that’s enough (and more). Many thanks for any comments. Well, for most, anyway. ;-)

Bill
 
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Bill,

Guzzi sells a socket for that gland nut on the front axle. Or you could contact Curtis Harper at Harper's Moto Guzzi. He will sell you a regular nut to replace the gland nut. As for the leak, there a a few possibilities as we discussed. The rear main seal, the bottom two bolts of the rear main carrier, the gasket where a pipe attaches to the back of the block and the camshaft plug at the back of the block. Where those studs attach there is no oil behind them. You are seeing oil there as that is where it is being thrown by the rotation of the flywheel. For the head shake, the steering head bearings may need adjustment or replacement. Also make sure your fork tubes are even and the oil level in both tubes is the same.

Good luck in your quest to solve these issues.
 
Bill, Forgot to mention, adjusting the swing arm bearings may also impact the head shake you feel. When adjusting the swing arm bearings, an equal amount of the pin should be exposed to have the swing arm centered in the frame. I try to get them within 0.5mm of each other.
 
Bill,

Guzzi sells a socket for that gland nut on the front axle. Or you could contact Curtis Harper at Harper's Moto Guzzi. He will sell you a regular nut to replace the gland nut. As for the leak, there a a few possibilities as we discussed. The rear main seal, the bottom two bolts of the rear main carrier, the gasket where a pipe attaches to the back of the block and the camshaft plug at the back of the block. Where those studs attach there is no oil behind them. You are seeing oil there as that is where it is being thrown by the rotation of the flywheel. For the head shake, the steering head bearings may need adjustment or replacement. Also make sure your fork tubes are even and the oil level in both tubes is the same.

Good luck in your quest to solve these issues.

Many thanks, John, for that (astonishingly) prompt and helpful response. Naturally, I will repay your wisdom with more questions. :happy:

As for the leak -- which, tho perhaps not the most important, is the most annoying of my issues :think: -- I thought that when no oil seems to be coming from the slot at the bottom of the bell-housing (as I had thought was the case), that it might not be what we had discussed. It still puzzles me that the serious weeping is all high on the housing and not lower, where I would have thought oil gathered back there would end up.

Got it re gland nut. Thanks, and will get a regular nut. Is that removable with some HF item I have in my collection? ;)

Also understand the head-shake piece; thanks again. Would never have thought fork-tube oil level!

Best,

Bill
 
Bill, Since you will be replacing the nut, no need to be gentle. A pipe wrench will do it. From the picture, it looks like someone used a pipe wrench on it in the past. Also I added a post you may not have seen when you made your last post.
 
Bill, if it's the same axle nut as used on the Centauro (pretty sure it is), I have a baggie of hex nuts I bought to replace the one on mine and will give you one (or more).
 
John - Thanks. Gotta admit your last had me staring at the EV and scratching my head. A G&T made me feel better, tho no smarter. Will look into that.

OBTW, when I pulled the rubber plug to confirm TDC, there was the oil you knew would be there ... where, of course, it shouldn't be.

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Not much, and only on the opening, i.e., looked dry inside. One of these days, I'll screw up my courage, crab the sweet beast, pop the cases, find the source, and R&R clutch while in there. :think:

Charlie - Thanks. I accept. :D We'll figure out something as reward. ;)

Today it's Cub Cadet, not Guzzis. The rocks here eat up the deck wheels. That's OK and easy. But the idiots who designed this POS put the oil drain about 1/2 inch from the frame. I have a workaround flexible tube, but it's always a mess. :swear:

If I get that done in time, I'll fill the Norge with the good stuff; it's been draining overnight. Hope to have a shortish fun ride somewhere with Kathi tomorrow as the weather is promising a grand day.

Best,

Bill
 
Bill, you may recall I know how to make a Tonti handle. ;)
As John added, start with the swingarm bushing tightness, then steering head bearings. Have they ever been replaced? Suspension spec is paramount front and rear, and I recommend raising the forks in the triples 20mm, and longer rear shocks. Tires, of course, are critical as well for selection and wear.
Run with the leak until it gets bad. Crab the frame, and replace all seals, gasket and seal the cam plug along with a new clutch.
Channel lock the axle nut off, and repace with standard hex. Damn lawyers are the reason why they were on there before the pinch bolt solution arrived. :)
 
No experience with the older Guzzi's and very little with the new but if we were discussing a Honda your head shake description is textbook case steering stem bearings worn or loose. At that mileage if they are original I would just replace.
 
Thanks, Todd & abbienormal, re steering-head bearings R&R. Think they are original.

FWIW, tho, I feel no slack or looseness, and hear no grinding with stethoscope.

Saw this here, https://www.guzzitech.com/SteeringHeadBearings-John_O.html, but nada about "what now?"

This could be interesting. I foresee my vocabulary of colorful curses getting larger. :banghead: :swear: ;) :rofl:

Will probably save for winter when I might also tackle that rear oil leak, along with "as long as I am in there" other tasks. Been meaning to put those hooks into my shop's ceiling, and crabbing the frame will push me into doing that, too.

Bill
 
Thanks, Todd & abbienormal, re steering-head bearings R&R. Think they are original.

FWIW, tho, I feel no slack or looseness, and hear no grinding with stethoscope.

Saw this here, https://www.guzzitech.com/SteeringHeadBearings-John_O.html, but nada about "what now?"

This could be interesting. I foresee my vocabulary of colorful curses getting larger. :banghead: :swear: ;) :rofl:

Will probably save for winter when I might also tackle that rear oil leak, along with "as long as I am in there" other tasks. Been meaning to put those hooks into my shop's ceiling, and crabbing the frame will push me into doing that, too.

Bill


with that garage you need some museum pieces. start by inclosing the 98 in glass and there's your excuse for buying a V7. much less cussing.
 
Bit late i suppose but as others have mentioned Head Stem bearings would certainly need replacing if original and should be done as a matter of course for this issue.
They will most likely have vertical grooves worn in the bearing races
A badly worn/shaped front tyre would probably add to this problem.
My Tonti,s would always go into a steering fit,but only while decellerating with my hands off the bars at around 70 ks
Although this doesnt sound like your issue.
The fitting of radials to my Cali and Lemans totally elimenated this issue.
I replace head stem bearings every 3-4 years or 20-30,000 and always notice an improvement.

Re,Oil leak.Have you checked that the slot in the bottom of the gearbox housing is clear.I would think oil should come out of this bit before dribbleing out of your nuts.
Doesnt solve your problem though.

I had oil dribbleing out of my hole.Not nice,i agree.
After finally excepting that i would have to pull the motor,again and fix a seal or two maybe.
I checked the gearbox oil level while hot after a ride.50-100 ml of hot oil must have dribbled out.
Oops,no more leaks since then.
 
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