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Airone help

clive

Just got it firing!
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
13
Hi.
I am the very proud owner of an early 50s' Airone sport. After a few teething problems after purchase I got it well sorted and it ran superb - so much so in fact I manage to wear a brand new rear tyre out this summer.

I've noticed that it has developed a small amount of lateral movement at the flywheel. Ah main bearings me thinks. So to cut a long story short I decided to change them - after all they wont get any better if left. especially as I intend to use the bike as much as possible next summer.

Anyway I got the motor out and started to strip it down. Everything was going fine till it came to remove the inner manicotto dentato (as I believe they are called) from the gearbox output shaft.

My Italian is in very short supply but after looking at the workshop manual - Fig 11, I got a good fitting C spanner and a socket on the clutch hub nut assuming the manacotto would unscrew whilst the shaft was held by the socket on the clutch hub nut. unfortunately all that happened was the clutch hub nut unscrewed. So either the manacotto is screwed on really tight (I expected the clutch hub nut to be tighter, thus letting the manacotto unscrew before the nut) or I'm doing something wrong.
I'm not a novice when it comes to spanner work, but I have never worked on anything of this vintage before so rather than carry on and risk damage I thought I should seek some advice/help from somebody that has more experience of this motor than I have.

So my question is - have I misunderstood or rather misinterpreted the picture and I am going about it completely wrong?

Any help/advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Clive
 
Hi Clive, I'm trying to get my buddy Mike (below left) comment. He and our friend Patrick just got back from a big trip in Morocco shown below.

M PH MGCG
 
Hi.
I am the very proud owner of an early 50s' Airone sport. After a few teething problems after purchase I got it well sorted and it ran superb - so much so in fact I manage to wear a brand new rear tyre out this summer.

I've noticed that it has developed a small amount of lateral movement at the flywheel. Ah main bearings me thinks. So to cut a long story short I decided to change them - after all they wont get any better if left. especially as I intend to use the bike as much as possible next summer.

Anyway I got the motor out and started to strip it down. Everything was going fine till it came to remove the inner manicotto dentato (as I believe they are called) from the gearbox output shaft.

My Italian is in very short supply but after looking at the workshop manual - Fig 11, I got a good fitting C spanner and a socket on the clutch hub nut assuming the manacotto would unscrew whilst the shaft was held by the socket on the clutch hub nut. unfortunately all that happened was the clutch hub nut unscrewed. So either the manacotto is screwed on really tight (I expected the clutch hub nut to be tighter, thus letting the manacotto unscrew before the nut) or I'm doing something wrong.
I'm not a novice when it comes to spanner work, but I have never worked on anything of this vintage before so rather than carry on and risk damage I thought I should seek some advice/help from somebody that has more experience of this motor than I have.

So my question is - have I misunderstood or rather misinterpreted the picture and I am going about it completely wrong?

Any help/advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Clive
Hi Clive,

Sorry for my late response, I had my right knee replaced the day after your 10/23 post, so I've been somewhat out of touch.
You are correct, if the flywheel is moving, at all, side to side, you likely have a bad crank bearing. I too had a loose crank bearing on my 1954 Airone Sport, mine was the very expensive right side bearing. As an aside, I found the problem to be the bearing housing in the crankcase half, at least on mine, the plain aluminum had been simply peened over onto the bearing housing to keep the bearing in place. I then reset the new bearing into a bed of Loctite 680.

It has been a number of years ago since I've done this, so let me have a look at my notes and photos, but I seem to recall that I discovered, as you have that the clutch nut loosened independently of shaft. I seem to recall I may have held the clutch hub itself rather than the clutch hub nut.

Apologies for the delay and lack of any real help.

Best regards,
Mike Peavey
Boston
 
Hi Clive,

Sorry for my late response, I had my right knee replaced the day after your 10/23 post, so I've been somewhat out of touch.
You are correct, if the flywheel is moving, at all, side to side, you likely have a bad crank bearing. I too had a loose crank bearing on my 1954 Airone Sport, mine was the very expensive right side bearing. As an aside, I found the problem to be the bearing housing in the crankcase half, at least on mine, the plain aluminum had been simply peened over onto the bearing housing to keep the bearing in place. I then reset the new bearing into a bed of Loctite 680.

It has been a number of years ago since I've done this, so let me have a look at my notes and photos, but I seem to recall that I discovered, as you have that the clutch nut loosened independently of shaft. I seem to recall I may have held the clutch hub itself rather than the clutch hub nut.

Apologies for the delay and lack of any real help.

Best regards,
Mike Peavey
Boston

Hi Mike.

Hope the knee is on the mend nicely.
I thought I might have to hold the hub but I was unsure as to whether the manicotto has a left hand thread same as the outer one.
Can you remember?

Regards

Clive
 
Airone advice needed ! Hi Guys, this seems to be the place to ask some basic Airone Q's. I just bought a nice example of an Airone and before I get to starting it up I would like to know what is the right oil and plug to use. I have downloaded the manuals, but since they are old I can find no real cross reference for the oil or plug listed. I believe the engine is probably original. For oil I am not really sure if I should be using a non detergent oil or not and what weight. And do you have a modern plug you would recommend ? It had a lawnmower plug in it... I live in Florida, so the bike will probably never really see the "cold". I do have spark and fuel so am anxious to ignite it properly and get 'er down the road. Thanks for any help!
 
Hi Celia,
Has Your Airone been opened up? If so,You can run 20/50 oil. If not, best stick to straight 40 oil.
I run plugs Bosch W5 DC or equivalent
vanussel.dirk(at)gmail.com
 
Thanks, Dirk for the suggestions. I am not sure what the history of the bikes are, so that is why I am starting from scratch with fluids, plugs. etc. prior to running. I live in Florida and with our thunderstorms in the afternoons and heat, I have not taken time with them. I will pick up some of the plugs you suggested and already have the 20W50 VR1 that I use in my other bikes.

Just happened to notice your location as being Antwerp... the REAL Antwerp - as in Belgium? Very Cool place!
 
Yes, choclate country!!
There is also a very interesting group on Google: Guzzi singles where va lot of intersting questions are talked about.
Dirk
 
Yes, choclate country!!
There is also a very interesting group on Google: Guzzi singles where va lot of intersting questions are talked about.
Dirk
Yum.
So I'm trying to pull conversation to here, not link people away. ;)
 
Food for thought... the rider needs sustenance, too, and it sounds like the riders in Belguim are well nutrified. Too bad chocolate melts in Florida this time of year...
And back to the oil. Will 20W50 VR1(Valvoline) be good for the Guzzi ? Someday I will learn the chemistry involved in all these formulations... zinc or not to zinc? And since there really isn't a filter, probably not a formulation that indicates "detergent".
 
To: GTX: Your comment is right.It shows the growth pain of a forum: lack of response.
To Celia:I have not had adverse effect of detergent oil in clean engines.I change the oil in the Airone often allthough I equipped her with an oil filter on the return line. I use 10/60 full synthetic oil on all my old bikes,they seem to do well.
Copper from the clutch plales also seems to get in the oil,and the gears are running in it as well,hence the regular change.
The Airone has roller cam bearings,so Zinc is not a problem.
Dirk
 
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