Griso 4valve tuning and tickover

[BomberUK]

Evening all. Just got a couple of questions about my 2008 4valve 1100 Griso I,d like some advice about if any of you chaps or chapesses can help.
Firstly, since Ive had the bike ( from new) The revs have always been on the highside on tickover (1300) The dealer ( which shall remain nameless cos they steam washed the paint off the frame of my first Grso....) said it couldn't be adjusted ( I took this to mean easily......ie without a laptop)but I dont believe this for a minute, since Ive had it its always raced when coming to a stop at traffic lights etc, around 200rpm till I put it in gear or blip the throttle a few times ,then it drops.What are the usual causes of this?
The shop had it back under warranty and changed the center plugs but it never helped it, to be honest the shop were always useless, the day I turned up to buy it they left me waiting for an hour while they all had lunch, should of twigged then eh?!

My other question is about exhausts and tuning , I have a 'straight through' exhaust which was on my old Griso but despite sounding great always caused pinking going up hills,Id like to use it and set the bike up accordingly but last time I did any tuning bikes had carburetors and stuff like that so I don't know much about EFI!!, what do chaps think about power commanders? Is there a easy solution, i know a mate of mine with a BMW Gs just had to rewire a relay and it enabled him to change the EFI setting to run with a open pipe set up. Is there a similar trick for Grisos? Any advice gratefully received ! Cheers m,dears! x

 

[draidt]

Baseline is to adjust the valves then reset the TPS via Navigator,Axione or VDTS then balance the throttle bodies. my guess is both of your idle bleed screws are turned out, one should be fully seated and adjustments made with the other side for idle balance. go from thereafter this is accomplished

 

[BomberUK]

Baseline is to adjust the valves then reset the TPS via Navigator,Axione or VDTS then balance the throttle bodies. my guess is both of your idle bleed screws are turned out, one should be fully seated and adjustments made with the other side for idle balance. go from thereafter this is accomplished[/qu

Hi , thanks for taking the time to reply, whats that in English? Navigator? Axione? VDTS? cheers x

 

[john zibell]

This is VDSTS https://www.guzzitech.com/store/TR-VDSTS.html Navigator and Axone are the factory units for communicating to the ECU. RPM is set by the stepper motor. It cannot be adjusted. Some have had success restricting the air flow to the stepper, however, a high idle for the newer bikes is a good thing. I recommend getting accustomed to it. Also see this thread https://www.guzzitech.com/store/TR-VDSTS.html

 

[BomberUK]

Ah ok, sounds like the shop werent talking complete bo=*&*KS then! Think all that kit is a bit out of my range but thats for the info. Any one got any advice about the tuning side of things? Cheers x

 

[Penis Rotor]

Ah ok, sounds like the shop werent talking complete bo=*&*KS then! Think all that kit is a bit out of my range but thats for the info. Any one got any advice about the tuning side of things? Cheers x

Instructions for setting up TB ballance on the W5AM equipped bikes have been posted here a dozen times. I suggest doing a search or, failing that, just going back and reading all posts you find that look like they might be relevant to idle sped and engine misbehavior. Without some way of re-setting the TPS correctly you cannot properly tune or ballance the motorbike.

If you have a 'Straight Through' pipe you will never get it to fuel up decently unless you spend a very much larger sum than the cost of the VDSTS. Sorry, that is just the way it is. Best thing you can do is put a more restrictive pipe on it, (This will improve the performance considerably.) and invest the small amount of money, ( I think Todd sells VDSTS in ECU specific format for something perfectly reasonable? $200?) and sufficient time to learn how to use it you will soon be able to recoup the cost by helping other people who your dealer's 'Technicians' bike's have been screwed up. You may be paid in beer but it'll still be payment.

The high/inconsistent idle is almost certainy a combination of both air bleeds being open and the inability of the stepper to cope with the conditions created by the antisocial pipe. To get it to run its best with minimum cost will involve changes and expense. If this is beyond your budget the only other option is to change machines.

Pete

 

[BomberUK]

Hi Pete, thanks for the reply, sorry, I think you may of misunderstood me , my fault for not explaining myself correctly, my bike currently has the standard huge pipe on but since Ive had it it tends to race when coming to a halt , i have a less restrictive end can ( I referred to it as 'straight through' which technically it is but there is sound absorbing material packed around the main body of it ) which was fitted to my last Griso but because off the pinking it caused on that bike I havent fitted it to this bike.
I was really just trying to find a way to fit the less restrictive pipe and wondered if a power commander was the way to go. Dont know if any of you people have experience of them?

I will certainly look back through some of the postings again , Im afraid Im long past the stage of wanting to spend time tinkering in a cold garage with my bike ( too many years of Bonnevilles and A10s!) but appreciate what your saying about the cost of the kit, Im sure it is reasonable for people who enjoy the tinkering side of things. Sounds like a trip to my local Italian bike specialist and a rolling road may be called for! Thanks for the help. Cheers.

 

[Penis Rotor]

A PCIII will only work in the open loop area of the map. That is the area beyond where the mixture is controlled by the ECU with refference to various sensors but most particularly the O2 sensor in the exhaust. While there is a degree of flexibility in what the O2 sensor can sense before it decides its all too hard and the ECU throws up an error the new bikes ARE mapped lean.

Todd's PCV-AT system will work pretty well on the 2 VPC bikes especially if dyno-tuned but it isn't a cheap option.

Making the bike sound better and perform acceptably is quite possible as long as one starts from basic principles and realizes that an engine is simply a self propelling pump. Keep the 'what' and 'how' of its pumping reasonably close to the original specs and you will find that while you will lose a small amount of performance as the noise increases, (Sound waves are just another form of energy after all.) it probably won't be noticeable or even barely detectable if it is done *right*.

There are many aftermarket pipes for the new bikes that allow a more 'Mellow' note, these can also be improved upon simply by wearing ear plugs! Plugs filter out the high frequencies and extraneous noise so what you, the rider, hears is very pleasant and satisfing but at the same time there is the bonus that 'Other People' won't be upset by your bike. It really depends on what you're trying to achieve dunnit? ifyou want it to sound good for YOU. it's easy and cheap. if you want to do it so that for some reason it impacts 'Others'? it'll probably be more difficult and, no doubt, expensive. I'm not saying the stock bike sounds great, (It doesn't, it sounds tinny and flatulent!) just that simply 'Un-corking' it will achieve nothing apart from a dimunition in performance and irritation for the non-motorcycling public.

Because of how the W5AM ECU works playing with the fuelling, especially in the closed loop area, is difficult and therefore expensive. Personally I always recommend that any owner first try the cheap and easy options, (Latest #03 factory map and a proven pipe, prefferably with a catalyser and dB killer in.) before rushing into further expense. Far more will be achieved by spending money on suspension and brake upgrades than will be acheived by trying to get marginal gains in engine performance. it also leave more money left over for the important things in life. Petrol! and BEER!!!!!

Pete

 

[goozy]

Had the same problem with my stock 07 G11. First step was to remove the carbon canister and direct vent the gas tank. This helped a lot but I was still having the idle hang high(1800 rpm) occasionally. Soooo...next I put a valve in the air feed to the stepper motor so when the bikes warm you close off the extra air. All is well now and it idles down all the time. I do agree that you have to have throttles balanced with the air bleed screws closed first, and the TPS reset after balancing!
Peter

 

[BomberUK]

Well thanks for the tips I will check it out, Im loving Petes suggestion of wearing earplugs so the lower frequency sound waves are heard, fantastic, I spose the logical progression of that train of thought is I could just play a endless loop of the Guzzi v8 racer at full blast through my I-pod while I ride !... now there's a idea, could save me a fortune in exhausts and tuning, tee hee!! Seriously though I was really just looking for a simple way to make the thing sound less like a wet fart really, I have no interest in trying to make the thing any faster , It scares me enough as it is, besides which ive always thought if going fast is really your thing a Guzzi may not be the most logical starting point :lol: ! I think I think I may investigate some of the exhaust options that dont require a major overhaul of the fueling and ignition system. Thaks for all the tips, cheers x

 

[Penis Rotor]

There are plenty of pipes that will work just fine with the stock mapping as long as the bike is set up properly and hasn't been messed with by a retard. As stated first thing is to ensure it is tuned right so a valve lash adjust and TB ballance +TPS re-set is a must. After that as long as the pipe isn't made to un-restrictive and the airbox isn't buggered about with the bike should continue to perform fine. Too open a pipe will make it feel 'Harsh' as it will be too lean and ypou'll be plagued by the popping on the over-run caused by the mixture being incombustibly lean while the bike is running down so unburn mixture ignites in the pipe causing harmless, but intensely irritating, backfiring that will ensure your neighbors and Mr and Mrs Normal hate you.

I had a set of Lavizzari pipes on my 1100. It sounded fine wth the dB killers in but was deafening with them out and didn't run nearly as well. Mistral and Zard also work well and Todd now sells a Crapovik slip on I believe that looks very nice and should fit the bill.

Pete