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Small Block workshop near Evanston WY ?

M

motoguzziman

Cruisin' Guzzisti
GT Contributor
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
232
Location
Las Palmas
Hi All.
OK for those of you that do not know, I just did a ride from Ohio to Wyoming.
The Breva 750 has 61.000 miles on the clock.
It would appear that I have a defective rear main oil seal.
My Guru Mechanic, in Lansing, suggests a workshop, in Seattle.
OK its not that far, about 900 miles, but do any of you know of a good workshop, that is any closer to Evanston WY ?
I am on holliday, and do not want to waste time, going for miles to get an engine fixed, if a decent reliable shop, is any closer ?
Any input will be greatly appreciated. :woohoo:
Take Care Out There.
 
You might try the dealer in Ft, Collins Colorado. I hear they are OK with BMWs, and if they take the same care with a Guzzi you should be OK. The problem is this time of year most shops are stacked up and you may have to wait a little for the job to be done.


Moto Guzzi Fort Collins
3536 S Mason Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80525
PHONE (970) 221-1014 FAX (970) 223-5226
WEB www.beemersandmore.com

Then again, of the leak isn't too bad, you could just keep an eye on the oil level and get her back to Lansing when you can. Many Guzzis have been ridden thousands of miles with a rear main seal leak.
 
Thanks John, but..........
Last year, when the final drive seal started leaking, that shop was the closest to where I was in Utah.
I phoned them 4 days in advance, to explain the problem, so they could have all the parts needed, ready.
I had paid several days in advance at the motel I was in, in Utah, due to the good wifi and facilities available, while sorting this out.
Anyway, Once I actually got to Ft Collins, and found the shop, on a Friday around 15 30 :
The first thing they said to me was:
You better book your room for a week, because we do not have the paper seals for the final drive.........and we are closed Mondays !
I did get a bit annoyed, told them they had had had ample time to check that they had everything they needed.
I also said well you might be shut Monday, but I am not, give me your suppliers tlf nr and I will phone and order the parts Monday.
Well they hummed and haaaad, then finally one of them did something on the computer, and said that's it, ordered for Tuesday..
But despite having 4 days to sort this, they still charged me, for the next day delivery..

The one saving grace, at the time, was that I met a great guy, one of their mechanics, he was called Flash !
Fantastic attitude, and a very knowledgeable mechanic, and all round interesting guy.
He took the Guzzi in, to start taking it apart, put me on the back of his own bike and rode back to my motel.
He told me to come and see him in the workshop Saturday morning.
He lent me his 650 BMW w rotax engine, so I could explore, while the Guzzi was in the shop.
Anyway, Flash left the workshop shortly thereafter.
I would not go back there..
Unless of course there has been a total change in management and attitude towards customers.
PS, I have just been given a heads up, on 2 places, one in Wyoming and a new Guzzi shop in Utah.
its 2300 here at the mo. I will update tomorrow, once I have talked to both shops.
Take Care Out There.
 
Thanks for the feedback on that shop. Now we know. Let us know how you make out. The rear main is a significantly more complex job than the rear drive seal.
 
Hi Again.
Sometimes things happen for a reason......its Bike Fest ... this weekend, Now.
Here in Evanston..
So, I have just paid another couple of nights here at the Prairie Inn.

I had not heard back from anyone yesterday, after contacting Larry in Michigan.
He did not have any of the parts needed, since the change in seal size from 68mm to 72mm.
However he suggested I contact Moto international, in Seattle Washington.
They, like Larry, had nothing in stock.
I had phoned Harrisons Motor Sports, in Sandy Utah, and they needed 2 weeks minimum, to order the parts, and who knows when they will arrive.......So
I tried Harpers, in Missouri, and they came up with the same answer.
So :
I went to Wall Mart, and got 2, quart bottles of castrol GTX 20 -50, and a bottle of STP oil treatment.
I did see the other brands, but they were all in huge bottles,.
As if I was going to work, on a Mack Truck.
The stuff I got, will fit in the saddlebags, the larger bottles would not.
At some point, during this biker week end, I will have an idea as to where to head next, and hope the goop keeps the engine going.
Ok ,I am not planning any more epics, so Ill just have to resort to checking the oil, every time I fill up.
Then get Larry to order the parts, once he is back from the Weekend Show. I forgot where, but apparently its a big one for him.

On a totally different note, I stopped to ask a couple of locals, if the Bear River Park, offered a shortcut into town, as opposed to following the roads, and it was great !
We ended up, in a very interesting discussion, about parasite problems, among the Bear River Cutthroat Trout.
I had noticed lesions, on several of the fish I managed to approach, but apart from the one photo, they had all sped off before I could focus the camera, or the sun glare on the water messed up the piccy.
Initially I wondered if they were Lamprey bites but ........er yada yada yada, sorry !
Back to the Bike.
Ill get back to you all, with some piccys of the Evanston U.M.F rally, tomorrow .
I somewhat naively asked, what does U.M.F stand for.....
The first word, is UGLY, I will let you ponder on the other two !
Take Care Out There
 
Hi Again.
Good News, so far !
I have never used that oil stabilizer before, so I had no idea what to expect, but I pulled the paper off the top, and tipped the bottle in the funnel................... And Nothing came Out !

Hmm, I carry a 60 ml syringe, for topping up my oil , I got it out, and in the room, very slowly, filled the syringe about 2/3 of the way, then went out and squeezed it in, then I topped up with the castrol GTX 20 - 50, and went for a gentle ride, no spills anywhere, apart from 3 small drops beneath the bike, this morning.
Hopefully it will stay that way, for the rest of the trip.
It is rather cold here at the moment, high temp this week, 14 deg C, Low expected 3 deg C !!!
I have been given a map, for a scenic ride, out of Evanston, to Kamas in Utah, some 80 miles of nice scenery and lakes, so hopefully I will get some nice piccys for the blog :
motoguzziriders.com
Thanks for all the help and support.
Take Care Out There
 
Update.
The 20 - 50 and the stabilizer have almost stopped the leak.
Also I have not attempted any more 1600 +miles in 24r hrs rides.
Darn roadworks on I 80 meant it took 27 hrs & 12 mins...
:woohoo: FAIL !
Anyway
As no one had the new seal size in stock,I have phoned Larry at GT Motors, and this year, on ending the tour, I will leave the bike with him, to fix over the next 9 months.
It looks like I will have to fly from Lansing to Toronto, to get my flight back home.
Take Care Out There
 
Just saw this post from over two months ago. Figured I'd post up a couple of suggestions, for future reference.

My first suggestion would have been to call Doug Easton at Easton Brothers Motors in Evanston, Wyoming. Doug is the local motorcycle fix-it guy. Just happens that he has ridden Guzzis for probably the last 40 years. He has worked on my Guzzis and some others that I know.

Second suggestion would have been to call Rootsman Restorations in Salt Lake City.

Wish I'd have seen this earlier, as I'm located between Evanston and Salt Lake City.
 
Hi Quota.
Thanks for the post.
Through Bruce Burton, of the Evanston Railway Roundhouse restoration project, I met Doug Easton.
We had a great time together.
Also, It was Doug that told me about the Guzzi Rally in Elkader Iowa, where we met, again.
Check out my blog :
motoguzziriders.com ( 7th July 2014 )
Take Care Out There
 
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