Last Modified: 11 July 2014


Topic: Guzzi Jobs 2013
Posted: 29 Jun 2013 at 19:36

Barsteward fairing multi-plug is tucked in front of steering head now ...




... new fuses ...





Posted: 29 Jun 2013 at 19:44

While this was going on, discovered clutch cable was touching RH downpipe so had to reroute it. Has to go behind top of crashbar then under the bottom mount, then a cable tie to hold it up to the latter to stop it drooping.

I was working up to testing the electrics ~ not got a proper battery yet so I used the general purpose 9A/h item that I keep as erm, a general purpose small lead acid battery.

First disconnect ignition amplifier and starter motor solenoid.

Connect terminals. Clock works. Measured a 15 mA drain, that's the clock. Without the clock (fuse out), nuffink, even on the microamps range. Super! This means no leakage in rectifier etc.



Posted: 29 Jun 2013 at 20:07

Ignition on. Dashboard lights OK, brake lights, horn, 'side' lights.

Then a problem arose, somehow the fairing side lights and dashboard turn indicator eejit lights are all lit up, and won't go off. Even with ignition off, or so it seemed. Still can't fathom how this works, but the reason was because I omitted to connect the fairing loom negative lead to battery minus.

Connected properly, then it's fine. OK then! We got all functions, lights, headlamp flasher, horn, F & R brakes, indicators. Eejit lights enabled by kill switch, check. Neutral, oil, generator, lights on, high beam, L & R turn.

Starter button ~ starter relay operates only if A. kill switch is on; B. neutral switch is on; OR: C. not in neutral but clutch switch is closed, check. (NB: the clutch switch is an industry standard microswitch which is mounted on the back of the gearbox and has a long paddle [as it's called] which is worked by the gearbox clutch lever.)



My sidestand switch is intermittent. Read as, knacked. This is a MZ clutch switch. Went to the shop over the road (where it came from originally) and got something virtually identical, a scooter brake switch (apparently). This took a little while but went on, wires soldered etc., super works! The sidestand switch merely lights the red brake eejit warning light on the dash, since I haven't had a brake fluid float switch for some time, so this function is seconded.



Posted: 29 Jun 2013 at 20:31

Next ~ ignition test. At this point in time this can only amount to seeing if the Rita system can raise a spark when turned on and off. Spare plug on't cyl. head at the ready...

Turns out having the amplifier and ignition coils powered via completely separate routes, so that kill switch only turns the coils on and off, defeats the 'standard' Rita idiot check of turning it on and off to prove if it sparks. (Turning just the coils off doesn't work and, interestingly, turning just the amplifier off doesn't work either. They both have to be turned off together.)

I proved it by rigging up some temporary crocodile leads to connect coils and amplifier supplies together. Right so, cue small diversion while I turn this into an more permanent extra wire between ignition coils plus terminal and amplifier supply connector. This was pushed down the 6mm sleeving containing (only) the amplifier output wire to 2nd coil.

Awl-righty then! It am do worketh like that.

Modification ~ the extra wire is red-blue (run out of red-black):




So it looks like at the mo the whole leccy caboodle can be pronounced ...






This can be knighted, "Arise Sir Goer" (itsa goer)



Posted: 29 Jun 2013 at 20:35

Still to do ~ overhaul carburettors with new fuel hoses and K&N filters; touch up paint on rear carrier / grabrail; make proper seat hinge pivots work.



Posted: 30 Jun 2013 at 20:06

Thought I'd have an easy day today putting these on, when will I learn.

Thing at extreme left is a hacksawed grabrail, leaving just the inner seat fixing part. For the first time since 1995 this seat will be securely fastened at the back! lol ..

First rack had to have rusty bits wire brushed and touched up with Smoothrite. Also both indicator lights had cracked lenses ...? - not drastically bad but I had a couple of spares in the spares box. Pannier frames had been polished (much) earlier on and were ready to go. While the paint was drying I sorted out new connecting wires for the indicator lamps.




Finally went on after some more sawing. The spacers I'd been using hitherto to mount the rear carrier without seat hinge thingy are of course too wide ~ I found an odd 15mm one in the spares box, remember getting it from Motomecca as the only one they'd got left. Which at the time was OK, as it was the 'wrong size'...

Now it's the right size, but still only got one! So back to the vice to sacrifice one of the 19mm ones by carefully sawing it down to 15mm. Which I did amazingly neatly, no-one could be more surprised than me...




Frame to mudguard fixing bolts double up as supporting the rear rack, and now, also the seat hinge thingy, these bolts had to be tightened after establishing the correct angle for the thingy, where the seat is in the correct position relative to the top frame hooks when closed.





Rear indicators wiring completed. This time I included an earth wire for the rack, as the indicator lamps earth through the metal stems; albeit it found an earth to frame somehow before, it seems reluctant to this time, at least according to the Fluke multimeter. This would be a much better way of doing it anyway, whatever, the lamps work.




100th photograph! At last the pannier frames went on.




Tank fits on frame and seat fits against tank! Opens and shuts and evryfink. Amazing.....





Posted: 30 Jun 2013 at 20:23




Interestingly the story is I had a new tap there to replace an older style (the square one?) that just got too tired, but it was so stiff, being new, it took far too long to turn it to reserve having to use the same hand as for throttle. So got a 2nd hand leccy one to see if it was any good. Worked OK, and apparently still is! The leccy tap was after discovering the reserve tubes don't work on the ornary taps, including the newer one(!), so no loss there either.


Posted: 02 Jul 2013 at 17:25

Lawnmower battery from Tayna, this is the 32 A/h 310 CCA item, viz, 895-Enduroline-Lawnmower-Battery-310-CCA




Does not look exactly like pic on web site, but never mind. It is however maintenance free, that is to say, it is devoid of holes to put distilled water into.


Installified:




... and look here:




... at how much space there is in front. Just as well I invested in the luxury of battery straps, otherwise it would literally be rattling about! It's slightly narrower than the (new!) side rubbers too so they wouldn't hold it very still either without the straps.


Posted: 02 Jul 2013 at 17:34

Later on briefly started looking at the carburettors, so far mostly just cleaned the outsides with petrol/paraffin mix and carb cleaner (had to buy a new can!) also bought 3 ft of fuel hose.

The rest of the day was spent figuring out how to mount my new tankbag.....



Posted: 03 Jul 2013 at 12:58

Nearly finished overhauling one carburettor. Jeez what a state. Brown crap everywhere. Managed to get most of it off. Just about to look inside the atomiser tube now.

Did you know?

The starter jet includes an atomiser tube of its own? So if having 'choke' problems take this out and see if the air holes are blocked. The air comes from a small hole on the outside of the body, right next to the choke plunger.


Posted: 03 Jul 2013 at 21:15

Bits everywhere...




But goes back together after a good de-gungeing.....




Ta-da!




Ta-da! Twice




All passages clear, new seals and gaskets etc. and needle valves tested, so should be good to go.


Posted: 05 Jul 2013 at 15:48

Yesterday...




Forgotten how much space there ISN'T inside A Guzzi's frame, all the various cables and pipes only just about fit in!

Note RH K&N looks wonky, I'd noticed old one was like that and thought it had got distorted or summink ~ but no, this is normal ~ it's because carb mount of RH inlet stub is at a shallower angle compared to LH side.











Posted: Today at 11:06

It runs! But won't charge. The new electronic regulator doesn't work. So had to put the original back on. That was a waste of money then.

I could have had it running 2 weeks ago! Just been on a week's hols, left the rocker covers with Jim to arrange to be cleaned, but he was too busy to do it. So resorted to plan A, which was, paint them silver and get bike running. Could have done that 2 weeks ago (!) when I decided better if they could blasted or summat. Should have stuck to original plan.