Last Modified: 11 July 2014


Topic: Guzzi Jobs 2013
Posted: 17 Jul 2013 at 12:08

Right so, carbs have been balanced on the vacuum gauges, proper job!

AND, tyres have held their pressure for the last 3 weeks, so looking good so far. MOT to arrange next.


Posted: 17 Jul 2013 at 15:17

Appendix ~ re the electronic regulator, it's a VR-B191. On some pictures the pins are identified as F (field: 'DF'), IG ('D+') and GND (ground: 'D–'):




I suspect that IG (D+) must be supplied from a 'constant' DC supply from battery positive to make it work, in other words it doesn't like the rectified AC from 2nd output of rectifier; this then implies continuous rotor field current all the time the ignition is on even when engine stationary, and it can't be made to work the dash warning light.



Posted: 17 Jul 2013 at 15:26

Yes lookee here:




Read 'E' of No. 5 as 'GND' (D–). 7 is ignition switch which applies steady DC power to 'IG' when on, so it's got 12V without engine running.

EDIT: in this version rotor is positive on the opposite side to F instead of grounded as in Bosch system, and F is thence negative going, but same principle.



Posted: 18 Jul 2013 at 15:33

M. O. T. Day








Posted: 18 Jul 2013 at 15:36

OK so finished article is kinda like a 850 T4, with LM sidepanels? The T4 so far as I can see was produced to use up leftover Spada cosmetic parts. (?)







On return from the MOT...







Posted: 21 Jul 2013 at 13:49

A year or so before I bought one of these piston type steering dampers from Gutsibits, then decided not to use it:




The bike had an identical looking one fitted when I got it, but very clapped out and loose. So didn't make any difference if on or off.

It goes in the LM1 fitting position, which is between the cross tube between the frame down tubes and the bottom yoke. You may have, on your cross tube, a lug on the back at a wonky angle and offset to the right, as if Luigi had had too much Vino Collapso with his lunch before welding it on.


In fact it's not wonky, it's on the same plane as the bottom yoke. Rodrigo the previous owner had took off and dumped all the LM1 damper control knob gubbins from the centre of the steering head and instead drilled the bottom yoke for a bolt as a permanent anchor point.

With the Sprint fairing lowers and support bar removed (replaced with crash bars) this will now fit again. I found Rodrigo's original bit of steel tube which was the spacer for the bottom yoke (tip: never throw anything away just in case) and still had the sleeving tubes that the damper mount pivots on, and the bolts and nuts and and the big washers, but replaced these with (mostly) SS Allen screws and hardware to mount the damper at each end. Proper job!






At lower left (below) can just see the allen head of the frame end fixing screw - both screws actually tighten down onto the sleeving tubes, which are exactly the right fit for the damper's rubber bushes with steel inserts - big washers to stop the bushes sliding off:




Roddy's yoke spacer tube must be the correct length (as opposed to my abortive attempts with a different bit of shorter tubing) since the damper body clears the crashbar mounts OK:





The extreme stiffness of this damper (if you're pumping it by hand!) makes perfect sense once it's fitted, because the steering has a very large leverage on it. So you can't really tell at all at the 'bars unless the front tyre is off the ground.


Why? Apart from making use of the brand new thing I'd bought, I'd noticed on my brief sojourns up the road and back how it seems to flop into turns much too easily at slow speed, which was disconcerting, don't remember it being like that before. I'm now wondering if the damper is actually used to steady the top-heavy mass that is bolted to the top of the forks, which now includes the LM2/Spada dashboard console which is a big lump actually, and, quite high up.



Posted: 26 Jul 2013 at 11:31

I've solved the mystery of why it was running so lean yesterday ~ main jets are half blocked with hard brown crud!! Sure there's holes in the middle, but just not big enough. Should have checked this better when I was overhauling the carbs. Everything 'below the water line' in the float chambers was badly crudded up, should have took the hint and renewed the mains as a matter of course to be certain.

I've got a range of sizes, I compared the crudded up 130's with 128's by looking through them at the sky side-by-side, the 128's have very noticeably bigger holes! Whereas most likely shouldn't be able tell the difference.

Got the 135's in at the mo, hopefully that's sorted it.



Posted: 26 Jul 2013 at 11:54

Re getting off the hard green and brown crud ~ I had to resort to scraping! Bordering on chiselling.....

I would say that this sort of thing indicates that if you want to lay up a bike for some period would be advisable to drain the carbs so that they're left dry. Which is counter-intuitive...



Posted: 28 Jul 2013 at 18:49

Update on the lawnmower battery ~ atv time of writing it seem to do the job no probs.

Update on the Hagon shox ~ they are the pooch's dangly bits and I'm sure it handles better. They show up just how soft the old ones were, and I'm still getting used to what seems like a higher seating position (unless my memory's playing tricks again), despite the lowest preload on the collars. Don't need any more either with a load of camping luggage on, it still seems high in the saddle, but they don't feel hard! Majik



Posted: 28 Jul 2013 at 19:09

Appendix ~ re the gearbox selector lever (remember? It's 'shorter' than the previous one's) works just fine with the T3 pedal, no probs at all so the two match up just fine. Dunno if it's entire ly due to the molyslip but gear changing is quite slick really and I can even get neutral at a standstill when it's hot! Pick me up off the floor somebody ...

Related to this, I was expecting the Cali sidestand to make it's presence felt on the up-changes (viz sole of boot making contact with), no it doesn't! Another happy surprise



Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 12:59

Part 3 of the fuel mixture saga ~ decided to renew the idle and starter jets just to be sure. Ordered from Eurocarb Monday, arrived yesterday.

Yes indeed, the old idle jets' holes are restricted in size! Swapped for the new ones. Starter jets OK actually but replaced anyway as they're still not a very nice colour.

Really need to compare the used ones in your carb against new ones, how can you tell otherwise; if hole looks smaller, it be crudded up.



Don-Spada
Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 23:57



I have a lawnmower battery on my Spada, It has been in service about 5 yrs since I got the bike back on the road and is still going fine. I do use an Optimate (charger) on it occasionally over winter.



Posted: 03 Aug 2013 at 10:19

Useful tip No. #1175:

Before completely taking LH carb off if you need quick access to float chamber interior, consider removing starter motor, it's only 2 bolts by comparision. Don't need to remove battery lead (provided it's well insulated), leave in situ and just prop motor on top of gearchange pedal. (Need to remove the solenoid connector though obviously.)

This is preferable to disturbing (and risk knackering up) the inlet stub to head gaskets for example.

With motor off there's ample space to get float bowl off and get a screwdriver in to remove jets etc.

RH side of course is out in the breeze so much easier to get at, as we know.



Posted: Today at 11:11

Did I mention ...

Chris Shaw's (shawstainless on eBay) swingarm pivot lock nuts are smaller AF size, he says 28mm, I found I'd got a 1 and 1/8 inch socket, originally for summink on a Triumph then rendered long redundant after Triumph was sold; which is a slightly loose fit (28.575mm) but good enough.

This is infinitely preferable to the large and very ancient gas fitter's type right-angled adjustable that I've been using ever since the first time of having to mess with the Spada's ones...

shawstainless


PS: just found Chris Shaw's web site -

www.shawstainless.co.uk


The general 850/1000 Tonti frame model SS fasteners kit I got from here (Chris doesn't do them) ~

jez1964

You need to tell him if you need longer sump screws for an extended sump, also I additionally had to ask for the four extra long sump screws separately.

Still got a few bits left over, but then it is supposed to cover all model variations.