Recent Posts

1

General Discussion / Re: This followed me home today

« Last post by johnwesley on Today at 06:48:59 PM »

Workshop Update – Current State of the Patient

What I Found

This all started as chasing a stumble and some oil showing up around the heads. Compression checked out strong at 165 / 155, and the top end looks remarkably clean inside. Nothing there suggested a tired motor.

Oil around the heads didn’t trace back to any obvious external leaks. Stud O-rings are the likely culprit, and I’ve got Viton replacements ready. Plan is to replace the four upper stud O-rings under the rocker blocks one at a time without pulling heads or cylinders. It’s possible that the leak is the o-ring under the bolt cover above the rocker arms. Thanks Charlie 

The bigger surprise showed up once I pulled the transmission. The bike has a RAM single-plate clutch with an old-school Surflex disc. The disc was completely oil-soaked and tacky, which explains why the clutch was grabby and wouldn’t fully release at a stop.

Someone’s been in here before. The rear main seal was installed crooked, and the breather vent gasket wasn’t seated correctly. There is also a leaking tans input seal and the clutch pushrod.

On the intake side, one idle mixture screw was missing its O-ring entirely. Once that was fixed, the carbs finally adjusted properly and settled into a stable idle.

⸻

What I’m Fixing

All sealing issues are getting addressed properly:
   •   Rear main seal
   •   Breather vent gasket
   •   Transmission reseal while it’s out
   •   Upper stud O-rings under the rocker blocks (Viton) if the cap o-ring doesn’t fix it.

The rear bearing cover wouldn’t come off( obviously I didn’t look this up first) so I stopped, looked it up, and made the proper puller using cut-down, slotted 6mm bolts as set screws and 8mm bolts in the flange holes. Cover came off cleanly with zero drama. I do have the correct tool for setting the rear main seal depth.

⸻

What I’m Debating

The clutch.

Given a 5,000-mile trip planned for late April, I’m seriously considering ditching the RAM single-plate and going back to a stock dual-plate setup. I’m after smooth engagement, heat tolerance, and long-haul reliability more than quick revs.

For those who’ve run both:
   •   Stick with the RAM? With new clutch plate
   •   Or go back to the stock dual-plate for distance riding?

Not dealing with a worn-out motor here—just deferred maintenance and some questionable previous wrenching. I’d rather sort it now in the shop than discover it on the side of the road somewhere west of nowhere.

More updates soon.














I looked in my bolt section and found some long enough to do the job.

2

General Discussion / Re: Increase in valve clearance.

« Last post by GuzziNZ on Today at 06:31:33 PM »

Just going to do a few more checks and will come back with what I find but bike is an 850T.
TDC was re-marked during overhaul as it was out a couple of degrees.
Cam timing was set using 1.50mm clearance on intake and was opening within a degree or two of spec.
Cam was in excellent condition and new stein dinse lifter. (Hope they and good quality? )
Unlikely Cam sprocket pin has shared considering the retaining nuts high tightening torque.

3

General Discussion / Re: 2008 Norge SERVICE Light & CODE...?

« Last post by Tom H on Today at 06:26:46 PM »

What Bulldog9 said.....

Guizzidiag for your bike is limited. I may not be using the correct names here, but... Guzzidiag will read the engine ECU, but not the Dash computer.

When I need to clear the Service Icon, I need to use the multifunction switch and go into the dash computer and scroll to what I need.

AS mentioned, you need to use the service code to read the errors in the dash. Again as mentioned, as well as buy Bulldog9, your issue is likely a bad oil pressure sender.

The computer wants to see zero oil pressure at key on and a certain amount with the engine running. If it sees oil pressure a key on, the code is thrown.

If the computer sees zero oil pressure at key on AND zero pressure at a certain rpm, it throws another code number  meaning the oil pump is likely bad or the oil pan gasket has failed or the sender is bad.

Hope this helps,
Tom

4

General Discussion / Re: 850 T3 Shifter & Linkage

« Last post by Moparnut72 on Today at 06:15:20 PM »

Thanks guys. 
kk

5

General Discussion / Re: Ar. Rally

« Last post by johnwesley on Today at 06:10:04 PM »

Sounds fun to me, let’s see if I can get the cal III running by then. It will be a good shake down run before I head to Oregon. 

6

General Discussion / Re: Increase in valve clearance.

« Last post by Huzo on Today at 05:47:04 PM »

I can’t (easily) see how he could be at TDC if he was on the wrong stroke with those symptoms.
At the top of the exhaust stroke, winding the crank over, would close the inlet valve clearance since it’s opening the valve. He says it’s widening the clearance, so it’s closing the valve…
Also in that configuration, there would be zero clearance on the inlet rocker at TDC on the exhaust, because the cam would already have started opening the inlet valve due to the overlap at that point.
I think he’s winding the crank the wrong way and some slack in the timing chain is being taken up by the tensioner being flattened, thus putting the cam timing out by a few degrees.
Just a comment on the obvious…

7

General Discussion / Re: Increase in valve clearance.

« Last post by Kev m on Today at 05:38:26 PM »

No need to be sorry Kev, I know you’re a rough and tumble type of guy, but if you proof read what you type, things will go better.
Also.
I offered several areas to start because no doubt some will be non applicable and some will have already been investigated. But if I run around long enough waving a weapon in the dark, eventually I’ll have to hit the mark.
As for your opening line …about valve adjustments ?
I go by what you say, not by what you meant to say.
Isn’t that your bread and butter..?
I know you’ll want to take another swipe, but I’ll stop if/when you do.
Can we get back to the bike ?

 

Can't, still waiting on OP to provide more info.

Like answer the obvious....

8

General Discussion / Re: Darn things are like potato chips

« Last post by Perazzimx14 on Today at 05:37:38 PM »

What year?
How would you compare the w/c to the air cooled GS?
Much more involved to check/adjust the valves?
inditx

The one in the pic is a 2013 R1200 GSW

Each generation is more refined than the last.

Checking the valves on the oil/watercooled GS's is as easy as on a 2 valve Guzzi. Remove the valve cover roll the cylinder to TDC on the compression stroke and slide the feeler gauge between the shim and rocker arm.

 



   

9

General Discussion / Re: Increase in valve clearance.

« Last post by Huzo on Today at 05:34:13 PM »

 


WTF would someone mean when asking about valve adjustments?

No need to be sorry Kev, I know you’re a rough and tumble type of guy, but if you proof read what you type, things will go better.
Also.
I offered several areas to start because no doubt some will be non applicable and some will have already been investigated. But if I run around long enough waving a weapon in the dark, eventually I’ll have to hit the mark.
As for your opening line …about valve adjustments ?
I go by what you say, not by what you meant to say.
Isn’t that your bread and butter..?
I know you’ll want to take another swipe, but I’ll stop if/when you do.
Can we get back to the bike ?

10

General Discussion / Re: What US manufacturer makes this engine?

« Last post by blackcat on Today at 05:23:59 PM »

Plenty of articles like this but is this too close to the edge?

“U.S. job growth in 2025 was concentrated almost entirely in health care and social assistance, while sectors focused on goods production such as manufacturing and transportation saw declines, reinforcing concerns that labor demand has narrowed rather than broadly rebounded.

The U.S. economy added just 584,000 jobs in 2025, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it the worst year for job creation since the pandemic and the worst year for hiring outside of a recession since 2003.“