Unkept's V11 LeMans Repair, Maybe Restoration, Thread

[Chuck in Indiana]

Along with the kneeling pad, Sears has a decent and inexpensive shop stool. 30 bucks gets you a stool with wheels that lets you work low and still be able to sit, and roll around.

Boy, once you get things back together, you're not going to know how to act. ;D



John Henry

Joe, I upgraded to a Matco stool a couple of years ago. You can have my ancient Sears stool.
Good find!

Just unscrew, cut off 1/4inch with your dykes, and screw on your new cap.

FIFY  ;D

[Unkept]

Great work...it's coming along nicely.  Here is the knee pads I use. Very good quality pad.
/snip

Thanks! That pad looks like a good idea. I'm thinking about it, believe me.

I fin fit really satisfying to see a kid knuckling down and working it through. I have customers who cry like babies if their bike blows an indicator globe.

While the bevelbox is off I'd suggest pulling the pinion carrier and crownwheel plate. The pinion nose bearing is a bit weedy on V11's. Look at the CW&P at the same time. I have a second hand set I'll donate as an 'Encouragement Award' if you need a set. Chuck can learn ya how to set 'em up.  ;D

Pete

Thanks Pete, it's fun to tinker... :)

The offer for a good second hand set of CW&P is fantastic, thanks for the offer of encouragement!  ;D Unfortunately, I'm going to have to say that for now I will decline that offer... I'm really set on getting this damn bike on the road yet this season.  ;) I would certainly be willing to pull the drive again this Winter, however. If you offer stands then... I'll take it.  ;-T

:+1

IMHO a kneeling pad is a much idea than knee pads which can actually damage your knees by not centering your weight on the patellas, when in a kneeling position.
How do I know this, building work.

Unkept it must be great to get all those bits replaced you've been needing to for ages.

 :bow

Rob

Thanks for your input Rob. It does feel great to get this stuff done.

Along with the kneeling pad, Sears has a decent and inexpensive shop stool. 30 bucks gets you a stool with wheels that lets you work low and still be able to sit, and roll around.

Boy, once you get things back together, you're not going to know how to act. ;D



John Henry

It will likely feel like a whole new bike... between the ergo changes and the tune-up parts.

Joe, I upgraded to a Matco stool a couple of years ago. You can have my ancient Sears stool.
Good find!
/snip FIFY  ;D

Thanks for the correction Chuck. I /snipped the cable and screwed the new cap on this time...  :D

Ok guys, today's update is of mixed results. Got a few things "done" and a few things "not done" and a few things "oh crap it's broken."  ;D

I had planned to install this today.


Surprise, that didn't happen.  ::)

If I had gotten the rear of the bike done, I was going to fit these on the front oil lines too. Didn't happen.


What DID happen is I pulled the bolt which holds the main ground cable to the transmission.


It was kinda crusty down there.


I didn't think that would make a good ground connection, so I did some cleanup with a knife and sandpaper.


I didn't get a before pic, but the place where the ground attaches to the transmission... was half painted!  :o When Guzzi sprayed the case they must not have masked it correctly, as crinkle paint covered where the connector is supposed to be touching the metal case... maybe 40% was bare metal. I cleaned up up to be much better. IMHO



I thought I'd try to bleed the clutch, but the hose I bought (and trimmed to size) must be too big, the first I bought was too small. Also, I can't see to bleed the clutch very easily. Any tips?


Oh yeah, and I decided to mock up my heated grips.



...a nice enough spot.


There was a double sided sticky mount system... or you could use a bracket that came with the heated grips. I decided to bend the bracket and make it work how I like it!
I like it! I'll paint the bracket black someday.


Oh, and I'm using this stuff on parts that vibrate a lot... but don't get hot.  ;D


Mocking up the handlebars. I had to fit the tank temporarily to get an idea of where they would hit the tank... be more careful than me please. I scratched the forks finish up a bit.  :'( Ah, you'll never see it under that fairing.  :BEER:


A decent enough spot for this... not many places for it to go actually.


I'll tidy up all the wires with zip ties once the bike is "assembled".


This is where I really got frustrated! I broke the microswitch trying to remove the front brake line from the caliper... so that I could mock it up for the handlebar setup and so that I could fit the longer brake hoses I bought. Blah, at least MG Cycle has a Brembo microswitch kit in stock!

Also, when I was trying to make sure to "true up" my forks with the front wheel and axle... I noticed how much noise my wheel made when spun. Take the wheel off, find the wheel bearings are notchy. DAMN  ;) I'll have to source some and replace those too...  ;D

I did take this shot, and even tried to "sit" on the bike to get a feel for the handlebars.... WOW that is different! Very wide and flat, more Griso like. The beauty is though, these bars are adjustable in almost every direction. I can shape them up like clip ons, or almost to a standard bar position. I like the Verlicchis... they look great with Chuck's Norge bar end adaptation. Thanks again Chuck.  ;-T


Also of note, by sanding down those pins on the plastic controls, the kill switch and the turn signal switchgear are a tiny bit loose and could shift. This is because the plastic versions don't create the torque on the bars that the metal pieces do... and on that Chrome it's slippery. I could deal with it but I like safety, so I have a plan to use some of that cloth for grip and wrapping a layer under those control pieces. Stay tuned.

Looks a bit better... now I have more things to order and fix though.  ???  :D


-Joe

[balvenie]

           Good pics Joe ;-T

[flangeman_70]

Hi Joe,

What a thread! You are getting close now :pop

With the Hot Hands, if you haven't already, use a relay for the power source, it'll save you some heart ache one day and it is easier when you are disassembled to this level ;-T

Clutch bleeding, let gravity do the work for you. If you can get the slave cylinder higher than the handle bars or lay the master on the ground so you are pumping air upwards and percuss the hose with a spanner to keep the bubbles on the move and let it set overnight to repeat the bleed the next day.

Regarding the headers, if they are stainless steel, I use hydrochloric acid and paint it on and rinse after 5-10 seconds and it acts very fast then polish with chrome polish or you can leave as is if you prefer the matte finish. Do a test in a non visible area first.

Regards,

Adam

[tris]

Rare in the USA as hen's teeth Champion spark plug caps. The stock caps on a V11 Sport. I only needed one, but the shipping was the main cost so I bought three.  ;D These are only available from England it seems.

Where from in the UK did you get them please? I got some replacements ages ago for my Cali and never fitted the cos I hadn't realised they wern't red untill they arrived ::)

[Rob Morton]

http://www.trialsbits.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=80_116&products_id=1286&osCsid=epf38bf57c3e3rpa085tqqp0o6

http://www.gsparkplug.com/shop/spark-plugs/spark-plug-caps.html?limit=all

I've always used NGK, same with plugs.

 :)

Rob

[Chuck in Indiana]

Keep it up! One step forward, two steps back is *not* unusual.  ;D You can make stainless steel shine like a pewter dollar if you want to put in the labor. You start with coarse enough wet or dry paper to get a smooth surface, (400 grit, if you're lucky) then sand with progressively finer grades up to 600 grit. From there, you can buff it out on a buffing wheel with rouge. Keep your oily fingers off before getting it hot the first time, and it will turn a beautiful golden color.
Reminds me of work, though.. ;D

[Rob Morton]

Glad you spotted the noisy wheel bearing before it ...

 ;-T

Rob

[Chuck in Indiana]

"Maybe" another glitch waiting in the wings.. have you made sure that your new bars will actually clear the fairing?  ;D :BEER:

[pmillar]

Also of note, by sanding down those pins on the plastic controls, the kill switch and the turn signal switchgear are a tiny bit loose and could shift. This is because the plastic versions don't create the torque on the bars that the metal pieces do... and on that Chrome it's slippery. I could deal with it but I like safety, so I have a plan to use some of that cloth for grip and wrapping a layer under those control pieces. Stay tuned.

Rather than cloth, you might try cutting a small strip out of an old bicycle tube to install under the switch assembly. It won't hold any moisture and should prevent movement better than cloth.

[Unkept]

          Good pics Joe ;-T

Thank you, thank you.

Hi Joe,

What a thread! You are getting close now :pop

With the Hot Hands, if you haven't already, use a relay for the power source, it'll save you some heart ache one day and it is easier when you are disassembled to this level ;-T

Clutch bleeding, let gravity do the work for you. If you can get the slave cylinder higher than the handle bars or lay the master on the ground so you are pumping air upwards and percuss the hose with a spanner to keep the bubbles on the move and let it set overnight to repeat the bleed the next day.

Regarding the headers, if they are stainless steel, I use hydrochloric acid and paint it on and rinse after 5-10 seconds and it acts very fast then polish with chrome polish or you can leave as is if you prefer the matte finish. Do a test in a non visible area first.

Regards,

Adam

Hey Adam.

I really want to set it up with a relay, but I have to hold back on it "for now". My plan is to wire in another fuse box that is relayed for all of my accessories... setting it up so they online come on when the taillight is on or similar.

For now, I need to remember to turn the grips off, and hope nobody else comes up and turned them on.  :D

Where from in the UK did you get them please? I got some replacements ages ago for my Cali and never fitted the cos I hadn't realised they wern't red untill they arrived ::)

Answered by another, but I got them from Amazon UK, through "The Green Spark Plug". Shipping is the main cost, so I bought three for $21~usd shipped. Not too bad IMO.

Keep it up! One step forward, two steps back is *not* unusual.  ;D You can make stainless steel shine like a pewter dollar if you want to put in the labor. You start with coarse enough wet or dry paper to get a smooth surface, (400 grit, if you're lucky) then sand with progressively finer grades up to 600 grit. From there, you can buff it out on a buffing wheel with rouge. Keep your oily fingers off before getting it hot the first time, and it will turn a beautiful golden color.
Reminds me of work, though.. ;D

Thanks Chuck. I have tried 400 grit sandpaper with a lot of elbow grease and that stuff doesn't want to budge. I have 400, 600, and 800 grit plus some polish /small buffing wheel ready... I might do some of the acid trick for the tough spots and then continue onward. *shrug*

Glad you spotted the noisy wheel bearing before it ...

 ;-T

Rob

Less spotted, more heard/felt.  ;)  ;D Hopefully the bearings and microswitch will be here before too long... but I'm guessing a week or longer.  :-\

"Maybe" another glitch waiting in the wings.. have you made sure that your new bars will actually clear the fairing?  ;D :BEER:

I saw these online before I bought them, I think I'll be ok.  ;-T Plus they are very adjustable...

I'll update you guys soon. I got the stubborn microswitch free from the brake lever. Had to break it more to free it.  ;D

Rather than cloth, you might try cutting a small strip out of an old bicycle tube to install under the switch assembly. It won't hold any moisture and should prevent movement better than cloth.

Wow, that's a good idea. Too bad I don't have bicycles/old tubes.  ??? Maybe I'll think along the lines and see what I can find... something else rubbery, thin, and grippy?

Thanks for all input and comments!

-Joe

[Markcarovilli]

"Wow, that's a good idea. Too bad I don't have bicycles/old tubes.  Huh Maybe I'll think along the lines and see what I can find... something else rubbery, thin, and grippy?"

humm - thinking with my other head.....

Mark

[Unkept]

"Wow, that's a good idea. Too bad I don't have bicycles/old tubes.  Huh Maybe I'll think along the lines and see what I can find... something else rubbery, thin, and grippy?"

humm - thinking with my other head.....

Mark

 ;D

I actually used what you are thinking of on this bike already... to cap off the frame ventilation downtube when flushing out the rusty oil. To fix a Guzzi, you only need a rubber, a hoseclamp, and a copper hammer.
 :BEER:
-Joe

[flangeman_70]

Hi Joe,

Check this out http://www.fuzeblocks.com as an option to extra fuses and relays. I got onto this through this site http://www.pashnit.com/hayabusa-mods-genII.htm
These guys do some serious touring miles and offer some very good and now tested ideas.

Regards,

Adam

[Chuck in Indiana]

;D

I actually used what you are thinking of on this bike already... to cap off the frame ventilation downtube when flushing out the rusty oil. To fix a Guzzi, you only need a rubber, a hoseclamp, and a copper hammer.
 :BEER:
-Joe

You have learned well, grasshopper.. ;D

[Rob Morton]

Congratulations Joe on many jobs well done.
Recently used a push bike inner tube repair to patch a small split in my seat cover.
Also liked your use of the photo film cartridge.
Fantastic for keeping small amounts of things like grease and small spare bulbs in bubble wrap, when on the move.

 :bow

Rob

[Chuck in Indiana]

Hmmm, now WG is getting ads for erectile dysfunction specialists..  ;D :BEER:

[Tom]

Good work Joe.  ;-T  If you don't want the Valtek tensioner I'll buy it off of you.

[Unkept]

Thanks again for the encouraging words all.

Hmmm, now WG is getting ads for erectile dysfunction specialists..  ;D :BEER:

Could be based on search results... *ducking and running*  ;) ;D

Good work Joe.  ;-T  If you don't want the Valtek tensioner I'll buy it off of you.

Thanks Tom! Send me your address and I'll mail it to you. I got it free, you'll get it free. If you want to cover shipping I'll let you know what it costs after I've got it headed to you.

Well guys I tried to do some work on the bike today, but I was tired and not getting anywhere fast. So I used my one day off to relax.  ::) :P Maybe tomorrow after work I'll get more done...

Tuesday I should be getting more parts. It never ends!The upper sump gaskets I mistakenly didn't order, and the front wheel bearings (two different sizes on these, I'll explain more when I post pics), and the broken micro-switch for the brake lever.

-Joe

[Unkept]

Ok guys, got a few things tackled recently.

Firstly, I'd like to show you the different in length between the V11 Sport/LeMans throttle cable... and the Centauro. The fitting are identical and they are a perfect swap if you need some extra length.  :)


I don't know about you guys, but I like to use this stuff...  ;D


Especially in these kinds of places.



My theory is that it will give me smoother throttle on/off, and longer cable life. Probably wrong... *shrug* Seemed like a good idea.

My BAD idea was when I was wrenching on the brake line, I broke the microswitch terminal.

To get that sucker off, was impossible without breaking more stuff. The screw/bolt was so soft it just wanted to strip at the head, and the nut was rust welded on for the most part.


So I cave-manned it off. Notice the ball bearing, don't lose that! It's when is pressed onto the microswitch when you pull in the lever. It will fall out and roll into another dimension if you are not careful...


Good news is the guides for the screws here are NOT threaded, so I'm going to take my pic at a hardware store for a set of screws and nuts. MI had the switch, but not the full kit in stock so I'll improve size a bit.


I also thought I'd tidy away part of the heated grip controller, and give them a test.

Double sided sticky tape.


Tucked away.


It's starting to look more "normal". I hooked up the battery to test the grip. WOW those things get hot.  ;-T


I bought this to help my bleeding procedure.


Still feeling like a dumbass because I can't get the thing to bleed though...  :-[ WTF am I doing wrong? I'll come back to it...

So I decided to work on removing those bearings. Ewww... my first blurry upload.  :D All the tools you need right there.


Using the heat gun, copper hammer, wood to soften the blows, and the slide hammer, I was able to free both bearings fairly easily.




That's a relief, I'll throw the new bearings in the freezer when I get them tomorrow.

The last thing I decided to tackle was the front subframe.

Loctite is starting to run low...  ;D Noticed how I've already scratched my newly repainted subframe? Don't wanna talk about it!  :D


Got to loctite the monster bolts which hold the damn thing on!


The "short" bolts for the subframe go up top, the fatter longer bolts connect the lower half to the timing cover. Coming together now...Wooooo


oooooooOOOOO! I decided to hook up a few pieces, I'll have to connect all the connections though... so I'll dig into this again later. Just wanted to get some things "bolted up" to feel good about it.  ;D


That's all for now folks. I should get more stuff tomorrow, and I was hoping to get some tiny bits of painting done... but it's been raining and humid on and off all week.  :-\

Maybe I'll actually get the clutch bled. Install the wiring bits. Start putting the fairing back together? Dreamin' Big!

Hope you are all enjoying.

-Joe

[dl.allen]

Awesome job!

Where did you get those bars?  Do you need to lengthen cables and hoses to use them?  Sorry if you explained already!

Thanks

[EvanM]

Looking good!
Looks like you will have it ready for the national, at which I hope to see it/ meet the owner!

[Tom]

Awesome job!

Where did you get those bars?  Do you need to lengthen cables and hoses to use them?  Sorry if you explained already!

Thanks

He did.  I forget what page of the thread.. :D

[Tom]

Joe....you should have it up and running for the National next month.  Wish I could be there.  Elkader is a fun rally.  ;-T

[tris]

Loctite is starting to run low...  ;D Noticed how I've already scratched my newly repainted subframe? Don't wanna talk about it!  :D


Got to loctite the monster bolts which hold the damn thing on!


The "short" bolts for the subframe go up top, the fatter longer bolts connect the lower half to the timing cover. Coming together now...Wooooo

There's no danger of them there bolts coming out and I can see why you're running short of Loctite  ;D

Joking aside - you're doing a grand job  ;-T

[Chuck in Indiana]

You are wasting thread locker, Grasshopper.. (Guzzi content) The amount on the end of the lowest bolt in your picture is about right. That stuff's expensive.  ;)
On the clutch bleed.. you may have better luck with a re-purposed turkey baster and pressure bleed it.

[Unkept]

Awesome job!

Where did you get those bars?  Do you need to lengthen cables and hoses to use them?  Sorry if you explained already!

Thanks

Thank you, I bought the bars "used" but unused from a guy on the V11LeMans board. I don't think anybody would bite at his asking price of $225 or so.... I offered $175 shipped and he took it.  ;D

Honestly I don't think you "need" to lengthen the cables and hoses to use them. But I wanted to replace the throttle cable from age anyway, and the clutch hose and brake hoses aren't that expensive.

You can use the Ballabio/Cafe Sport, etc. clutch hose and brake hose for increased length, and the Centauro throttle cable. On the later V11's a return throttle line was used, and the fittings are different.

I should have free range of motion with the extended hoses and throttle cable, which is a nice feature. With the stock lines, you'll be getting close to stretching and that is something I wanted to avoid.

Looking good!
Looks like you will have it ready for the national, at which I hope to see it/ meet the owner!

That's a LONG trip, I'd be humbled to meet someone who rode from Edmonton to Iowa.  ;-T My wife has a dream job up there, I hope to meet you and ask about life in Edmonton.  :)

He did.  I forget what page of the thread.. :D

It is becoming a novel of sorts.  ;D

Joe....you should have it up and running for the National next month.  Wish I could be there Elkader is a fun rally.  ;-T

Thanks, it should be done soon enough! At least as done as it will be for this year.  :D Wish you could make it Tom, I wanted to introduce you to my wife Lindsey and chat. Next year?

There's no danger of them there bolts coming out and I can see why you're running short of Loctite  ;D

Joking aside - you're doing a grand job  ;-T

Yeah, sometimes the bottle just pukes out the blue stuff. Had too much fun in the garage last night.  ;)

You are wasting thread locker, Grasshopper.. (Guzzi content) The amount on the end of the lowest bolt in your picture is about right. That stuff's expensive.  ;)
On the clutch bleed.. you may have better luck with a re-purposed turkey baster and pressure bleed it.

I know, I know... I'm still learning Sensei.  ;-T Thanks for the tip on the turkey baster/pressure bleed. I'll have to figure something out.

Back to work, talk to you all soon.

-Joe

[Chuck in Indiana]

If you want to be OCD on using the thread locker, wire brush the rust/corrosion, and clean with solvent before applying a small  ;D amount.
You're moving along.. attaboy.
Sorry, I used the wrong term.. turkey injector..

[Tom]

Since you won't be working on your bike at the National.  You can do some of the fun stuff.  Parade, visit the Field of Dreams, National Motorcycle Museum,  Gunder burger, St. Olaf pork tenderloin sandwich.  etc.  ;-T

[Unkept]

Since you won't be working on your bike at the National.  You can do some of the fun stuff.  Parade, visit the Field of Dreams, National Motorcycle Museum,  Gunder burger, St. Olaf pork tenderloin sandwich.  etc.  ;-T

What is this... fun you speak of?  ;)  ;D

Well not a huge update, but an update nonetheless! When I came home from work today I passed out and napped on accident for around four hours... but when I woke up I said "bike time" and got to work.

These pictures I took with my new cell phone. They aren't the best, but I wanted to test it out! I'm sure in full daylight it would take great photos.

Thought I'd drop in the new spark plugs I received. I put a tiny (I swear) glob of anti-seize on the threads first.



I didn't like how one cap looked old, and the other new. So I installed a new cap on the other side, saving it for emergencies.



Looking at this jumble was almost enough to make me want to switch to points and carbs!  ;)


I scavenged some old electrical stuff laying around and make a ground cable from the regulator to the alternator cover. It's a recommended idea to increase the grounding ability of the regulator... less melting wiring and stuff.



Now that all of the cables are connected, not yet zip tied though, I thought it was time for the oil cooler to return.

I put two new little o-rings on the bottom terminals. I think the old ones disintegrated... couldn't find them anywhere.



Installing the oil cooler/radiator, on the LeMans there is a fairing bracket to install with the unit. It's allows the fairing to have another anchor point between the valve covers and the front fairing framework.


Getting there! I have new bearings to install for the front wheel. I'm guessing that Sunday will be my next big Guzzi project day...


Oh yeah, and I took this photo for another thread in which I was mentioned.  ;-T


Microswitch is on the way too... hope you are all enjoying.
-Joe