Another question about '98 V11 EV

[bdmitche]

Hi,
I'm a new goose on wildguzzi.com
I've been riding MG for years, just never had any issues to speak of.
However I do have one now and would really appreciate your input and guidance.
Question is about my '98 V11 EV.
Bought this bike in Colorado Springs about a year and a half ago.
Traded in at a local motorcycle shop. Very clean, low miles, good condition.
Here's the problem: 
Bike cranks up just fine, but none of the dash lights are on and headlight is not on.
I noticed the #4 fuse (15a) was burned out. I installed a new one, turned on the key, everything works, all dash lights, headlight. 
As soon as I hit the starter button, cranks right up, but all the lights are off and new fuse is now blown.
Not sure where to start on researching this. A friend at work thought maybe the starter relay?
I read another very detailed post on wildguzzi from a guy with this same motorcycle, with an electrical system issue - bike dies intermittently.
Has to be extremely frustrating.
Mine seems to run just fine, it's just not having a headlight and instrument lights not working.
This motorcycles is very comfortable, runs strong and is a blast to ride.
I would really like to get this problem fixed.
I also have a '79 V1000 G5, haven't ridden in a few years.
I guess I like older bikes ?
One problem is the '79 is too old for the MG Dealer in Denver to work on. The '98 is also too old.
So...not too many options for repairs. I am a pretty good mechanic from years of riding all kinds of motorcycles. (And trying to keep them running!)
Anyway I would really appreciate your advice and suggestions.
Thanks,
bdmitche (AKA Bill) 

[Kiwi_Roy]

Here is a simple sketch



And here is Carl's drawing
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/1998_EV.gif

What I normally do when faced with an intermittent short circuit is taken a headlight bulb and solder on a couple of wires, these you stuff into the fuse holder.
The bulb will supply enough current to power up the circuit even if it's not fully on then start wiggling wires. Eventually you find something that is shorting out but now you don't blow fuses you just get a flash of the bulb when it shorts to chassis, you soon zoom in on the sensitive part.

Note: F4 is supplied by the green wire from the ignition switch it says Park lights and indicators, I would look around the rear end first, may be a wire shorting where it runs through the fender to the tail light (park light)
See how the wire from fuse 4 goes to the RH switch, I think your bike probably has a jumper from A to C of connector (40) where it becomes Yellow feeding the tail light and also the panel lights for speedo and Tack as well as the front City Light or park bulb.

[bmc5733946]

In the housings for tach and speedometer if one of the instrument illumination bulb holders falls out of an instrument the hot wire tab can contact the "chrome" of the plastic housing thereby finding ground and popping that fuse. I won't tell you how long it took to find that. You would think that plastic wouldn't cause a short but the plating used is conductive. It was so intermittant that finding it was problematic, yours should be easier. The bulb to carry current is a goob idea, I've used many times.

Brian

[bdmitche]

Hi Kiwi & bmc,
Thank you for your responses to my post.
Due to work I've just now had time to do some more work on this electrical issue.
Please let me share my updates with you.
First the problem I have is not really intermittent, it is very constant and usual.
What I had found was that with new 15A fuse in the # 4 slot, turn on key, headlight & instrument lights all on, as soon as I hit the starter button, bike cranks instantly, but headlights/instrument lights all go off and fuse is blown.
Discussed with a co-worker, this is what he mentioned - did my bike have fuel injection? Yes it does. Russ asked me if when I turned on key could I hear the fuel pump running. Yes. Then was I waiting until the pump met pressure and stopped BEFORE I hit the starter button. No, I didn't know you were supposed to do this. (this is the first motorcycle I have owned with fuel injection and I really like classic motorcycles)
Ah but now I am learning new things!
So installed new fuse, pull up side stand, turn on the key, wait until the fuel pump stops, hit the starter, all lights/headlight on, N (green) is on, click high beam, blue light comes on, low fuel light lit. Okay all is looking good!
Then I pull in clutch lever, all lights go out again!
So I guess I'm narrowing things down a little, 
Does this get me to a new avenue to go down?
Any advise, guidance would really, really be appreciated!
This is a great motorcycle with so many features, runs and rides great.
I just have to get this fixed. 

I thought I was soooo close to having this issue resolved!
Like one of you said in your profile - Moto Guzzi making Electricians out of Riders since... - too funny! Kind of! But certainly true.

Thanks,

Bill





 

[pehayes]

This comment won't solve your problem, just a clarification.
Yes, you have fuel injection.
Yes, the pump activates when you turn on the key.
No, the system does NOT wait for the fuel pressure to build.
That fuel delivery for injection pressure develops almost instantaneously. The fuel pump is set to run by a "TIME" circuit in the computer.  It would run the pump for the same number of seconds even if no fuel was available.  The pump begins to run constantly as soon as rpm is detected.

Won't hurt either way, but you shouldn't have to wait for the pump to stop before pressing the start button.  The circuits, relays, and fuses can handle the double load.  Shouldn't be any risk of fuse blowing.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[pehayes]

So installed new fuse, pull up side stand, turn on the key, wait until the fuel pump stops, hit the starter, all lights/headlight on, N (green) is on, click high beam, blue light comes on, low fuel light lit. Okay all is looking good!
Then I pull in clutch lever, all lights go out again!

Not clear.  In the above sentences have you actually started the motorbike?  I think not.  Also not clear, after you pulled the clutch lever and lights went out did you examine the fuses?  Have you now blown the fuse again?

As long as the neutral light is on, you should be able to start the bike WITHOUT pulling the clutch handle.  You will need to be up on the centerstand.  You will have to pull up the sidestand.  After putting in yet another new fuse, see if you can start without pulling the clutch.  Report back.  Do all the lighting circuits remain active now?  If so, pull in the clutch and see if that blows the fuse while the engine is running.

You might consider disconnecting the sidestand safety just for test purposes.  A lot of people leave this circuit permanently disconnected.  I've been launched on old bikes by sidestand errors so I leave the circuit connected on both of my 98's.  But try some testing with that item disconnected and out of the circuit.  The switch is at the top of the sidestand under a chrome cover.  Follow the wire up to the steering head.  Remove the left side steering head chrome cover and you should find a plug for the sidestand wire.  Just disconnect and leave it so for now.  Do more testing and report back.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Kiwi_Roy]

This is a bit of a puzzle, the drawing doesn't show a switch on the clutch lever.
Patrick, I seem to recall there is an interlock on the clutch but maybe I have my models mixed.

Which fuse is blowing, counting from the rear of bike?

[pehayes]

Then I pull in clutch lever, all lights go out again!

Sorry, I misread earlier.  So you are able to start and run the bike.  But the clutch lever causes the failure and fuse blow.

Odd.  There is nothing mechanical in the clutch lever or cable routing which involves electrical circuits.  It is all purely mechanical.  It is possible that pulling the clutch is mechanically moving the cable housing and somewhere it is causing  a nearby wire abrasion and temporary short circuit.

Look carefully at your clutch lever and its nearby electrical switch housing for lights and blinkers.  On the hidden front side of that electrical housing is a tiny mechanical lever used to 'flash' the high beam for passing purposes.  If the clutch handle or switch housing are not aligned and secured properly then it is possible for the clutch hand lever to impact the passing switch.  Could that interference be a source of a bad grounding?

Test by using a new fuse (again).  Starting the bike.  Then VERY slowly pull the clutch lever.  When does the clutch lever action kill the lighting circuits?  Somewhere during the arc of motion?  Or only at the very end when the lever makes bottoming contact with the switch housing?  Report back.  This might be an indicator that your handlebar grounding circuit is interrupted.  The electrons are now trying to go to ground through the clutch lever when it bumps into the switch housing.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[pehayes]

This is a bit of a puzzle, the drawing doesn't show a switch on the clutch lever.
Patrick, I seem to recall there is an interlock on the clutch but maybe I have my models mixed.

There is no electrical switching function at either the hand lever or the transmission end of the clutch cable.  Some old loopframes had a clutch switch built into clutch cable.  Not so on the 98 EV.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[pehayes]

I'm starting to think about a bogus grounding.
The handlebars and forks carry a bunch of electrical functions.  Somehow, those circuits have to go back to ground.  The front end is electrically isolated from the rest of the bike because of the bearings and grease (ha ha) in the steering head.  There has to be some direct, flexible grounding cable within the wire harness so as to securely ground the front end to the rest of the frame.  I suspect that grounding wire is broken, corroded, or compromised in some other way.  I suspect that pulling the clutch lever back against the handlebar causes the system to run electrons backwards and short circuit through the clutch cable housing.

Or, there is a short within the electrical gang switch on the left handlebar.  That short isn't going to ground until the clutch lever touches the housing.

Maybe take a length of stout wire and create a temporary grounding wire.  Attach to some bolt on the forks and the other end to some bolt on the engine or frame.  Any change in the fault?

Time to remove the left side gang switch from the handlebar.  It splits in half.  Clutch perch and lever can stay.  Inspect for loose wires, shorts, bad grounding?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Kiwi_Roy]

I'm starting to think about a bogus grounding.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

That make sense to me, it sure would be nice to know which fuse blew.
Oops he did tell us #4 Lights.

[s1120]

Check the clutch cable path. Maybe the slight movement of the cable when you work the clutch is causing a chaffed wire to short out somewhere along the path.

[ejs]

Something wrong with the headlight relay ???

[ejs]

[Kiwi_Roy]

Thanks EJS for the page from manual.

It seems like the bike has an intermittent short circuit, these can be a little tricky to find sometimes, you don't want to blow 100 fuses while looking.

Bill,
Heres an old Sparkies trick.
Take an old headlight bulb and wire it to one of your blown fuses, I sometimes wire it so both filaments are in parallel to provide more current
Plug this into the Fuse 4 slot, it will power up the circuit, in this case the lamp will probably light up around 50% brightness.
Now go around the wiring wiggling everything, hopefully you will come to something that causes the short, it will make your headlight fuse flash each time you create the short and you will soon zoom in on the cause.

The tail-light area is a good place to start looking, quite often the wire chafes through where it goes through a fender.
Someone mentioned the Speedo / Tachometer light fittings can short to chassis.

Good luck

[bdmitche]

First I want to say wow you guys are awesome! Getting this kind of input is great. The issues with the V11 EV were really starting to wear on me. You guys have combined a lot of experience! Plus the Guzzi shops aren't much help with the older bikes, as they are dealing with new ones. (that would be a nice problem to have)   
Let me give you an update. Very interesting!
Patrick you are onto something.
I made sure the new battery installed a week ago is fully charged. I replaced the # 4 fuse. Turned key on, everything is working. On the bike, sidestand is up, kill switch turned off. Fuel pump is running. (a secondary question about the sound the fuel pump makes is very strange - maybe that's the way they sound. Hard to describe)
Hit the starter switch, bike cranks up instantly. Rev it up a little, Tach is working fine. (:)) It wasn't working when that fuse was blown.
Now to pull in the clutch lever, as you suggested, very slowly, nothing happens still running fine, all lights on.
I killed it and restarted it. By the way Russ, my friend from work came by and is giving a hand.
So now I pull the clutch lever in quickly and the lights all go out, bike is stilling running, tach is not working.
Russ observed the clutch lever pulled in all the way comes to rest up against the small lever that operates the high beam/low beam flasher.
I honestly didn't know that switch was there! Had never noticed it. (Russ told me to read the owner's manual. Duh! Good idea)
Killed bike, installed new # 4 fuse (15A), cranked bike back up and Russ pushed the small lever, gently at first then with a little more force, yes the lights all went out, fuse blown again.
We made adjustments to the position of the clutch lever, moving it down to where it can't make contact with the suspect lever. Also adjusted the right hand brake lever lower as well so they are in identical position. This may be of interest - once cranked, the low fuel yellow light is on. I rode down to the Sinclair Station and filled up. The low fuel light is still on.
So next weekend I will get out and ride some. Not sure if I should try to disable the Hi/Lo beam flasher or just leave as is. Not sure if the low fuel light being on is a concern. I would like to make sure nothing is drawing power down on the battery.
Getting late now and I have to get ready for work but I feel like we have really accomplished a lot in narrowing the issue down. 
I have the battery tender on the bike now and will update you after I have ridden for a while.
Thank you guys for your support,

Bill

[pehayes]

Fuel pump is running. (a secondary question about the sound the fuel pump makes is very strange - maybe that's the way they sound. Hard to describe)
...

This may be of interest - once cranked, the low fuel yellow light is on. I rode down to the Sinclair Station and filled up. The low fuel light is still on.

OK, so we seem to have narrowed the fuse blow issue.  Re-aligning the clutch lever is a good idea, temporarily.  Eventually you will need or want that 'flasher' switch to operate without killing things.  I would say you just need to gently disassemble the switch and find out what is short circuiting behind that tiny lever.  Solve that and you're done.

News is NOT so good about  the fuel light.  BTW, if pressed, I can ride gently and get 50 miles on my light.  It is very (perhaps overly) conservative on fuel range warning.  That said, your light is on all the time and thus of no use.

Have you removed the tank on this bike yourself?  Did the prior owner remove the tank?

Fie on Guzzi for doing this.  On the left rear of the tank there are two electrical connectors.  One operates the electric petcock and carries 12 volts and a LOT of amperage.  It is binary.  Turn on the key and the circuit energizes and opens the petcock.    The OTHER circuit operates the fuel level detection float and carries a 5 volt signal to the computer.  That voltage varies by temperature inside  your tank.  Submerged, the sensor stays cold and the light stays off.  Drain the tank, the sensor heats up for lack of cooling and the light comes on.

BOTH circuits use IDENTICAL connectors just a few inches apart.  It is OH SO EASY to errantly swap these two connections on reassembly.  Guess what a full 12v whack does to the guts of that fuel level sensor?  In their infinite wisdom, Guzzi took one of the connector pairs and put a short piece of red, heat-shrink tubing around the wires.  But, not right directly at the connectors!  Perhaps a few cm upstream on the wire bundle.  DOH!  Quite a few people have written in to this board complaining of exactly this same problem.  You can replace the sensor.  Some brilliant technicians can actually repair the sensor.

I suspect someone has previously removed the fuel tank and inadvertently swapped the connectors on reassembly and fried your sensor.  I may be wrong, but I think the fried sensor results in a light always ON rather than a light that never comes on.  Someone else will have to report in to confirm that.

Now, as to your fuel pump issue, we need to hear more.  Can you make a short YouTube video including the sound?  Does yours sound VERY loud and emits a growling, straining sound?  I have heard of some bikes with a broken wire at the fuel petcock.  Since it never opens, the pump has to strain like crazy and it can literally force suck fuel through the closed petcock.  Much louder and much more strained than a normal, near-quiet pump.  You can just barely hear the pump spin up when you turn on the key but it is not loud enough to hear once the mechanical engine is running.

Is it possible that your two fuel tank electrical circuits are STILL cross-installed?  Firstly that fries the level sensor, but secondly it can't possibly power the petcock to open.  So, could your excessive noise be an indicator of the fuel pump sucking like crazy to overcome the closed petcock due to the crossed wire issue?  Easy enough to inspect.  Remove the rear center bolt holding the tank.  Lift gently and fish out the wire bundles from the left rear side.  Find the hideous factory installed red bands on the wire bundles.  Obviously red goes to red.  What did you find?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Kiwi_Roy]

I think Patrick pretty much nailed the problem.

The Low Fuel light is on because the petcock is plugged in where the sensor is supposed to be.
The pump makes a lot of racket trying to suck fuel through the closed petcock.
Hopefully the fuel level sensor is still ok but I never had any luck with that, the one on my EV was burnt out.

If you look at my sketch in reply #1 the petcock fuse is F1, with the key turned On if you pull the fuse you will hear the petcock click as you put it back.
While talking petcock, two small wires come out the bottom, they can quite easily snap off where they come out of the body so strap them to the body with a ty-wrap.

Measure the resistance of the fuel level sensor, I think it should be in the 1000 - 2000 Ohms range, if it reads open its toast.

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/1998_EV.gif
If you look at the switch near the bottom your problem is with the "Pass" switch this might be in the switch itself or could be a short in the High beam or the High beam idiot light.
I had a problem with the latter when I tried to upgrade the lamps, the contacts shorted out the base.

Happy Hunting
Roy

[Chuck in Indiana]

I think the fried sensor results in a light always ON rather than a light that never comes on. 

No, a fried sensor results in the light never coming on. The OP *may* be ok yet, if the light is still working.
To the OP.
The low fuel light is triggered by a thermistor. That is, as long as the fuel is keeping it cool, it turns the light off. As the fuel gets lower in the tank, the resistance changes, and the low fuel light begins to glow as the thermistor warms up. This is all well and good *unless* the connections are reversed between the electric fuel tap and low fuel sensor. It will burn out in short order if the fuel gets low, then.
You will probably find a narrow band of red on one end of the plugs. The two plugs with the red band are the ones that need to be plugged together.

[pehayes]

Bump back to the top.
Please report back. What happened here?  We suspected that petcock and fuel level wire bundles were cross-installed.  Should only take 5 minutes to verify that.  Results?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont C

[bdmitche]

Good evening. Sorry for the delay in responding. (work wife kids dog to vet, etc. just sayin')
Sat morning I examined the two wires at rear of tank. I pulled one, turned on key, low fuel lamp was off. Plugged back in and it is back on. (tank is pretty much full)
Unplugged the other, turned on key and fuel pump did not start running. I did notice the red bank on one wire.
As for the noise the fuel pump makes, Patrick you are correct on the noise. When I turn on key, fuel pump is very loud and emits a growling whining straining noise that somewhat varies in pitch, volume. Next Saturday I plan on making the video you suggested.
(side note, when Russ was over last weekend and heard the fuel pump, he said it sounded bad. That it should be barely noticeable when running)
Next I took the Guzzi out for a ride late Saturday morning. Same as usual, lights are all working fine (ex the low fuel of course), fuel pump makes its noise, then shuts off. The bike running really, really well. I rode for maybe an hour. Met Russ at the new Indian Motorcycle Shop's grand opening, checked it out then we rode to a place to have lunch. After lunch we headed back towards my house. A couple of miles down the road my bike dies, slow kind of like it was running out of gas. (which I guess it was) Russ stopped up ahead then came back to see what was up.
I could crank the engine, it would idle, I could turn the throttle a little, rev up a little then die. Tried this several times. Moved bike off on side street. Russ when to his house for truck and trailer to help me get it home. Russ is a pretty darn good friend. It takes him a while. I unplugged the wire from tank that controls fuel pump, plugged it back in. When he gets back I try cranking it again and this time fuel pump does not shut off, but continues to run, but the engine keeps running. So I ride it the maybe 5 or 6 miles home on back streets taking it very easy. Get it home
in drive and kill it. Russ followed to make sure I got home. (thank you, not a motorcycle I would want to push very far)
I was able to crank it right up, but fuel pump running non-stop which can't be good.
Parked in garage. I got online and saw MG Cycle has a replacement fuel pump, described as plug and play, not the oem but a good pump for considerably less that factory. I like to use factory anything on my motorcycles, cars, etc, but this might be good deal for the pump. I wondered what you guys would think about that?  Also saw the fuel level sensor, not too expensive. Next weekend I would like to pull the tank as you recommended and check it out closer. I haven't tried switching the two wires, but at this point it might be good to try that. Also I noticed the red band on the one of the wires going to the tank, but didn't notice whether or not there is a matching band on the other connector wire going into the tank. The wires were pretty easy to access from the left hand side.
This is the first motorcycle I've owned that's fuel injected. (I like older, vintage, classic bikes?) The fuel pump looks easy enough to change out along with the fuel sensor.
If that would fix these new issues that would be great. I think Patrick is right about my disassembling the left hand clutch lever mount to examine the small switch that flashes the lights. I don't particularly like having things "not fixed" on anything I own. Especially on things that might leave one stranded.
Again sorry for delay in response. I appreciate your help and input as you guys seem to know a LOT more that I do about these quirks on the Guzzis. I hope these are all that needs to be addressed to get me on the road for some nice riding.
Thanks and I look forward to you ideas.
Have a great evening!
Bill

[pehayes]

Bill: Thanks for that lengthy reply.  You've done some good diagnostics but not complete as yet.

I really do think that your tank wires are crossed and hooked up backwards.  Please persist to find both sets of wires and verify they are connected properly and not crossed.

First, the really loud growling of the fuel pump is so classic of a non operating electric petcock.  And the petcock wont open with the wrong wires connected.

Second, I'm glad you found the red band on one wire.  See how it is not directly at the connector?  It is absolutely imperative that you find the mating red band on the other end of the wire connector.  I suspect you won't and will in fact find it on the other wire bundle.  The pair of wires with the red bands will be the 12 volt power and ground for the electric petcock.  You have to find red bands on both sides of the plug in connector; one band on the wire pigtail for the petcock and the other band on the wire harness coming from the frame.  There is a snap connector and the wire bands are on either side of the connector.  The bundle of wires without any red band will operate the low level sensor.

Third, neither of these wires runs the fuel pump or has any direct connection with the pump.  One wire bundle runs the electric petcock. The other wire bundle runs the low level sensor.  The computer is in charge of driving the fuel pump.  If you disconnect these wires, the computer senses this and refuses to activate the pump.  So, an intermediate step and not a direct connection.

Fourth, I'm not clear on what you mean by the fuel pump running continuously.  When you first turn on the key, the computer sends a voltage signal to the fuel pump to run it for 3 to 5 seconds.  That burst merely pressurizes the fuel lines at the injectors and they are now ready to deliver fuel when you press the starter.  If you just wait, the fuel pump will shut off after this 3-5 period.  Wait as long as you wish, the pump will not energize again.  As soon as you press the starter button and start rotating the engine, the computer gets an rpm signal and uses that to again tell the pump to activate and deliver fuel.  As long as the engine is rotating, the fuel pump will run and circulate fuel just the same as your pet fish aquarium tank.  Most of us would not hear the continuously running pump over the sounds of the engine.  In your case (likely because of the crossed wires) your noisy fuel pump can still be heard when the engine is running.  Fine.  It is supposed to run with the engine.  It is not an on-off-on-off-on-off pump.  It is simple binary. Run the engine and the pump runs.  Stop the engine and the pump stops.  Let us know if you hear something different.

Fifth, we will discuss later if your fuel pump is in jeopardy of failure.  You think so because it is noisy.  I think not.  I think the noise and the fact that you can drive the bike are indicative of a good strong pump capable of sucking through the closed petcock.  Solve that and you should have a viable and quiet pump.

Looking forward to solving this.  I think you are close and I think the resolution is going to be easier, quicker, and cheaper than you think.

I clipped this pic off the Internet.  This is what your electric petcock looks like.  Note the red band NEAR but not AT the connector end of the wire.  There will be an identical red band on the other side of the connector where this unit plugs into your frame wire harness.  RED-RED.  If not, you have trouble.






Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Kiwi_Roy]

As Patrick says the pump is straining against a closed valve

https://i.ibb.co/3ckBgZP/Screenshot-2019-09-09-00-02-21-990.jpg
With the key On (engine not running) if you pull fuse 1 you should hear the petcock drop out and go click again as it opens when you put it back.

Your bike will not be a reliable runner until you sort that out.

[Vagrant]

Patrick is right on. I bought a used 2001 EV with 10000 miles on it. ran great until 85-90 degrees then it vapor locked. I ran it by Wayne's house he turned on the key and said I don't hear the fuel valve clicking open. turns out there was no fuse in the holder. delivered by the factory that way or screwed up by a previous owner (there were 2 of them) I don't know but a fuse solved all the problems. so go out and see if you hear the click of it opening.

[Chuck in Indiana]

^^^^ if you are as deaf as I am, you can feel the fuel valve open by putting a finger on it.
If it's not, it will eventually burn up the expen$ive fuel pump.
If the wires are crossed to the low fuel sensor and fuel valve, it will burn up the relatively expen$ive fuel sensor as soon as the fuel gets low.
This isn't rocket science. Quit riding it until this is sorted out.

[bdmitche]

Patrick, Kiwi_Roy, Vagrant & Chuck,
Wow this is sounding much better!
I should be able to check those wires Saturday morning in short order.
Your instructions don't sound like this will be too complicated.
*Carefully check the two bundles of wires at the left rear of tank.
Make sure it is red to red on the one bundle, then the other bundle should also be correct.
Am I following you correctly?
So that may be what the problem is.
As one of you mentioned earlier, someone pulling off the tank without paying attention could have gotten the wires crossed.
If they did would that necessarily do some damage to either the fuel pump, electronic petcock or the fuel level sensor?
If not, as you said Patrick, this repair might be much less complicated, expensive and involved than what I was thinking.
This is awesome news. Now I have a game plan for my next investigation, not just flying blind.
Thank you guys so much. I will report back on Saturday unless it can get to it one evening after work.
Either way I will let you know.
Thanks again and have a nice evening,

Bill 

[Kiwi_Roy]

As Chuck says if the fuel level sensor was crossed with the petcock it will have 12 Volts across it, this is ok as long as the tank is full but as soon as the level drops below the sensor it will overheat and burn out.
Normally the lamp will limit the current to about 100 milliamps so it cannot get too hot but direct on 12 Volts if dry the sensor will get white hot in seconds.

Measure the resistance between the two wires of the sensor and report back.

 

[bdmitche]

Kiwi_Roy,
I have a digital voltmeter, but you might have to explain exactly how I would check this.
If you don't mind. One thing I am not is an electrician.
Tomorrow evening I will bring the meter into the living room where I can sit down and read the manual.
I have used the meter primarily to check my batteries, which it works great for.
I have noticed the manual shows a LOT more stuff you can do with it, I'm just not that familiar.
But you guys are teaching me some good things to know!!

Thanks!

Bill

[pehayes]

*Carefully check the two bundles of wires at the left rear of tank.
Make sure it is red to red on the one bundle, then the other bundle should also be correct.
Am I following you correctly?

Precisely.  Pretty much a binary function.  As I wrote earlier, FIE on Guzzi for doing something so stupid as to utilize and place identical plug connectors so close to each other when they provide such vastly different functions.  All they had to do was REVERSE or INVERT one pair of the connectors and then the casual user couldn't possibly cross connect.  Could also use two different designs of connectors.

Hopefully you haven't yet damaged the level sensor.  Even so,  you could live with that broken for awhile and just use the trip odometer to watch your mileage.  Since you can get the bike to run, I doubt you have yet damaged the fuel pump.

Waiting for further reports.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[DougG]

Hi guys,                                                                                                                            9-18-19

This thread has been a fascinating read.  I do not have this bike, but I'm learning a lot about it and MG in general by way of your highly focused observations and relevant experience.  Keep it up and please include the final fix.  I'm sure you will run it down. 

Be well,
DougG (interested bystander)