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Cams showing heat damage on the nose circle. Mayo in evidence in covers. S'bin a cold winter, even in Wagga! Pete
Cams:LeftRight
What a PITA. When did it become so difficult to build a working cam and tappets? It's not like the engine runs at 15k rpm.
Got round to rollerising Mark's bike yesterday.OK, what to do? Well, to pull the camboxes and inspect takes about two hours. That will cost you whatever your shop's hourly rate is. If the tappets are found to be compromised then a warranty claim can be put in train. I would certainly recommend that anybody with a flat tappet bike that is still within the two year warranty period pay for the inspection as it will then be fully covered if there is found to be anything wrong. Outside of that period? Well, it's up to you but if you do wait until something happens and you don't catch it in time you may well be up for a lot more than the labour for a kit install. I'd still pay for the inspection.Pete
****OK, what to do? Well, to pull the camboxes and inspect takes about two hours. That will cost you whatever your shop's hourly rate is. If the tappets are found to be compromised then a warranty claim can be put in train. I would certainly recommend that anybody with a flat tappet bike that is still within the two year warranty period pay for the inspection as it will then be fully covered if there is found to be anything wrong. Outside of that period? Well, it's up to you but if you do wait until something happens and you don't catch it in time you may well be up for a lot more than the labour for a kit install. I'd still pay for the inspection.Apart from C and D kit bikes which will need the heads off to shim the valve springs the actual install shouldn't cost a lot. Obviously it will depend on what model, a Norge for instance will cost more than a Griso A and B kit bikes will be comparatively inexpensive if caught early. Rollerising Mark's G8 took about three hours, including remapping and TB balancing. A lot cheaper than waiting for frag to be fed through the whole engine.Pete
And if the inspection shows that the tappets and cam are NOT grenaded yet?You're still Donald Ducked, because now YOU have to pay for the upgrade kit. not Guzzi .... ****Screw it, I'll shut up now. I gave "I'm not the problem any more" a good try. Lannis
OK, I am no doubt missing something, but why do you read what Pete posted as a preventive measure as meaning "now YOU have to pay for the upgrade kit. not Guzzi ...."Bill (who also has a hangover from Mandello mead)
I'm still wondering why this tappet problem seems to only happen on Stelvios. It's the same 8V engine that is used in the Norge and Griso...apart from the huge oil cooler on the NTX. Can anyone point out any other differences? Scratching my head on this one.Peter Y.
Ok, for those of us still riding around on 40 year old relics, are there 8V bikes that don't have flat tappets? If so what years? I would like to get a newer Guzzi but would like to know which ones to avoid.Pete
Mid 2012 all production swapped to roller top end. That is over three years ago and I haven't heard of a roller failure yet. That won't of course stop people wishing ill on anything built after 1980.It would be a lot easier for me and anybody else who actually cares about Guzzi to just shut up and say nothing. I knew when I said what I did that I'd be able to hear the wailing and rending of garments from some people in the northern hemisphere from here. What both amuses me and pisses me off is that while this is by no means a minor issue it is no different to ones affecting many other manufacturers, it's just that there seems to be a higher quotient of needy whiners in the Guzzi ownership demographic. Honda had shocking problems with cams for over a decade. Honda are still going strong. That's just one very closely paralleled example.At the end of the day I just want people aware of a potential problem. I care not a jot what people say or do about it. I personally think the 8V is a fantastic engine and while this problem is a pisser and I don't think the company management is addressing the problem in a particularly ethical way it's certainly not going to put me off riding and owning the most enjoyable motorcycle I've ever had the good fortune to fling a leg over. You want to shoot the messenger? Go ahead. Strikes me a particularly foolish though.Pete
it's like building better deck chairs on the Titanic because the parts that Triumph figured out how to make right in 1937 don't work any more ....
My mid year 2012 Stelvio NTX now has 40K on the clock. It is getting ready to puke another clutch and now I read this. I am sure that if I have flat tappets I am pretty much screwed. I have come to the conclusion that owning a bike with character pretty much means you have got to work on the SOB all the time. I am ready for the just ride the bike experience..... and then change oil and tires....... and ride it some more.
Pete,Really, don't flatter yourself thinking I was asking you a question as I would have addressed you personally like "hey Vasco" or similar if I was. Also' your responses to my inquiries have been somewhat less than civil in the past so I tried not to provoke you with a direct query. I see I failed. I acknowledge your knowledge of Guzzi but was throwing this out there to the general population and not specifically to you. You know, looking for other opinions, even yours. I've owned Guzzis for many years, and have always done my own work, my first an Ambassador in 1975. I'll not let anyone intimidate me from crowing out loud about my love of the brand. May I suggest you just hit the ignore button and be done with me?Best, PeterPSScientific method relies on peer review of ones findings.