Ok, riddle me this..

[acogoff]

     As you probably have run into this over the years - the female crimp on terminals tend to turn brittle and crack with age -vibration. Easy enough to check the ones that hook up to your coils.

[jwinwi]

VHBs or PHFs?
PHFs have a two piece, telescopic float needle which can get stuck in the'extended' position and shut off fuel flow when the bowl isn't full...
Only shows itself under heavy throttle application.   

[jwinwi]

VHBs or PHFs?
PHFs have a two piece, telescopic float needle which can get stuck in the'extended' position and shut off fuel flow when the bowl isn't full...
Only shows itself under heavy throttle application.   

A 79 would have VHBs. My bad.

[Unkept]

This is really why you buy Guzzi Chuck, to keep the brain stimulated. 

[Rolf Halvorsen]

I believe that defect condensers (1 or both) will cause the engine to run at low rpm - and almost impossible to get high rpm's.

And use correct condensers. In my case some mecanics used condensers for the small engine, without luck. When I replaced them with correct condensers - the problem went away.

It is easy to check that a condenser is ok. Use an Ohm-meter. The condenser should have high resistance.

Rolf

[jcctx]

I would suspect some moisture in the wrong place~~dried out overnight!!!!!

[Chuck in Indiana]

Many of the answers after this morning's post have seemingly forgotten that it ran *fine* this morning. Both cold and hot.
FWIW, no air box, it has K&Ns. <still scratching head>

I believe that defect condensers (1 or both) will cause the engine to run at low rpm - and almost impossible to get high rpm's.

Thanks for that.. but.. it *would* run at high rpm, but would bog when trying to accelerate. It didn't matter at what rpm, it did the same thing.

[rbond]

Does this bike have points? If so, check the advancer for the points plate. Could have stuck at the most advanced position for starting/ slow running. I have had several other engines have this problem, a little cleaning  and lubricating fixed it.

[bad Chad]

You have to be wearing "the coat" to make it run right.    I bet you bet it was cool out when it was running great, and you thus were wearing your G5 tan cool dude 70s leather!   Take it off, things just don't want to pump.

[yogidozer]

I know who has the answer 😊



sodium aluminum sulfate

[Toecutter]

Okay, since others have already derailed this conversation, I don't feel so bad admitting that everytime I read the title of this post, I end up singing the Beastie Boys in my head...

Riddle me this my brother
can you handle it
your style to my style,
you can't hold a candle to it...

Every. damn. time.

[Chuck in Indiana]

You have to be wearing "the coat" to make it run right.    I bet you bet it was cool out when it was running great, and you thus were wearing your G5 tan cool dude 70s leather!   Take it off, things just don't want to pump.

The problem might be I can't grow a porn stash.. <shrug>

[Chuck in Indiana]

Just to be sure, I took my antique (how can that be? I bought it new..) timing light to the shop and checked the timing. Spot on. Advance works fine.
Had a look inside the instrument cluster.. nothing to see here, folks.. move along.. so opened up the headlight nacelle.
2018-09-20_04-23-03 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
A hah! The missing molex connectors I saw in the wiring diagram. This one was especially corroded..
2018-09-20_04-22-43 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
A little hard to see, but there was some serious greenage happening on a couple of pins, along with the rest of them being corroded. It just so happens this connector uhh..connects the wiring to the kill switch.. which powers the coils. Is this the smoking gun? I'm clueless, of course.
Cleaned both connectors with DeOxit, wiggled them around.. oh, you know..and gave the kill switch a shot while I was at it.
I don't know anything else to do.. I *hate* things that fix themselves. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

     As you probably have run into this over the years - the female crimp on terminals tend to turn brittle and crack with age -vibration. Easy enough to check the ones that hook up to your coils.

Yes, we've already replaced a couple of them back at the diode board. A winter project to replace all of them is on the schedule. I had already done a DeOxit job on the coil wiring, along with everything else except the two molex connectors. Thanks!

[Groover]

A lot happening in that headlight interconnect. Mine had been cut, patched, cut again, taped (windjammer, and who knows why else). Ended up getting a nice new one from Greg bender. Yours looks good though, just needed cleaning. Also looks like you have the locking clip on the main connector too, so you're good. Have you checked the plug wire at the coils? One of my coils had a broken pin at the coil (little brass threaded pin) and the wire was just pushed against the leftover  broken stub. Still worked, but eventually it would've made its way off it if I had not seen that during the restoration.

[Chuck in Indiana]

A lot happening in that headlight interconnect. Mine had been cut, patched, cut again, taped (windjammer, and who knows why else). Ended up getting a nice new one from Greg bender. Yours looks good though, just needed cleaning. Also looks like you have the locking clip on the main connector too, so you're good. Have you checked the plug wire at the coils? One of my coils had a broken pin at the coil (little brass threaded pin) and the wire was just pushed against the leftover  broken stub. Still worked, but eventually it would've made its way off it if I had not seen that during the restoration.

No, I haven't done that. They are a real PITA to get to, which means I probably should since nobody else has.  Thanks.

[wrbix]

Correlation to temperature? - I’m guessing bad coil (but be advised that’s almost always my go to)

[Chuck in Indiana]

Correlation to temperature? - I�m guessing bad coil (but be advised that�s almost always my go to)

Me, too, Bill. But *both* coils at the same time? At least that is the way it felt. Well, actually it felt like there was not enough fuel available. 
Thanks for getting me to think about this again, though. I'll see if there is any difference in ohms between the two coils, then heat them up with a heat gun..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well, apparently that's not it, either.  Primary resistance at 93F L15.8 R9.8 Kohm.
Primary resistance at 255F L15.82 R10 Kohm.
I would think that is high enough to show something, or maybe it needs to heat soak instead of just getting the case hot?
Maybe I should just go ride? 

[RinkRat II]

      Well as long as it's got K&N's take it for a ride with your can of starting fluid at the ready and see if it's carbs or not. As it affects both cylinders, if it is ignition, gotta be in the primary side. Good Luck.
     
          Paul B

[Charles in Lake Charles]

On my 850T and Convert, I run a fused wire to the coils directly from the ignition switch.  It gets rid of all the potential connections and the crappy original kill switch.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Rode it 60 miles, ran fine.  Ohmed the coils/wires/caps when I got back.. ok.

I think I'm just going to file this in the "Some things aren't meant to be understood" file. 
Thanks for all the ideas. WG rocks 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Phases of the moon.. 

[RinkRat II]

        Dirt.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6zoW5Uc4F4

           Paul B

[John A]

sometimes you just have to let it develop, if it stays away you have healed it  "by laying on of the hands".

[Chuck in Indiana]

sometimes you just have to let it develop, if it stays away you have healed it  "by laying on of the hands".

  I've been hoping I wouldn't have to lay on the hands in Kentucky..

[John A]

You have to have faith in faith healing

[Chuck in Indiana]

Brave!

I left CV on the CX and drooped a cylinder as soon as I got 10 miles down the  road. ugh, the possibility of riding a whole Sunday on one!
Stopped at the gas station on 166/I 35 pulled the tank and looked at the distributor, pulled the cap and cleaned the plate....no go. Reassembly, cranked and moved to gas pump filled up. Went inside for a cup and then..started....bo th cylinders fired and went to SoCal on two!

Replaced the whole damn ign system...no more problems to date....gremlins and gravity..lurking..a lways lurking.
Chalked it up to bad Karma (in repair).

This message will self distruct in a few hours!

:-)

Like I said, some things aren't meant to be understood.
All I know about Guzzi electrical systems has been taught to me by a coil eating blue 1000SP on the side of the road. It never left me walking, either, but certainly made me wear out my head scratcher..

[John A]

I once got to see a lunar eclipse because the points on my trusty Ambassador decided to quit sparking. That time it was the condenser. Earlier I remember noticing the moon came up at the same time the sun went down. I was working evening shift on the flight line and on the way home the bike quit. Fun times!

[Chuck in Indiana]

Sounds like I need a set of points and condenser in the tool kit. That way, I'll *never* need either.