2000 Jackal - "Needs a New Battery and Tanks Drained"

[KevinO]

I recently sold my V11 Sport and was looking for more of a cruiser to ride with some buddies and use as a relaxed, two up option with my wife.  An ad for a 2000 Jackal caught my eye and I thought "now here is a low cost cool Guzzi option that should do nicely.  And, (according to the ad) it only needs a few simple things done to make it right.  From the ad: "An amazing ride. After the kids were born, it sat for a few years. Needs a new battery and it's tanks drained. Is currently registered non-op."

A few phone calls and emails with the PO and the bike was on its way from the Bay Area to SoCal and my garage. 




Once it arrived it quickly became apparent that yes, a new battery was needed since there was not a battery to be found in the Jackal.  Yes, the tank did need to be drained because there was the equivalent of orange mud filling the current one.  And... a few other issues: front brake was completely inoperable, rust, spider webs and crud everywhere, broken turn signals and, and, and...

Then the worst offender of all. 

[KevinO]

Since the overall condition seemed pretty rough vs what I was expecting, I was eager to dig in further.  It was quickly evident the bike had been sitting exposed for some time and certainly not "just a few years outside, but under a cover" as was described to me.  I wanted to change all the fluids and see exactly what I was getting into. 

I got the bike on the lift and drained the oil.  What a mess - to say it drained like molasses was an insult to molasses.  I was hoping all the nastiness was being drained out with the oil but upon looking up into the bottom end of the engine this is what I was presented with:




I was seeing the need to go through the engine and while I was at it I might as well clean up some of the other issues.  Thus began the full teardown and rebuild.

[KevinO]

A few random pics along the process:

[KevinO]

In the end, I stripped everything off the frame and took nearly everything apart with the exception of the transmission and rear drive.

[KevinO]

Time to take the engine apart, clean it up and get it ready to go back in. 

[KevinO]

Meanwhile, clean up and repaint the frame.










Everyone hangs their frame and suspension parts from the awning, don't they? 

While the frame is stripped and I had to take the triple trees out anyway, might as well replace the head bearings.

[inditx]

I admire your tenacity and mechanical acumen KevinO!
inditx

[KevinO]

So how to remove the rust from the crankshaft?  Research indicated vinegar would do a fine job of this.  It did.  Unfortunately, I left the crank in too long and the vinegar destroyed the polished bearing surfaces.  After some very unhappy thoughts I started calling around to see who could regrind my crank.  It quickly became apparent that this was going to be a costly mistake.  A regrind (rebalance, etc) plus oversized bearings = several hundred dollars. 

Luckily, I called Mark over at Moto Guzzi Classics.  He indicated he had a low mileage long block he would sell to me.  In the end, it was more cost effective AND I could nearly plug and play.  A few minor parts transfers later, and I was all set.  I painted everything black because I liked the look.  Mounted it and here is what resulted:






 

[KevinO]

While I had opportunity, I cleaned all the original wiring - it cleaned up great with Mothers Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner / Treater.  I also had to remove all the aluminum oxidation from all the suspension parts, rust from nuts, bolts and suspension parts, etc.  Lots and lots of wire wheel time...

Replace the fork seals & dust seals and replace the fluid.  Ready to remount...

[KevinO]

Parts going back onto the frame and getting closer...

[KevinO]

The electrical switches were a mess.  Many outdoor hours and generations of spiders:




I was pleasantly surprised to find that once cleaned all switches functioned properly once I was able to put a batter in place and try them all out. 

[KevinO]

While I was waiting on parts, etc., I polished the valve covers.  I wanted a little bit of bright to break up the black.

[KevinO]

This is now a bit of a Franken-bike.  I wanted a dual front disc brake set up, so I found calipers from a Ducati and used a master I had on hand from an Aprilia Mille R.  Here is what it looks like now:

[KevinO]

After putting it all back together, here is what I ended up with.  Not a beauty contest winner, but I am pretty happy.  I am just now starting to ride it (the registration was another nightmare) and will fine tune.  Thanks for following the journey.




In the future I'll paint the tank and fenders.  For now I'm going to ride it. 

A few other changes from stock include: mirrors from a 2004 Aprilia Tuono, shocks from Mike Capon at The Shock Factory, an added passenger backrest for my wife, cheap LED turn signals that I thought went with the look of the bike and significantly debulked the rear.  Paint is stock except for blacking out the mid panels.  I also sealed the rims so I can run without tubes. 

Thanks for looking and following along.

[Don G]

Beauty! job well done! You can likely have your crank polished at an automotive engine repair shop for cheap, or you could purchase some crocus cloth and perform that step yourself, maybe sell it off to make up for your expenditure. As for living under a tarp yes it is destructive, this poor tank is rusted from the inside out, would have been better off uncovered in the weather.  DonG

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Maybe use EvapoRust instead of vinegar if there's a next time. 

[inditx]

While I was waiting on parts, etc., I polished the valve covers.  I wanted a little bit of bright to break up the black.

What did you polish the valve covers with?

[KevinO]

Hi Identix, I polished the covers by just using progressive grits of the compound bars and a cotton wheel.  Finished them off with Mothers.  It was really not that tough of a job.

If you could see them up close you would see that the top and sides look very acceptable but on the flange and in the corners I need to get a dremel and smaller wheel to clean up the detail areas.  Not perfect but then neither was the original paint and the polished covers look better than the painted covers did.  At some point I'll clean them up further.  Meanwhile, they're like the rest of the bike - pretty clean but not perfect. 

Thanks,

Kevin

[KevinO]

Don and Charlie,

I did consider the EvapoRust but in the end, cost won out.  I think if I'm in the situation again (hopefully not) I will take that route versus the vinegar.  Or, not leave the crank in 3-5 days too long.  Live and learn.

I did try to polish the journals but I was concerned that I would take off too much and not get the job done well.  It is a solid and clean crank now, so I'll either sell as is at a discount or have it ground and then sell it.  Who knows...  I do now have a disassembled long block and heads so clean they still have cross hatch marks so maybe I'll part them out and recoup the $ paid for the long block.  For now I'm just glad to have a runner.

[s1120]

Its never.."Just needs a battery" is it?  Nice work!!  Enjoy the bike.