California II clutch action

[snobear]

I am wondering if anyone else has experienced what I am with my clutch and what they found the issue to be.
The bike is a 1987 California II, the clutch works perfectly as it should on cold take offs with a gentle start off.  Shifts through the gears with no issues.
Once the bike is well warmed up starting out from a dead stop the clutch is very harsh, wants to go from no engagement to full engagement with no slippage to get rolling.  This results in some occasional stalls or hard take offs.  Not sure if something is warping under heat or sticking so just looking to see if anyone else has experienced the same thing.

[guzzisteve]

If it has never been apart for a deep spline clutch hub & clutch plates, now is the time. Before it takes off all by itself from a stop.
My LM3 lasted 15Kmi the Cal2 35Kmi cuz I had a brake on w/feet on boards w/sidecar.

How many miles on bike?

[jacksonracingcomau]

If it has never been apart for a deep spline clutch hub & clutch plates, now is the time. Before it takes off all by itself from a stop.
My LM3 lasted 15Kmi the Cal2 35Kmi cuz I had a brake on w/feet on boards w/sidecar.

How many miles on bike?

My memory says by 87 they all had deep spline, at least in UK, I was already retro fitting them  by then, along with AP plates
Worlds better than surflex we used before.

[snobear]

The mileage is questionable as the speedo is not working but from what I know it should be about 50,000 kms or 30,000 miles

[guzzisteve]

We got deep splines in 93, before then it was a new short spline.

That would be my guess if adjusting it has no effect. I would adjust the screw on lever 1st, if you are out of adjustment.

[jacksonracingcomau]

We got deep splines in 93, before then it was a new short spline.

That would be my guess if adjusting it has no effect. I would adjust the screw on lever 1st, if you are out of adjustment.

Everyday is a schoolday, that’s for sure
I thought  later 4mm deep splines came with le mans 1000)
But this link takes it back to 82

https://www.crustycycle.com/products/moto-guzzi-clutch-friction-plate-newfren-4mm-spline-03084400

We did get aftermarket surflex plates that (nearly) fit both 2mm and 4mm splined hubs
They can be a grabby thing, like early surflex plates on 2mm hubs.
Otherwise it’s usually the intermediate plate bent or warped or worst case notches in the internal splines in flywheel itself, extremely unlikely in this case as it’s heat related. Change the plates !
Has to come apart to tell, up to op if it’s bad enough yet

[pehayes]

It most likely is notching in the flywheel.  Wear of the flywheel/clutch metal parts creates an abrasive dust which accelerates the wear.  It is possible to clean it out without disassembly by use of a mineral spirits bath.  Alas, the problem will recur within 1K miles.  You might get away with clutch components and a new, 4mm deep transmission hub.  Best if you can replace the flywheel as well.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

According to Guzziology, '90 was the year Guzzi went from 2 mm splines to 4 mm. It's broken down by engine number. I was happy to find that my '90 Cal III FF is 4 mm.

[snobear]

The sticking clutch hub seems to make sense the way it is reacting, thanks for all the feedback, looks like a winter project and sadly that time is getting close up here.

[jacksonracingcomau]

According to Guzziology, '90 was the year Guzzi went from 2 mm splines to 4 mm. It's broken down by engine number. I was happy to find that my '90 Cal III FF is 4 mm.

I found this link goes back further
https://www.crustycycle.com/products/moto-guzzi-clutch-friction-plate-newfren-4mm-spline-03084400

This more likely with engine numbers

https://mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1163

But all is straining on my memory, I left my shop in London in Sept 1990, I could swear we’d been fitting deep splines to earlier models for a few years before that, sounds like only one by the evidence before me.

[snobear]

Well that is a bit confusing, on one hand it looks as if the 87 Cali II would have the deep spline but the next one says not till 89 depending on engine number.
Guess I will just need to get it apart and verify from there.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Well that is a bit confusing, on one hand it looks as if the 87 Cali II would have the deep spline but the next one says not till 89 depending on engine number.
Guess I will just need to get it apart and verify from there.

My '89 Mille GT had the 2 mm spline clutch from new, so if your Cal II has the original clutch, then it will too.