2007 CAli Vintage, engine seized

[MG McANICK]

I bought this absolutely gorgeous bike from an insurance company.  I have done this several times.  It had been on its left side, with what appeared to be minimal damage to the windshield, its bracket, and left saddlebag lid.  Nothing to it. Easy fix. Unfortunately I think it ran while it was down. 

The engine  is stuck.  I drained the oil and pulled the pan. I found sparkly silver metal pieces mixed with the remaining oil.  I could turn the crank maybe 1/4"  with a bolt stuck into a hole in a rod cap.  (I think that's where I was.  It's hard to see under there, even on my work table.)  So I pulled the left cylinder head to see if it was seized in the cylinder.  It's not, at least not on the left side. I can move the cylinder up and down on the piston with the head off.

Now I suspect that I have a bearing, either main or rod,  that is galled to the crankshaft. 

I have some questions before I go on. 

Is the crankshaft removable without removing the engine from the bike? 

If not,  does the engine come out the bottom after removing some frame pieces?   That's what it looks like. 

Are the bearings common plane type bearings like I'm used to seeing in a car engine?  I know some bikes use roller bearings, but this is my first Moto Guzzi.   

Are the crankshafts turnable, and oversized bearings available from Moto Guzzi or anywhere else? 

Would I be better off buying a used engine?  I have one located near me, but it's not cheap. 

Do you think anyone would be willing to take this '07 Cali Vintage with 4800 miles off my hands for about $3500?  That's what I have in it. 

[rodekyll]

MG -- it sounds like a bad situation.  I'll put my bet on the rod bearings.

No, this is an engine out teardown.  Crank exits from the rear and the engine will need a serious cleaning of all parts.

The bike is salvage at this point.  If it was down on its side there is a 50/50 chance of other damage as well -- frame, forks, etc.  Considering that it will need to be hauled away by the buyer, that it's basically scrap, and that a replacement engine only qualifies a guy to find the next problem, I think $3500 is way too high.  ymmv

$0.02

[MG McANICK]

Knowing what I know now,  I probably paid too much.  The other damage is so superficial that I seriously doubt that the frame or forks are bent.   This isn't my first rodeo,  just my first Moto Guzzi. 

So, pulling the crank involves pulling the transmission and removing it out the back of the engine?   Does anyone have any DIY YouTube videos showing how the engine comes out of the bike, and/or a tear down procedure for the engine? 

[Kiwi_Roy]

You should be able to tell pretty quick where it's seized. you have the sump off so drop the bearing caps.
Hopefully it's just a big end seized, they are dirt cheap
The main bearings are expensive and require a strip down to replace.

Go to www.mgcycle.com and you can see what the parts look like

[Chuck in Indiana]

You win some, you lose some. If you're in it for 35 hundred, you've lost this one.  It'll take a complete tear down to clean out the oil galleries, etc. and find out the extent of the damage. You can have the engine sitting on the bench in about 6 hours the first time. Less after you know what you are doing. You may get it going relatively inexpensively.. but if you are trying to make money on it and count you labor, you're screwed.  Sorry.

[MG McANICK]

The pictures of "crabbing the frame" appear to be a method of getting to the transmission and clutch.  Is THAT how to remove the engine too?  It looks a little tipsy.   Can that be done on my work table?  I bought it at Harbor Fright (sic) to save my poor knees.   This is only my second bike to be on it.

I always figure my labor is worth about 50 cents an hour.

[Wayne Orwig]

The pictures of "crabbing the frame" appear to be a method of getting to the transmission and clutch.  Is THAT how to remove the engine too?  It looks a little tipsy.   Can that be done on my work table?  I bought it at Harbor Fright (sic) to save my poor knees.   This is only my second bike to be on it.

I always figure my labor is worth about 50 cents an hour.

I'm sure that you are still going to want to separate the transmission first, so crabbing the frame first is likely still the best route. But you can easily pull the big end caps first and see what you have.

My labor is worth a negative value, as I drink more than 50 cents in beer per hour.


 

[Dilliw]

It looks a little tipsy.   

Wayne uses ratchet straps from the ceiling to the rear end.  Pretty neat  approach.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The pictures of "crabbing the frame" appear to be a method of getting to the transmission and clutch.  Is THAT how to remove the engine too?  It looks a little tipsy.   Can that be done on my work table?  I bought it at Harbor Fright (sic) to save my poor knees.   This is only my second bike to be on it.

I always figure my labor is worth about 50 cents an hour.

Yep. Gotta have "the box" to set the engine on.Start taking off anything that doesn't look like an engine, and Bob's yer uncle.  As Wayne says, though, pulling off the big end caps will reveal a lot before going in whole hawg. I still say though, that if it was locked up, you're going to have it apart.

[Vasco DG]

Most likely scenario is it was on its side with the engine racing and the oil pick up exposed. Life expectancy of big ends in such a situation <10 seconds.

You might be lucky, pull the rod caps get rid of the slag and give the crankpin a 'Poor man's linish' but in all honesty that is unlikely to solve your problems as the rods should be checked and re-sized after this sort of damage.

Pete

[MotoGoosy]

Very difficult to sell a Guzzi when it's running.  The engine is an anchor.  Get another engine, keep it, ride it into the ground.