Do you remember.....
Right! It is definitely time an update on what has been happening and/or not happening to the “Wild Goose Guzzi”. A name which will end up being emblazoned on my fairing of my Cali. It goes with the number plate too, seen here mounted on its de-rusted, straightened out and repainted mounting plate. (Thanks Kev for pointing out the obvious to me.)
An unfortunate lack of registration sticker in the holder below the plate might be noted. It’s on hold. (At $560 per year I’m giving some thought to faking one.)
‘The Team’ had, after four or five intensive days got things to the point where I was able to ride the beastie to the end of the street and back. It was quite an achievement and my gratitude to any and all involved in any way for what it took to get it to that point knows no bounds.
It was however just slung together at this point. Many parts were not fitted. The tank and seat were not even bolted down. Much was still to be done.
So, the excuses.
Excuse #1 For a long time after ‘The Team’ left these southern climes I was stuck in a sort of limbo. Long night shifts, sleep, eat now and again. I worked out at one point that I had, in effect, only one hour a day for use as ‘as you like’ time. This tended to be used up on emails and general R&R. It was a minimum wage job too so money was very tight. ( A bit like working for Wal-Mart in the US but without the govt. assistance)
During that time I did however manage to get a number of items that were needed for completion. In all I think I spent a total of about NZ$2000.
Excuse # 2Along comes my second heart attack. I was driving when it happened and I pranged the taxi. At the time I couldn’t understand why on earth I had not seen that car coming and it wasn’t until later that one of the police who were round at my place collecting time sheets (commercial drivers have to keep them here) asked if I was feeling ok. I said I was, but when he asked a second time if I would like him to call an ambulance I took stock of myself and realised what was happening. At the time of the prang my vision had been tunnelling in and I was on the way out. The adrenalin that resulted probably saved me.
Anyway, My reaction to this second heart attack was totally different from the first. Where-as after the first one and it’s attendant operation I came out of my corner swinging, this time I was absolutely paralysed and I sat on my arse for the next five or six months. My commercial licences were gone because of it so I am on an even smaller income. It is nigh on impossible to live on a benefit. Thank goodness for good friends.
Onward! (The NZ infantry motto btw)
Anyway, of late I’ve been able to turn ‘black to grey’ as it were, and started my journey out of that dark abyss, and things are starting to get done. A fairly high priority has been the Guzzi.
Various shiny bits appeared on the rear, rear footrests too. Things never seem to just fit exactly on this machine. A bit of force was required with these bits.
On goes the side stand. Note the lovely new headers.
Took my quite a few days to work out why that side stand had what appeared to be a really sloppy fit. I had been considering getting some sort of bush made for it until it clicked.
I discovered at this point that my cold start lever had its return spring missing. I had never used the cold start but I didn’t fancy it being stuck in the on position much so off I go down to Hayes Hardware to get a spring. (Have a look. It’s the best hardware shop I’ve ever come across. I’ve put my name down for a job there
http://www.ehayes.co.nz/Photo-Gallery/photo-gallery-__I.444 )
Instead of the cable attachment thingie being mounted sideways so you can get at it, it’s set vertically, so out with the battery and air box just to get at it! Grrr Bad design!
You can see my nice new leg shields in the pic above too. My originals are of the ‘build it yourself’ variety. They are very vulnerable in a drop so when it reaches the top of my financial priority list I’m going to try and get molds made of these so that any future replacements can be made out of fibreglass.
The battery has been maintained during the ‘wait’ time and a lifting strap has been fitted round it too. With the spring located and battery and air box replaced I moved forward to the next order of business.
After the fire it was discovered that my fuel filter had the consistency of a sponge. Now Moto Guzzi parts in general and such things as fuel filters and temp sensors in particular are about as frequent as feathers on a frog down here, so things could have very well ground to a halt at that point.
Pete (aka Vasco DG) had hired a car and used his enforced day off to drive up to Dunedin for a look-see. He returned triumphantly bearing a filter that would work. We certainly struck it lucky there. This filter allowed things to proceed to the point of running and riding but, it is of much bigger diameter than the original and won’t fit in the clamp.
I felt less than enthusiastic about this filter flopping about in there especially as it was hanging on fuel lines. I decided to swap it for the correct one, which had since been acquired.
So, out with the old. Oh…. Not so fast!! I can’t get it out! It’s too big!
Billions Of Blue Blistering Barnacles! (As Cap’n Haddock would say) I can find no space large enough to get the thing out of there! Visions of having to move the engine arise, but Pete got it in, obviously ??? I gave up for the night and slept on the problem. The answer struck me just as I was drifting off.
It could come out to the rear of the engine. But first I would once again have to remove the battery and air box, and the throttle bodies as well! Three steps backwards which made me use a little foul language, just for practise you understand, but at least I had an answer.
It took quite a while to figure out the attachment system for the fuel hoses to the throttle bodies, my mental facilities not being as sharp as they once were the ‘hint’ of circlips was not taken initially. But I got there in the end. I note too that one of the TBs electrical connections lacks its wire clip. I’ll look at that.
So here is where I’m at as of the moment.
In the process of all this I discovered that all my control cables had had their plastic covering burned off in places. They work fine at the moment but won’t for long if water gets in there, which without doubt it will if things are left as they are.
I will use Heat Shrink tubing to seal them off at this point in operations and I will try giving some somewhat singed electrical wires a bit more insulation while I can get to them too.
An ugly sight! You can see where I’ve already taped up the Speedo cable and how ropey some of the wiring is. I can foresee a future when there will be a complete rewire and replacement of control cables, but for now, everything works except the temp sensor. (Hence the '
Improbability Drive' fitted to the handlebars. Very good thinking that. Was it Kev?)
I have a question for the pundits. I should know the answer to it and I should have written it down but…..
The two electrical connections for the tank. One is for the fuel tap and one is for the other dingus. They are distinguished by one of the leads having a red rubber sleeve round it up at the plug end. Which is which?
