Will my new V7iii be ok?

[Socalrob]

Picked up my Anniversario on Friday.  Have taken two trips up Angeles Crest to put about 100 miles on her.  Trouble is, the breakin guide calls for keeping the revs below 4,500, and on the second ride I got taken up with the sweet curve transitions and ignored the flashing red light at 4,500 RPMs and I know I saw 5,500 now and then on the tack.  And when I ride her today I'm betting it happens again.  This bike will be great for the crest in 3rd or 4th gears singing high in the 5,000's once broken in.

Personally, I subscribe to a modified Motoman breaking.  No real flogging, but lots of brief large throttle openings up to recommended RPMs and abrupt clo sings to help get the rings set.  I know on BMW bikes that the bikes ridden too gently are more likely to have oil consumption problems. 

So what do the Guzzistas here have to say about breaking stradegies before I totally ruin this bike?

[Chuck in Indiana]

Ride it like you stole it..

[jpv7]

As an old Guzzi dealer (Al Gillen, Williamsville-Holland NY, RIP) once told me, run the S#@t out of it, and if it breaks bring it back...

[guzzisteve]

In another 500mi you can bounce it off the rev limiter.

[elvisboy77]

I jumped on mine and rode it down Interstate 85 from Richmond Va to Durham, NC, in top gear (it doesn't flash in that gear!) running well north of 4500 RPM. 

It will be just fine!  Don't worry.  Don't run it on the rev limiter all day, etc and generally stay lower than 4500 RPM for the first 1k miles (others may argue but that is what the factory manual says to do- I don't claim to know more than the folks who designed it)

Enjoy!

[Socalrob]

In another 500mi you can bounce it off the rev limiter.

Have not found the rev limiter yet, but today did find out that it is not at the red line on the tach.  Does anybody know where a rev limiter kicks in on these bikes?

Bike runs great at 90 on LA freeways.  Very stable.

Somewhere right around 80 feels like a sweet spot in 6th.

[pehayes]

I once had a very special invite to tour the Guzzi factory at Mandello del Lario while it was in production operation.  They were taking Centauros off the assembly line and rolling out the back door onto a dynomometer.  Ran them up to red line in all gears.  Then rolled off the dyno and did a couple of seriously hard laps on the track surrounding the assembly building and rolled the bikes back inside for crating.  Nothing gentle there.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Socalrob]

I once had a very special invite to tour the Guzzi factory at Mandello del Lario while it was in production operation.  They were taking Centauros off the assembly line and rolling out the back door onto a dynomometer.  Ran them up to red line in all gears.  Then rolled off the dyno and did a couple of seriously hard laps on the track surrounding the assembly building and rolled the bikes back inside for crating.  Nothing gentle there.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

I have heard that before at other factories.  In reality, the rings are either set then or in the first 50 miles of riding.

I like a somewhat modified Motoman Breakin.  Big throttle openings in gears 3-6 to max suggested RPMs (4,500 for My Guzzi) followed by throttle chop.  The idea is to get max gas pressure in combustion chamber to cause rings to set.  Of course this is done on a fully warmed up engine.

So far, this has worked for me in that I have not had a bike which burned oil.  My current old bike, a 2007 BMW GSA at 55,000 miles uses about a third of a quart in 6,000 miles.

[Two Checks]

No it wont be okay. Send it to me.

[TimmyTheHog]

Sounds like you are as fanatic as me...for those who remembers me posting about my over millage for 1st service

But really, if the bike aint smoking, leaking, making crazy peacock quacking noises, you will be okay...

I find these machine LIKES to be in the high rev zone...Don't baby her or you might not break in properly...

[Dean Rose]

Has anyone had a Guzzi that burned oil?

Dean

[Kev m]

Has anyone had a Guzzi that burned oil?

Dean

Define burned?

Add some between changes?

Add a quart in a couple of thousand?

My modem automotive engines don't require A DROP in 10k. I'm not sure I've ever had an air-cooled bike motor that would make that.

[pete roper]

Michael is dealing with a Stelvio at the moment with a major thirst for oil. Pulled the top end today and the bores are glazed to buggery! I have a feeling that at the first service they used a FM oil, that's what it looks like anyway!

De glazed it with a boron ball hone and will beat on it like a red headed step child to try and seat the rings when it's back together. Golly it stank!

Pete

[Muzz]

Define burned?

Add some between changes?

Add a quart in a couple of thousand?

The B750 uses about 200ml between changes.

I ran it in going up and down hills two up, ranging from 4000 to 5500rpm but never lugging it. After about 400 miles I slowly started upping the upper rev range.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Michael is dealing with a Stelvio at the moment with a major thirst for oil. Pulled the top end today and the bores are glazed to buggery! I have a feeling that at the first service they used a FM oil, that's what it looks like anyway!

De glazed it with a boron ball hone and will beat on it like a red headed step child to try and seat the rings when it's back together. Golly it stank!

Pete

A friend in Vancouver bought a new Stelvio if I remember correctly it went through something ridiculous like 5L in 1,000 km it had a valve guide problem on one head. With a new head it's down to normal consumption and he's loving it.

[bad Chad]

Pete, what is F m oil

[Lannis]

  Then rolled off the dyno and did a couple of seriously hard laps on the track surrounding the assembly building and rolled the bikes back inside for crating.  Nothing gentle there.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

Or more likely, they rolled the bikes back inside to have the chip installed and the EFI adjusted so that the bike would just BARELY run but would pass emissions testing, THEN crated them and sent them over here .... !!   

Lannis

[Guzzistajohn]

Stand back she's gonna blow!!!

[lorengo70]

On my last road trip, my V7 II used 1L of oil (about a quart) in 4,000 Km (2,500 miles). I was riding in highways and mountains. Is that normal?

[Kev m]

On my last road trip, my V7 II used 1L of oil (about a quart) in 4,000 Km (2,500 miles). I was riding in highways and mountains. Is that normal?

No, and that's the first report of such a thing on a 1TB model.

For starters, how's your breather system? And how high you running the oil level (all the way up the dipstick hot is too much)?

[lorengo70]

Hi Kev,

Never found any oil in the air box (other than some mist). I fill the oil with the bike upright, oil cap not threaded and fill up to about 80% of the dipstick flat part). Measure it every 500 km and always have to add some oil (50-100ml). Since the oil is not ending up in the air box my conclusion is that is being burned in the cylinder as it expands through heat and escapes through the piston rings. Is that the most likely reason or are there any other theories?

[Kev m]

Hi Kev,

Never found any oil in the air box (other than some mist). I fill the oil with the bike upright, oil cap not threaded and fill up to about 80% of the dipstick flat part). Measure it every 500 km and always have to add some oil (50-100ml). Since the oil is not ending up in the air box my conclusion is that is being burned in the cylinder as it expands through heat and escapes through the piston rings. Is that the most likely reason or are there any other theories?

Yeah, unfortunately if it's not carrying over to the breather and being burned though the intake and not obviously winding up on the floor, then past the rings or by valve stem seals would be most likely.

Might be worth a compression or better yet leak down check.

[lorengo70]

Hum, you would think that if compression is low because of loss through rings that performance would be impacted, yet the bike is as torquey as when I first got it (and feels even more alive since I installed the beetle map last week, which by the way, I strongly recommend to any one who owns a V7, but that's another topic). Anyhow, going to the dealership tomorrow because I need to pick up a few things. Will talk to the mechanic to see if we can do a compression test.

Thanks for your thoughts Kev. Cheers.
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[Guzzi Gal]

Socalrob, welcome to the Polish Posse (microfiber cloth required for membership)!  Just ride, keep her shiny and she'll make you happy.   

[Kev m]

Hum, you would think that if compression is low because of loss through rings that performance would be impacted, yet the bike is as torquey as when I first got it (and feels even more alive since I installed the beetle map last week, which by the way, I strongly recommend to any one who owns a V7, but that's another topic). Anyhow, going to the dealership tomorrow because I need to pick up a few things. Will talk to the mechanic to see if we can do a compression test.

Thanks for your thoughts Kev. Cheers.
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You're right, I would expect performance to take a hit, but l:

* It doesn't have to be rings (valve stem seals)
* A motor can burn sometimes a good bit of oil without really feeling much at the seat of the pants.

But if you're CERTAIN it's not going through the breathers and not leaking there is really only one other real option.


That said, before the 1TB redesign the 2TB motors with slightly different breather setup were known to occasionally (and mysteriously) burn through most or all of their oil without notice. That's why I installed the extended sump almost immediately when I bought mine.

But in the years since I've not heard of a documented case where it occurred to a 1TB. Could yours be it?!?

[wymple]

I had probably north of 100K on my old Cal II before it started showing any oil loss, and that was a leak at the oil pan.

[M0T0Geezer]

Ride it like you stole it..

I agree with brother Chuck. Any riding style that does not include intervention by the Rev Limiter will be OK. Just don't let 'er run dry on oil.

I always thought most of the Warnings were lawyer-driven CYA.

[Muzz]

If a bit of around town running was involved before your open road ride you may find that some of that volume could be water. Modern oils do have a dispersant in them which allows a certain amount of water to be assimilated without turning to mayonnaise.

I did a ride on my 2TB Breva at very high speeds over about 640 kms. I had been doing around town and the oil was approaching change time. It lowered half way down the dipstick levels.

As an aside, am Icorrect about the fact that Guzzi changed from checking the oil with the dipstick screwed in to checking with it out, a la Honda etc? If so, which model did they change it on?.

[Kev m]

As an aside, am Icorrect about the fact that Guzzi changed from checking the oil with the dipstick screwed in to checking with it out, a la Honda etc? If so, which model did they change it on?.

I've always said that MOST manufacturers check it unscrewed. That said I think my 13 Stone might have been the first Guzzi I've owned that was spec'd that way (unless I'm not remembering my B11 correctly, which is possible, it's been a while).

Not to mention I used aftermarket dipsticks on both the Jackal and B11, and on all 3 I've run the oil about midway on the sticks anyway. Usually cold... Sometimes checked warm.

[pete roper]

How the oil is checked is really a bit of a joke. Suddenly emptying the sump entirely over a very short period of time has nothing to do with the original level and everything to do with some weird design fault!

What that fault was we will probably never know although I have my ideas. The fact is it happened, sometimes, with the early twin TB 750's.

With the launch of the single TB models the piston and ring design was also fairly radically overhauled and since that point I have heard of no more occurrences of the sudden 'Sump Emptying'.

The fact that your bike has consumed a quart over what was it? 4,000 km? Is more likely to be related to either too gentle running in or even simply suddenly being used hard in hotter weather.

If it was my bike I'd keep a close eye on the level and top it up as required rather than seeing it as a precursor of impending disaster! That's me though. Panic if you see fit.

Pete