HELP! Mechanical issues a long way from home.

[Kevin M]

I just picked up a new to me California II with 19k on it. It has run fine until today, when I was caught in some rain. Bike is still running on 2 cylinders (both jugs are hot) but still there is a loss of power. Bike has oil so I know I didn't run it dry. I should add that the bike still has points, no electronic ignition. I just picked it up from Washington state and am in the process of riding it home, I'm in Spearfish, SD. Any advice would be great.

Kevin

[rodekyll]

The two obvious things are something got rin soaked, or you coincidently got bad gas.  That's why I'll suggest checking the air filter.  If it was dirty and got soaked it might have plugged.  Quick check is to unplug the runners to the airbox from the carbs and see if it improves.

Other quick checks, since it's dark out:

Run a screwdriver up and down the plug wires and try to get sparks to ground.  Wet weather will bleed spark off of leaky wires.  I run mine through plastic tubing.

Check that the enrichers are not accidently on or sticking.  You want lots of slop on the plunger cables.

If you have an electric petcock check that it is functional and not stuck in a halfway state, like SD.

Check that a throttle cable hasn't broken.

Others will be long shortly, I'm sure.

You'll get through this.

[80CX100]

     I stand to be corrected,,, unsure what the long term effects might be on rubber,,, but if the issue only started when the rain and moisture hit your bike,, this might be a good time to pick up a can of WD40, and spray as many electrical connections, plug wires,caps coil, condensor, ignition etc as possible,,, I believe that the WD stands for Water Displacement? and that was the original intent for WD40.

    Maybe moisture got inside the distributor cap,,, hair dryer/heat might fix that,

    Sounds funny that it starts and runs ok, but no power,,, how long was the bike parked before you bought it?,,, if it wasn't for the problem starting with the rain,,, sounds more like a plugged gas filter or gas tank vent hole.

    Hopefully someone else will chime in with other ideas for you.

    Good luck

    Kelly

   

[fotoguzzi]

Where is home? If you make it to mpls I'll try to help out.
Dry it out good and report back. Is the tank clean and petcock filters not clogged?  Water inside a Cracked distributor cap?

[Kevin M]

Where is home? If you make it to mpls I'll try to help out.
Dry it out good and report back. Is the tank clean and petcock filters not clogged?  Water inside a Cracked distributor cap?

Those are the things I'm hoping for, it was too dark to do much tonight. Home is central IL

[Kiwi_Roy]

Keep posting your location there's bound to be someone close to your path.

As Rodekyll says throttle cable, pull of first one spark cap then the other to see how it runs on one cylinder.
It happened like that to my Cali II it would idle on 2 but only one throttle was opening it turned out to be s plastic part broken in the twistgrip, a small ty-wrap fixed it, that was 10,000 miles ago and it still has thy ty-wrap

I  like the suggestion of pulling off the air intake rubbers to check for a plugged filter.

I expect you have pulled in to a motel for the night, perhaps it will run better tomorrow
The California IIs are a great old bike, 100,000 miles is just broken in.

[redhawk47]

Add some fuel cleaner to your fuel: SeaFoam, Techron, or my favorite, StarTron. If the bike had been sitting for a while it would have gum and other crud in the tank that will mess up the carbs (or fuel injection). In any case, it's a good thing to do to any engine several times a year. My KLR had set for 9 months and would barely run. StarTron cleared up the carb; runs great now.
PS: a double dose won't hurt and may work faster.

[tris]

Points have slipped?

[Arizona Wayne]

When my CX Guzzi had symptoms like that 1 of it's throttle cables had broken.  I ended up jerry rigging that cable to the throttle and riding it with both jugs unsynchronized  'till I could get it better.  If it's this believe Napa store has a kit to temporarily attach a cable until later fix.   From that point on I carry throttle cables and clutch cable just in case + tools to fix.

[Huzo]

Points have slipped?

That woulda' been my thought. Sorry to hear your experience has been soured Kev.

[tris]

Points have slipped?

[Kevin M]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, as soon as it gets light, I will be checking all of those things. I really hope something got wet & all will be well with a new day but we will see. If anyone is in the Spearfish, SD area, I'm at the Baymont Inn.

Kevin

[Kiwi_Roy]

Bump

If the bike seems to run well and idles ok, not missing but just gutless my money's on the cable.
Just remove the two screws that hold the throttle together and all will be revealed.

[pete roper]

Does it still have the shitty, steel, 'Norman Helmet' plug caps? If so piss them off quicksmart!

[KiwiKev]

Bump

If the bike seems to run well and idles ok, not missing but just gutless my money's on the cable.
Just remove the two screws that hold the throttle together and all will be revealed.

Not a blocked fuel filter Roy ? What symptoms did you get ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fotoguzzi]

there's a good Guzzi dealer on other side of state in Watertown SD.

[John A]

Here's an odd one. On my Cal2 the float needle came loose internally, it's a spring loaded afair and the crimp that holds it together came loose. Hopefully you will find the cause before you get that far in the troubleshooting. I suspect a clogged air filter or the proverbial broke throttle cable

[Aaron D.]

Simplest is throttle cable. It's carbed so you have 2. Unlikely the points slipped, if it is electrical it is likely a moisture issue.

[knutsend]

When my Cal II started running badly in the rain it turned out to be bad plug wires.  The bmw dealer in Sturgis now carries Guzzi.  That is just down the road from Spearfish.  The dealer in Watertown is great.

[Kevin M]

When my Cal II started running badly in the rain it turned out to be bad plug wires.  The bmw dealer in Sturgis now carries Guzzi.  That is just down the road from Spearfish.  The dealer in Watertown is great.

Thank you so much! I never even thought to look. Now if they have any Saturday service and a throttle cable for a 32 year old bike.

[guzzisteve]

Worth a check of the advance is not stuck. Right under distributor cap on top is a screw into shaft, loosen screw ad apply few drips of oil on it under the felt pad.

[Moto]

Do check the distributor points to see if the gap has decreased to near-nothing. I had a similar problem and found that the points cam follower was ungreased and had partly worn away! Miserable power until I fixed it by a simple readjustment (and lubrication of the felt). Those points are shared with older Fiats, so are potentially obtainable.

I'd also suspect the spark plug cables since it started after a soaking. WD-40 is a good suggestion. A condenser could be bad.

Most of what you'd need can be obtained from a NAPA store. Agriculture equipment stores are also good -- they're used to ad hoc fix-ups on older tractor motors which aren't much different from your motor, and are able to talk intelligently about these things, instead of just looking up parts on a screen. (This is NOT to perpetuate the myth that the Guzzi motor is descended from a tractor motor! It isn't.)

I'm in Madison, WI, and can help if you break down again closer. Send a PM to me. MG Cycle is close-by, but they're closed until 9am Monday.

Nothing can stop an old Guzzi crossing South Dakota. (New ones, different story.) Good luck. Forza Guzzi!

Moto

[Kiwi_Roy]

Not a blocked fuel filter Roy ? What symptoms did you get ?

Unlike later California's the II only has petcock filters, they could be the problem also easy to check the flow, or open both petcocks.
you can unplug the petcocks without draining the tank by blowing on the fuel line.

[Kevin M]

It's a throttle cable but there's no help here at all.

[oldbike54]

It's a throttle cable but there's no help here at all.

 Which end Kevin ? Sometimes a bodge is possible with those tiny U clamps that come with cable operated garage door openers .

 Dusty

 

[John A]

can you cobble a choke cable? also sometimes a hardware store has inner cable and little ends that can be cobbled together. You just have to make it to Watertown, maybe if you get there after hours they can leave a cable out for you. Keep us posted!

[Moto]

Agricultural/tractor equipment store? Small engine repair shop? Bicycle repair shop? Hardware store? Cables are everywhere.

But no help at the new Guzzzi place, I guess. Not too surprising.

Moto

[Aaron D.]

Is it just the end came off, or is the cable itself broken?

Soldering on a cable end isn't too hard, and any hardware store can get you set up.

If the cable is not practical to repair, in this situation I've bumped up the idle on the "broke" side, so I can modulate the throttle to a synchronized sweet spot. Not elegant but I've traveled a long way like that, could get you to a member's place for better solutions.

[rodekyll]

There are two shops open in spearfish today.  Collect what you've got of the cable and go to them.  One will have either something close enough to modify, or a cable rebuild service where they put a new cable into your liner and add the ends.

Dakota V Twin
3123 E Fairgrounds
605-717-0009

Outdoor Motorsports
3245 E Colorado
1-877-642-7731

When you get the proper replacement, buy two and run the spare alongside the one you're replacing.  THis way, next time it happens you'll have an easy time of it.

[LowRyter]

perhaps you can replace the wire inside the cable with some wire from the hardware store?

good luck.