Eldorado and the quest to ride a Moto Guzzi for the first time.

[LesP]

I removed the studs to bore the case, they were held with some form of locking agent but heat and being careful they came out with no damage to the alloy.
They have all been prepped finish wise and ready to go back in.

Instead of blue Loctite I am at this stage going to use Loctite 660 which is normally for worn parts, it should mean no air gaps anywhere in the thread, it also means they could probably never be removed once done but the stud thread to case thread engagement will be 100 %.

[LesP]

Unbelievable, I have been sent third under size bearings  (0.762 mm / 0.030") after ordering second under size (0.508 mm / 0.20")

I even said they were marked 020 on the back of the shell and the crank was ground to second under size so now another drama.

Its just a joke.   

[balvenie]

Very sorry for you Les

[LesP]

Even the Queen is out to slow me down being a public holiday so we will get back to the bearings tomorrow.

I finished off the rear end (yes the cam plug is not touched, I figured if it didn't leak by now it should be OK)
Having British bikes I have a Wellseal compound which is now on the sealing washers and the gasket for the piping of the breather.

I took a ride down to Brisbane (on the Africa twin DCT) to get some M8 / 30 8.8 bolts for the ring gear and a long full thread bolt for a clutch tool but they only had normal thread length so got two, cut and welded them together.

New clutch springs, pressure plate, clutch discs, intermediate plate and ring gear (I had tried to find a new Bosch starter pinion but anything available seemed to be NOS and quite expensive)







Yes, there a new Schnorr washers under the new 10.9 bolts.



I fired up the welder and then checked the amps, 115 was a little high.

[LesP]

Not sure I added any text a page or so back.

Both the brake and shift pedals were sloppy, I had thought just put new bronze bushes in and ream them but they could wear out again.
A little more work but I decided to bore both pedal ID's and the mill boring head in reverse on the floor board lower rail bosses to suit the the ID and OD of ball bearings.
Two bearings plus inner (Loctited) and outer spacers.
The seem very smooth now and no play.
I will get some ball joints to get the rest up to speed but there is a possibility if the linkage was to efficient vibration might become a problem.



The inner and outer discs are brass, the raised centre on both gives a tiny gap for no bind on the pedal sides.
I will use a ball joint at that hole in the pedal instead of the rod just being bent at a right angle and a split/cotter pin.

I should touch the paint up on the lower frame tubes, put it on the list.

[LesP]

[LesP]

[Rick4003]

Hi Les,

Fantastic work as always.

I like the idea about replacing the brass bushings with bearings. I have quite a lot of play in my shift and brake lever despite them being almost new. I guess Agostini didn't take a lot of care in the tolerances. 

Nice clutch tool also, will have to make one of those.

And bugger about the bearings shells. You seem to have a bit of bad luck with suppliers!

[LesP]

I also got a braided Fren Tubo oil line to the cylinder heads.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I also got a braided Fren Tubo oil line to the cylinder heads.

Wrong one for a Loopframe. Should have been one like this:

http://www.mgcycle.com/images/atrex/12153601.jpg

I've always just reused the original rigid metal line.

[LesP]

Looks like the replacement bearings are coming by mail and not courier so maybe tomorrow delivery, maybe next week.

The perils of doing this over a long period and doing an interstate move a couple of years ago is I would have removed the engine to gearbox studs in 2015 when I converted the engine case to an oil filter front bearing and I found one of the six studs.
Keep searching or might have to make some.

[LesP]

I removed the previous post, I seem to remember my grandfather saying something like ...There are times when you have nothing good to say it can be better to say nothing at all............ or something like that.

 

[LesP]

Forgot new keys so had to machine some to size 4 x 7.5 x 18 to 3 x 5.5 x 16....... Oddly they fit nicely even if time consuming.
I have been thinking for some time about trading my Africa Twin DCT in on a V7 but then I would have to talk to the Moto Guzzi world of sales which could only lead to more mental anguish.







I read plenty about the generator bracket bolt M8 threads failing, on my bike the holes were drilled deep but the thread went nowhere near the bottom so no wonder they can fail (they were fine on this bike and had tapped them to the bottom of the hole)........... then the other week decided to insert them with 2D or 2.5D recoils when I find some, I will modify the bracket so I can use the Tonti braided oil line I was sent.

[LesP]

When I did the gearbox, it seemed the best way to check the slider engagements was to have a look at each one after assembly to see if they were even.

[LesP]

[LesP]

[LesP]

I decided to just get the sump on and get the engine back in the bike...........

Yep.

[LesP]

Here's to quality M8 die nuts.

[LesP]

[balvenie]

Looking good Les

[Dave Swanson]

Moto art!

[LesP]

Thanks for hanging in there. 

There are bits I should (shoulda,coulda) have had done already including the studs to suit the Eldorado engine case (M8) and the later oil pan which uses 6mm capscrews (The holes in the pan are 7mm) ... 6mm nylocs will make for easy socket fitment also.
It will also need 6 spacers to be able to mount the Eldorado lower bash strips to it but an easy job

I needed to make a small centre/center to hold the end of turned M8 8.8 bolts which will end u being the 4 studs needed and yes it looks like the holes in the pan could be drilled to take a 8mm stud.
No point being logical this late in the piece.

 

I have a package that is supposed to be here which includes the correct oil pick up gauze/strainer, not sure where the other one came from but it is for a much later model.
Just got a call to say the M8 2.5D recoil inserts have arrived to suit the generator bracket bolts which will become studs so time to fire up the DCT and go down to the city once again.

[LesP]

I made it back from where the robots live with the recoil inserts and the posted bits were at the front door so it was on to making the M8 / M6 step studs.

Having to order another pick up screen I added 2 OEM keys and dowels and the 4 short studs were available so got those too, only having to make the two long ones.
Where the original studs are (minus the 1 found and 1 dowel) will remain a mystery, I think things are back on track to button the engine up tomorrow.

[LesP]

The plastic hat needed some probably unneeded attention but it got it anyway.

A custom M6 8.8 stud, a top hat spacer after the hat hole was enlarged, now the washer sits on top of the spacer.
As it was the top was bent in until it touched the pedestal so it got milled lower for the spacer.
It won't be going anywhere.

The oil filter pad as cast was a little rough looking so I milled all 4 surfaces in the pan.
I got two of the big hose clamps for the final drive bellows because the Internet said the filter can unscrew so you should fit one around the filter body to act as a locking device (up against the pressure relief I guess)

On closer inspection it is no wonder it can undo, the oil filter only engages the threaded spigot in the pan by a few millimetres... folk know that right ?





The pad height lower to upper is now reduced to 3 mm and that is with 3 mm removed from the oil filter sealing rubber outer pad.
Even with that removed the filter is only three turns to seated.
I have had two of these later oil filter pans and both looked to not have been tampered with as far as the screw in spigot that the filter screws to, neither had any form of sealing ring under the hex.
I am going to fit a seal and use a sealant on the threads.




The fancy HMB Guzzi pressure relief valve had a flimsy narrow copper ring which distorted with near no torque on it so threw it in the bin, based on that I will make some other seal for it and test the release pressure.

[LesP]

M8 2D inserts for 18 mm of thread with 8.8 studs.




Tapped M14 to suit the thread on the relief and fit the shoulder closely.

[LesP]

Ready to go back into the frame it left in 2013.
The only bits retained of the original long block are.

The engine case/block.
One cylinder head.
The crankshaft.
The timing chain sprockets.
The rocker covers.
The two front covers.
The flywheel.
The distributor below the cap.
The cleaned exterior bolts.

Camshaft and crankshaft nut torqued to 108 fl/lbs.
I considered making a handle for the lower flange holding tool then remembered I had an adjustable handle to keep it real.

All new bits, this will be one old bike where all the shiny bits are on the inside.

[LesP]

[balvenie]

It looks beautiful Les

[LesP]

 

[wirespokes]

It looks beautiful Les

I'll second that!

Great photo too - looks like  pro advertising shot.