Old EV Recall pull/pull throttle cable

[pehayes]

Someone near me just bought a fine 98EV.  I see it has only one throttle cable.  IIRC, there was a safety recall to install a second throttle cable to pull closed the throttle bodies.  I did both of my EV's at the time.  I visited the NTSB site but could only find the recall for the rear wheel spoke issue.  Anyone have links to the throttle issue?  Is there a part kit number that is still valid?  Is Guzzi still on the hook for this one?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Craig in Alabama]

Hi Patrick,

My 98EV only has one throttle cable, but I've only had it for about 4 years. My first one also only had one. I owned that one for about 15 years and I never got any sort of recall notice. I'm curious if I missed a recall somehow.

Cheers!
Craig

[Tom]

It's possible you missed it.

[rodekyll]

I think it's important enough to just do it regardless of warranty status. 

$0.02

[JoeB]

https://www.webbikeworld.com/moto-guzzi-recalls/
Have one , had it done.

[guzzisteve]

I think you can still get it from Guzzi. I installed one about 5yrs ago, it was free.
Mine is fine w/1.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I may be able to shed some light in that.
I had a 98EV with single throttle cable, I was riding it one day and the throttle stuck half open, no big drama.
It turned out the airbox had moved forward or the throttle bodies had moved back so the throttle linkage was catching on the seam of the airbox.
I could see them adding a second cable to take care of that.

Otherwise just move the airbox back and make sure it can't ever move forward again.

[Wayne Orwig]

Otherwise just move the airbox back and make sure it can't ever move forward again.

Heat gun. Heat up and bend the box away from the throttle.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Heat gun. Heat up and bend the box away from the throttle.

Never thought of that, good idea, it was quite a task moving it back.

[Tom H]

The other thing that I heard can happen is the chrome injector covers jamming the linkage.

Tom

[pehayes]

I don't think the airbox was moving forward.  That sucker is hard enough to move as is.  I suspect it was incompletely tightened hose clamps on the intake manifold rubber joints.  A minor back fire could easily move the throttle bodies slightly backward away from engine and into the face of the air box.

Almost every one else uses dual cables.  Guzzi tried to save a few bucks.  False economy.  Note that the hand throttle and the linkage between the throttle bodies are already designed to accept and adjust two cables.   Knowing that the problem has caused speed dangers, I would want the second cable installed.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[ohiorider]

Have to ask ....... wouldn't having two cables permit lighter throttle return springs (if available) to be used, since throttle plate  closing wouldn't be 100% dependent on spring tension?

[Chuck in Indiana]

 Uh, the answer is obvious. There is no method of holding the throttle bodies in location except the rubber connections and hose clamps. Backfire, throttle body moves back, linkage rod fouls the air box, throttle stays open. Guzzi took the cheap fix of putting a closing cable on the throttle, although in an emergency situation I wonder how many people would actually *twist* that throttle closed against pressure?
The expensive fix would be to make a stamping that mounts to the engine somewhere and positively locates the throttle bodies.
John Lloyd, Guzzi ambassador (RIP) was killed by this..

[ohiorider]

Uh, the answer is obvious. There is no method of holding the throttle bodies in location except the rubber connections and hose clamps. Backfire, throttle body moves back, linkage rod fouls the air box, throttle stays open. Guzzi took the cheap fix of putting a closing cable on the throttle, although in an emergency situation I wonder how many people would actually *twist* that throttle closed against pressure?
The expensive fix would be to make a stamping that mounts to the engine somewhere and positively locates the throttle bodies.
John Lloyd, Guzzi ambassador (RIP) was killed by this..

Then I don't get it ...................

[Chuck in Indiana]

The I don't get it ...................

Hmm. Look at it this way. The throttle bodies are *not* solidly mounted. Their only connection to each other is the balance rod, which is about 1/4" in front of the air box. A backfire will force that throttle body aft. The balance rod then is fouled by the air box, and can't return to closed without the second cable. The proper fix, IMHO, would be to make a stamping that mounts the throttle bodies solidly so that a backfire wouldn't cause that.

[Wayne Orwig]

Their only connection to each other is the balance rod, which is about 1/4" in front of the air box.

There is a pretty solid bracket going from throttle body to throttle body, keeping them spaced rigidly. Since they are at an angle, it is difficult for them to move back out of the rubber. But obviously not impossible.

[Curtis Harper]

Even if you have to buy the cable yourself and install it, it is worth every bit to be much safer. Most early bikes did not have the throttle housing threaded for the cable and that had to be done as well. I probably did 50 of these and it's not hard. 30 minutes could save your life. I had a customers bike stick on me and it was scary as hell. Fortunately the stop switch on the bar was close, but we are out on the county, if I had been in town, it could have been a much different story.

[John A]

like Curtis says its not hard. on the ones Ive done, they were without the threaded hole, you need a slightly odd tap, by memory a 12x1.0 and your plastic skills so as not to break the housing while drilling and tapping. It is worth it.

[Chuck in Indiana]

There is a pretty solid bracket going from throttle body to throttle body, keeping them spaced rigidly. Since they are at an angle, it is difficult for them to move back out of the rubber. But obviously not impossible.

Hmmm, it's been a while, but I don't remember any brackets on my Jackal.. I remember looking at the time and thinking WTF?

[John A]

I think Wayne means the bracket that the fast idle cable terminates at on the left and the throttle cables go into the belcrank in the center.

[Wayne Orwig]

Not the exact picture, but the EV has a sturdy upper and lower bracket. The spacing between the throttle bodies is held fairly accurately. This does not really prevent it from moving rearward though.

[Curtis Harper]

instructions below

[Edgo897]

My 98 EV has two throttle cables. Bought it used.

Ed

[Chuck in Indiana]

Not the exact picture, but the EV has a sturdy upper and lower bracket. The spacing between the throttle bodies is held fairly accurately. This does not really prevent it from moving rearward though.

That was my point. When the recall came out, I remember thinking they took the cheap way out instead of making a bracket or casting to positively keep the throttle bodies from moving aft and fouling the balance rod.