Just Goosing Around... First steps into Guzzi land...

Can you look at your bracket ( the head side)that the rocker arm assembly sets in? I just did the cylinders and heads on my 71 ambo and when I torqued the heads, there is a slight space where the oil passes up into the head rocker assembly at the top of the bracket. I can slide a thin feeler gauge under mine at the top. I have looked at mine and it looks almost like the area is not machined flat all the way to the top and I have looked at some on ebay and they look the same??!. Anyway sorry for the thread jack.

I wonder if I am a little OCD, I don't mind using pattern parts on my bikes, but if I see the correct NOS part, then I will try to go down that road. Is that OCD? I don't know, it is funny as I am not a restorer by any means, I just like "right" or very near to right at least

So what has this got to do with my Ambo I hear you all muttering to your computers, well I recently bought a set of pattern grips for the bike, but no sooner had I fitted them (see previous post) than a set of genuine La sportiva Granturismo NOS made in Italy Brevettatta grips came up for sale, and they cost me less than the pattern parts I bought before

I love hunting out NOS parts, I loved doing it for my Z1b, and I love doing it now for my Ambassador, a little OCD hell yes, but then maybe we all are

An old git with OCD, do you have any friends Kev?

Enjoying your trials and tribulations, keep the updates coming, nice bike.

Geez Roach,
As far as I can tell the rocker blocks need to be tight against the head surface. I was unaware of any gaposis.
Something is not seating right...better pop it off and figger out what's holding it up.

Thanks fellas. Sorry for the thread jack.

Nice bike Kev! I am with you in taking the first steps into Guzzi land as well...

Kev,

I'll take you round to see him if he's in when you come round. He's just round the corner from me.

Joe knows his way round Ambos he got roped into sorting the clutch out on this a few years ago (just don't look at the lower frame tubes)

Holy Shit! Somebody should have told him that isn't neccessary!

What the !!!???

Lovely Guzzi and welcome
I am sure it will find it's place under your skin. Bought mine 23 years ago as a scrap bike bought in from the states. 6 month rebuild and she's been with me ever since. You see there are onlt two sorts of bike. guzzis and non Guzzi's:
PS I will show you mine if I can work out how to add a picture

That wasn't Joes work that was the handy work of the bikes previous owner. It was the most dangerous bike I've ever ridden. Chipped 1100 fuel injected engine with the standard eldo rear bevel drive. The front brake was a single leading shoe :eek1 Accelerated like shit off a stick.

Which goes to prove... Just because you can, don't mean you should!

Piston + Barrel upgrade...

You guys who have done the upgrade to new Gilardoni Barrel sets, I wonder, did you feel the need to change the big end bearings at the same time? Also, is there any way of telling if your bike has already had the cylinders changed to Gilardoni?

England-Kev, I had a few photos provided by another inmate but I can't seem to find them right now, sorry. If you have Gilardoni jugs on your bike you should see the name in the casting at the bottom of the jug where it meets the case. Or you could use the old magnet trick by removing the spark plug and running the piston down out of the way...

I changed the front and rear carriers because they needed to be changed. The front cam retainer as well.
At 46,000 miles, the front and rear bearings measured JUST within specification. It didn't seem wise to reuse them if I plan on riding the thing 10,000 miles / year....which is exactly what I intend to do!
All the bearings were still usable (sizewise), but they were dirty. You can see what the lack of an oil filter will do to the bearing surfaces. On the other hand, the cam and crank were in fine shape.
So the bearings did their job. Nothing failed and I probably could have thrown a battery in it and ridden it for another 20,000 But they were due for retirement.

Here you go Kev. If they are Gilardoni they are stamped right at the base of the cylinder between the lower two fins. The easiest way to check if you have iron bores is the put a stick magnet down the plug hole. If it sticks like crazy: iron sleeves. Barely at all: nikisil. Not at all: chrome.

Nick

Thanks, I am sure I would have noticed that if I had them.... not much going on here right now, we have 3" of snow, which is enough to bring the UK to a grinding halt, it surprises me that we ever conquered half the world, we have trouble these days getting to the end of the road!

On top of that, my Dad passed away on monday, so my mind has been diverted away from motorcycles a little..

Roll on spring....

Damn Kev, sorry to hear the bad news about your dad...