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

Some like to pull the engine and trans as a unit, but it's far too heavy for me to handle that way. I put the bike on it's centerstand, pull the rear wheel, rear drive, brake linkage, swingarm, strap the rear fender to the frame, remove the battery, battery tray, tank, carbs, exhaust, coil and generator. Support the transmission at the mounting bolt, loosen the engine mounting bolt (footpegs and shifter), remove the transmission bolt, raise the rear of the transmission as far as you can before the cylinder hits the frame downtube, remove the nuts securing the transmission to the engine, slip the trans off of the engine, lower the engine back level, support the engine from below, remove the engine bolt, lift the engine out.

Kev,
Your frustration is obvious, perhaps from unsatisfied expectations. I’ve only 2000 miles on my bike and it is early, but my observations from my only exposure to a V7, are not what I imagined they would be.
Rough running:
The bike shakes like a Harley, to the point that nuts and bolts loosen and I need vigilence to keep things from falling off. LocTite is my new friend. The battery shook loose and caused the wiring to the regulator to fail leaving me stranded in a place familiar to all...the middle of nowhere. The bolts holding the carburetor top in place backed themselves out and were nearly lost. Tightening them back down improved performance significantly. The bolt holding the left muffler disappeared and the exhaust nut backed itself off. I now carry spare nuts and bolts. It’s much quieter with the headers snug. I’ve had the tank off twice checking the generator, the generator bracket, and I’ve purchased a spare oil supply pipe for the heads out of fear that the bracket is going to slice open the line. The distributor cap has been loosy guzzi throughout. I finally bent the stinkin’ clips a bit tighter and now I’m sure the cap only rotates a couple of degrees during “normal” operations...However...
The motor doesn’t light up until 3500 - 4000 rpm. It’s just a tractor around town. These are big road bikes and enjoy flying along at 65-70 mph. At 30 it feels like a thumper. At 60 it runs like a Police bike with plenty of balls left for pursuit...
Clutch Package:
The all new clutch package was quirky and jerky and grabby and a real source of concern until I ignored all the written material and lay under the bike and set the clutch arm up for maximum throw without touching the rear case. A real PITA but it started acting much better and continues to improve.
Wet Ones:
My drivetrain was pristine until I started to actually ride the bike. The first 50 miles dumped 2 quarts of 30W all over the rear of the bike until I sorted out the oil breather unit. Luckily the sump holds 3 quarts and I didn’t destroy the motor. I’m now dealing with weepage from the timing cover seal, both valve covers, and I think the big nut covering the top head bolt. The brand new rebuilt rear drive gives me a drip of 90W at rest. All of this due to excessive case pressures. Motor, tranny and rear drive just can’t relieve themselves adequately. As far as I can tell it’s a Guzzi thing. It’s not wrong, but it IS the way my bike is working. I’ve given up trying to go for the showroom look and I’m now comfortable with the “well ridden” patina. Greasy fingerprints abound. I’m putting the new paint job on hold as I’m thinking she’s alway going to be a “dirty girl”. Moe at Cycle Garden features his Guzzi Girls. They’re all kinda sexy but they’re all kinda dirty and rough. Kinda like an Ambo or Eldo.. I’m not sure if you were expecting to bring home a squeeky clean prom queen, but don’t think for a minute that she’s nothing more than a honky tonk girl..
So my expectations of this thing running like a German bike are gone, it shakes like a wet dog that should start wearing Depenz...but I’m really liking the thing for what it is...not what I imagined it would be.
It takes two mechanicians to pull the drive train and it ain’t something that can happen over the weekend. The end result might not be any improvement over what you’re facing now. Spark. Fuel. Pressure. Timing.

The bike IS strong and reliable and I look forward to many years of service, despite her bad habits.

I've been lurking around following your thread(s) on this Guzzi some time now for inspiration, knowing that most all the things in front of me have generally already been handled by you. Mess with the beemer for awhile and come back to the Guzzi when you feel like it. If you were to sell it before you have it as sorted as you know it can be, I for one will be really sorry. Once you feel like it's as good as it's gonna get and you still want to sell it, that would be different. Hell I may feel the same way about my money pit T3 some time in the future; it definitely helps to have at least one you know you can ride confidently while you work on another. Not sure two old bikes is enough to cover that angle.

back to lurking. roy

One thing I always do with a 'new to me' old bike is try and find someone with a decent running example and take it for a spin around the block so I have a benchmark for how the thing is supposed to run. Very important for Brit stuff as it can be hard to tell if what feel like running issues are actually normal for the model. I'm looking for someone local with an AJS or Matchless 500 at the moment as it is some years since I had my last one. Mine vibrates more under acceleration than I seem to remember but there have been many bikes in between and it may be quite normal.

As others have said the old Guzzis liked revs and anything under 3000rpm is lugging the engine; Dellortos aren't a great low speed carb at the best of times. The last old Guzzi I rode had a slower gearbox than my R75/5 4 speed and it was certainly lumpy in comparison. I also had the last model R80 and it was light years ahead of the R75 in smoothness across the range; if you have the feel of your R80 as a benchmark, the Guzzi will feel like a tractor with a misfire until you get to about 60mph.

Kev
I have found both timing and carb synch have a huge impact on lumpiness. I long ago gave up following the manual and now do it by ear and feel. Even when I'm on a trip I'm constantly fiddling since how she runs changes from day to day.

Nick

I'm still not convinced you have to pull the powerplant except for maybe the clutch problem...

Wuzzup with that? What does it do or not do?

And...
Did you pull the distributor? Did the new coil solve the starting problem?

When I put my T3 together, I read a bunch about proper shimming of the shift drum, and its profound impact on the shifting characteristics. So I went ahead and opened it up and sure enough, there was a ton of end float in the shift drum. I ordered a number of shims, and got it right where my reading told me it should be. I'm very glad I did, as the shifting is worlds better than any airhead BMW I've ever ridden. It never clunks at all. The only minor shifting issue I can note is if I wind out 2nd gear, I have to be very deliberate in shifting to 3rd, or I'll get a false neutral. If I shift before 6K, it's a non issue. Someday, I want to go into my /5's gearbox to see if I can improve it, as it is super clunky.

I've never ridden a T3 though I've always loved the looks of them. The nicest was owned by a guy up in Queensland who did a ground up resto on one last year and it was simply beautiful. Bright red frame, darker red tinware and lots of polished alloy. The old one I mentioned above was a well-used white V700 from around 1968 and quite odd to ride as it had wide, high curvy bars on it. (Originals too, like everything else on it.)

I have a new Bosch "Blue" coil fitted, the bike fires right up, it has a minor backfire, but I am guessing that is caused by the exhaust header leak, due to the knackered threads? still no sign of the repair collar from Harpers, all they will tell me is it is on back order. Why do firms not say out of stock, when you add to the cart, before you place an order?

I ran the bike over the weekend, the clutch and gear change is the worst of any bike I have ever owned, and the new cable I have fitted has nearly stretched to the point of no adjustment?

I got to thinking, maybe apart from the clutch/ gear change problem, that maybe there is nothing wrong with the bike, but maybe the bike is just wrong for the type of riding I do, most of my riding is at slower speeds, in town or country back roads, but these bikes were designed for the bigger US type open freeways, but even that would have only been 55 to 60 mph back in the seventies? if I get the chance I will take it out at the weekend and let it stretch its legs a little, 70+ on the local dual carriage way.

My bike backfires like a sumbitch until it's warm. The choke system is part of the whole package with those Delorto's...
I'd back the whole thing off and start fresh with the cables. Choke and Throttle. The adjustments in the cable ends make a big difference. If they're too tight you have a hoodellyhoo trying to make the base settings....

At 104,000 miles, my '69 Ambassador's clutch is (still) smooth and progressive, though it does engage waaay out at the end of lever travel. The transmission upshifts better than other Guzzis with 1/4 the mileage, but is a bit clunky on downshifts.

All of the Ambassadors I've had here excell at backroad riding and get a bit "twitchy" and busy at speeds over 70. My '69 is a bit better than later ones - it has what is basically a V700 engine with 54 more cc. That means smaller valves, single valve springs, intake port reducers and lower 8/37 rear drive gears. Rarely need to shift, the torque and heavy flywheel just pull me along.

Something ain't right then...

Sorry, I exaggerated. I occasionally will get rough running and and a soft backfire until warm. But it is cold starting...

F_Sahms I think I know what you are saying here about the crown being shorter and different than the previous factory part but what about the wrist pin location? If that is moved at all then they could have "done the math" to create the same or different compression ratios. Maybe the crown of the piston was changed to enhance combustion or something...just sayin'

Right on, just thought I would point it out. Never know if someone is knows these things. If you speak good Italian you could call and ask why
Good luck with the build bro!

I'm done until further notice. The tranny munched itself in the first 2000 miles.


It was the only unit I didn't rebuild...

Oh NO!:eek1

So as I seem to be getting to grips with the problems on my Guzzi, and the list of things to do gets ever smaller My thoughts turn to improving things a little... I know, I know! I can hear you telling me to leave it alone from here



Now, one of the things that needs, or could use improving is the front suspension, it makes quite a clunk when you hit a pot hole or drain cover, also it is not the most stable bike I have ridden? and tracks with the road surface. So back when I pulled the forks apart to replace the bushes, I was surprised at how similar they were to BSA forks, in fact they are almost identical to those fitted to the A10 and M33/B33 range of bikes. Well this got me to thinking, back when I had my M33 I had the same issue with the front suspension, and I overcame the problem by fitting BSA Goldstar damper rods inside the fork stanchions. So I am going to do the same on the Guzzi, this is not a big job on any of these bikes, as they just screw into the fork top nut, and hang down inside the stanchion.

You can see the damper rods here...



Paul Goff... http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyfork.htm

Very interesting! Please post details when you do this, lots of other Loopers would be interested in doing the same. Looks quite simple - something I could whip up on the lathe in no time.

I will keep you informed Charlie, I shall be getting them at the next Kempton