True Colours

14 September 2018


This really ought to be the last post from the Guzzi Lab, now that the project has moved from development to operations.  The first entry was 11 April 2011 so it's over 7 years, what a saga!  The T3 starts off the bat, runs really well, pulls smooth and strong, clean pick up no fluffing, handles straight and true, holds a good line, brakes great. 

Marvellous

Thanks are due to numerous helpers along the way.

Nigel Billingsley at NBS (professional mechanical services)
George Legg (ideas, experience, pointers and motivation)
Ian B (initial assembly)
Hughy from Beaumont Hill (machining, some paintwork and wheel rebuild) 
Steve J (troubleshooting, enthusiasm)
Gutsibits (endless parts)
Allans Mikuni (what!!?? no Del Orto?)
Electronik Sachse (ignition)
Vehicle Wiring Products Ltd (based in my home town Ilkeston)
Vortex (casings cleaning)
Dave Richardson (Guzziology)
Her Luminescence (upper limit to the budget not yet found)
And Continued Inspiration from all FB Guzzi group contributors


Latest Update

Replacement 2nd hand tank all the way from Oregon
$105 plus $85 postage and a bit of customs duty.


Put some test fuel through, no sign of sediment - put in line filters in fuel lines for extra cover.  Test ride -no problems.
Just the drive box seal to sort (NBS) and we can start to add to the 130k miles...

CyclePsycho Eugene Oregon

Latest tank looks well on the bike
Found by chance a long lost set of stick-on stripes, so bottom two added - looks closer to the original design shown below.

Just about there?

Guzzi guardian cat


Keep off or get mauled!





From the Vaults
About 1980

Out and about!

August Bank Holiday - traditionally the bikers are out, thought I'd join in!

Went to BC for fuel this morning, another guy filling up his bike said "Nice Guzzi"  - made up!

Plug check on return, a little dark not sooty, put the needles down one notch.   Another trip to BC for  shopping, bike running pretty much the same, plugs the same.  More fine tuning maybe but the beast is burbling along nicely.  Am losing drive oil from the axle seal, will have to contact NBS.  Apart from that all ok. 

Decided the "free" fuel tank from NBS will cost too much to renovate, have ordered a "new" second hand tank looks good and at least it's a proper T3 item.

The clock is running

Sunday 20th

New Shoei helmet on first real test run down the back road to Barnard Castle and back.


All good except detachement of rear light housing en route.  OOPS!  Embarrassment overload! Parts replaced reassembled and refitted with locking nuts and spring washers etc. 
Bolted
Door
Stable
Horse
After

For the record the clock is running!  It's the same one that left the factory 45 years ago.
(Add 100,000)

The Return - It's a Runner!

16th August 2018

Nigel dropped her back today

All good

Short test ride feels great!

Clip below - Ticking over on choke

It's Coming Home

..... Guzzi's coming home!

16th July
Back over the weekend with message from NBS to call back, rang this morning.

Headline - T3 FIXED

Report
Root cause - contaminated fuel due to sealant used to "fix" tank

Consequentials:
Gummed carburettors
Poor combustion, fouled plugs
Inlet valve sticky and sooty

Solution.
Clean 2nd hand tank fitted
Carbs cleaned up, jetted as per supplied by ALLANS.
Heads lifted and fettled

Other problems
Air leak on RH manifold, causing slow return to tick over after closing throttle.
No obvious cause,
Solution - extra gasket fitted cured problem.

Throttle cables
Sticking, sliders not returning properly
Solution -  clean carbs and tidy cables

Coils and Ignition
Wrong polarity - fixed and timing reset
Not surprised - swapping polarity part of my trouble shooting
(Note asked NB to confirm LH cylinder is also correct)

Charging system
Failed contact in connecter block between rectifier/regulator and alternator loom
(factory items faulty!) - fixed.

Front brake
Spongy - bled and now fine

Drive Box
Leak from drain plug sorted.


ROAD TEST
NB reports very responsive, pulls strongly, returns to tickover, he thinks it's "quite a lot better than a standard T3".  Spark plugs correct colour.

ALL GOOD!

Next Steps
NB to get MOT done and arrange return

Reflections
Since completing re-assembly, have struggled with multiple and variable problems.  Some of these were isolated and solved (eg loose 2nd plugs, approximations in ignition timing, etc.)

Replacing standard Del Ortos with Mikuni led to major distraction in trouble shooting, assuming this as being root cause in fact a major red herring.

Sealing fuel tank assumed to be successful when in fact it caused additional problems

Failed to trace fault in charging circuit - should have been more systematic in testing ALL circuit components.  Won't trust factory supplied stuff as much in future.

Although I was contemplating replacing fuel tank, had been anxious as a 2nd hand item might have been as bad and a new one a very expensive punt.  In fact I would still have been left with all the other issues to track down and sort.

So all in all I think I was right to pass the task over to a professional rather than carry on in enthusiast mode - especially as enthusiasm, gumption and confidence had all taken a bit of a battering.

Cost
Collect and return
£240
Parts and labour
£400
Total money spent on this major upgrade (almost new bike really)
Not sure of exact amount but less than £5000 

RESULT!!

T3 takes a trip

Thursday June 21st

Having finally run out of things to try in pursuit of a well running T3 have turned to expert help to finish the job.

So Nigel of the well known NBS Moto Guzzi has taken over to sort it out.  Mission is to make fully roadworthy inc tuning, charging, braking and oil tight and MOT.

Nigel sets it up.

Bye for now

Calling NBS

June 1st 2018

Spoke to Nige at NBS to discuss how he could help.

Thought I'd better run the bike to be able to accurately describe current state of play.

Result in attached video link.  Bike running quite well!! Obviously rich when revved, but no spitting popping and general unhappiness.  A decent baseline for tuning in terms of ignition timing and carb set up.

The last alteration made was to adjust the floats in the carbs (upwards ie more fuel).  GL has said this is critical and needs to be right, but I put them up higher ages ago to no avail at the time.

Guzzi running

Rotor Status Stator check

12 May

For a change thought I 'd investigate charging system

Rotor and Stator both cehcked out ok with Ohmeter (once I'd got it going)

Checked power supply to field coil - no voltage present at brown wire

So that's why it's not charging then.

Will have to investigate the RR45 set up (rectifier regulator)

see
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b1x1ojthv4h7925/Troubleshooting%203P%20PMG%20%26%20RR.pdf?dl=0

Fuelling about

Wednesday May 9th

Thought I'd have a look in the carbs.

LH
Fuel in float very discoloured. No sediment.  But the inside of the carb was contaminated with dark oily patches and evidence of oil burn on the main jet shroud which protrudes into the venturi.
Looks like we have blow back, this fits with the spitting and popping symptoms on that side.
 All jets inspected no blockages.
Float height adjusted upwards

RH
Much cleaner. Slight oil contamination evident. All jets clear.  Float height adjusted up (was already higher than LH side).

Bike not run, Mags asleep, not well.

Re-start 2018

March 28th

Having completed the hardening of the Sachse terminal connections, time to light her up.

Started first time and both pipes hot!

Rain temporarly stopped play but feels promising.  Tank nearly empty so time to go and get some 5 star before the next round of trouble shooting.....

Back with new fuel.  Draine carbs, started ok ran on choke for a minute or so, revved ok, choke off let it settle.  Opening throttle and usual fluffing and popping and dying with a snort.

So still where we have always been. 


For reference here are some detail re Sachse ignition

Actual connections

(note original photo flipped horizontal edited to match orientation on bike and schematic shown above)

Crimpimprovement

March 26th 2018

Pimp my Crimps!

Bike came out from winter hibernation on a pleasant sunny afternoon.

So I set about following up the actions from last October.  It's a relief I keep this blog up to date otherwise I'd have forgotten about the polarity change.

While taking the battery out to get out the ignition control box, one of the earth connecters from the Sachse control box to the battery came all too easily adrift.  And also whilst manipulating the terminal block from the Sachse another one of the small connecters said sayonara.

So spent the afternoon replacing the fairly feeble and soft connecter pins with some left over "mate and Lock" connecter pins.  These permit full on crimptastic tight terminations.  Combined with heat shrink tubing and spare soft pastic insulation shrouds was able to fashion bullet proof bullet connectors.

As advised by George at our last consultation, this proved a much more reliable approach than attempting to solder the small pins supplied by Sachse

Oh and soldered up the ring terminals for the battery earth connectors.  Tested with meter and all good.

Finished working at about 5pm will see if this has cured the misfires next time!