docc

[posts moved here from "How To" for discussion.] TD, any good gear oil will serve well. Adding a moly additive to the rear drive is "recommended" if you are not using "Shockproof." I use "blue" RLSP in the gearbox and Heavy (red) in the bevel drive. The trouble I've found is that it is quite easy to overfill and build pressure leading to leaking seals. I'll bet some 50 ml clings inside the rear drive even draining when hot. There's this brief discussion to view: Gearbox and Rear Drive - What Oil

That's not that hyper-zoot synth left over from your SHO that's, like, thirty bucks a quart? If I had some of that stuff, I'd use it , too!

The failure was here?

So, after cleaning the (original) starter and installing the new battery, charging remained 12.56, Although the cranking voltage was up to 10.9. With the new regulator grounded to the engine (The other mounting bolt has a ground through the harness back to the battery), she idles at about 13v and charges at 14.25 at anything over 2000 rpm. Woo-hoo! The old battery was about 70% and the regulator at about 50% capacity. Not entirely bad, but not good either. I probably shot my Odyssey in the foot using too low a charge voltage both by the regulator (at 13.5) and my 1.5 amp trickle charger which tends to operate below the 14.1 volt optimum for the Odyssey. I suppose I'll break down and buy the correct charger. And then there is the warning in the literature for the battery saying the battery should be kept on the charger if the bike has anything less than a 40 amp 3-phase alternator. And the warning on the regulator saying the regulator should be disconnected during charging.

I have my new Ducati Energia regulator from John at EuroMotoElectrics and my new Hawker Odyssey from West Coast Batteries . Interesting, some new instructions accompany each: On the regulator, a sticker saying," BEWARE: DO NOT charge or jump start without disconnecting Voltage Regulator/Rectifier from the battery." And another stating, "NOTE: This unit is earth/groundes thru aluminum case. Additional wire ground(s) direct to battery and/or engine strongly recommended." So, we knew about the added grounds being a good idea, but pulling the regulator fuse during charging? News to me. And the Odyssey manual has a new statement. Get this! " SPECIAL NOTICE! - CUSTOM V-TWIN MOTORCYCLE INSTALLATIONS USING ODYSSEY . . . PC545 . . .BATTERIES If your V-Twin motorcycle is equipped with a standard 32 amp single phase stator/alternator, the appropriate ODYSSEY battery may run out of charge after about 150 miles of riding. To avoid this situation we strongly recommend the ODYSSEY Ultimizer charger model OMAX-6A-1B for existing 32 amp equipped bikes, with the charger being operated continuously during the non-use of the bike and/or installing a 3-phase 40 amp or higher stator/alternator, especially in new bikes." This statement does not appear in the book for my last Odyssey from 2006. I'll bet the situation does not improve with a 25 amp single phase alternator . . . Perhaps these are the keys to long life and battery/regulator happiness?

"Purists" post here!? I feel nekked.

I do love the way air cooled cylinders ring in the cool crisp air of the morning. I would hate to damp(en) them with a jacket of water. Of course, this is the same tune of aging aficionados everywhere. The "corporate" Moto Guzzi experience reminds me a lovely curvaceous thing I dated (briefly) before the Aging Aficionado thing set in: "Of course I'm not giving you any. But you're, like, out with me , right?" Where will MG go from here? My goodness, imagine the blog traffic (that would have been) when MotoGuzzi ditched 46 years of outside flywheel horizontal singles for this new-fangled V-twin thing? If they shift gears now, I can still keep my hottie V11 Sport, even if she doesn't always 'give me any.' Really, I'm looking forward to fueling up one day next some young bucks on those new age Guzzis. "Whoa, fellas, those are some of those spectacular Italian water jacket buggers with the laser-plasma rear drive! Who's your dealer?":oldgit:

"(Tom M): How do they expect "aging officianados" to mount a Windjammer and ammo cans on this???" Ah, yes, we "seasoned (pickled?) Guzziomos await the Mandello answer to the Ural Patrol. Something tells me Terblanche has not jacked up his Jeep Cherokee yet.

It does make me a bit sad to hear Galluzzi say, "The older crowd is going to go away at some point." Ouch, I "resemble" that remark! And then there's the guy who says something about "aging aficionados." Hey, at least that makes me an aficionado! The idea that bikes have become too heavy is very real. I keep trying to get 40 pounds off my Sport, but it runs out of gas!

"Quite easy to uncover" is an intriguing statement. Do you mean once the potting material is removed and the circuit board is out of the case? The Hawker does not seem happy with mediocre recharging voltages (under 14vDC). It would be encouraging to see charging voltages in the specified range. I didn't get my starter apart today for cleaning and lubrication. But, it is a 'must do' as the voltage cranking drops to about 9v. Don't get me wrong, she fires right up and reading that nine volts is fleeting. Yet, I'm taking the Sport on a rather challenging Sport-Tour in eight weeks where I cannot afford a start-charge failure. Like aviation or marine craft, the well prepared motorcycle must be entirely and completely reliable. Where my Sport is showing 9v cranking, 12.5 at rest, and 13.6 charging; I will be more confident with 10 v cranking, 12.8 at rest and 14.2 charging. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :o"Look at you! Where ya goin'?" . . . "Goin' to the moon!":ninja:

You don't think maybe a fresh valve adjustment, and exacting throttle body balance with careful air bypass screw adjustment might affect those temperature readings? Beyond that, the autos I own need period "fuel system treatment." Techtron, and SeaFoam, make great ones and worth trying before launching your injectors off for "intervention." If your 70,000 kM are high, my 116,000 are scarin' me!

It looks like I've launched a simultaneous thread without realizing."Regulator Rebuild" Tom, I think your findings and mine are pretty much the same. I've ordered a new Ducatia Energia regulator form EuroMotoElectrics and a new Hawker from West coast battery. It will be a wonder if my charging voltage comes up to 14! But, hey, one can hope! Perhaps KiwiRoy will have a proper regulator upgrade for us now!

(Moved here from "How to.") So, Nano, do you have a manual petcock or electric (it's on the left side of the tank)? After fitting my manual, I find it takes some firm winding to be sure the thing is fully closed which prevents very much leaking as the lines are disconnected.

I've always thought the '04 is the best of the breed. That black LeMans . . . belissimo!

At this point, I would say my 4 1/2 year old Hawker, the 5 1/3 year old regulator, and the 10 year old starter are all "suboptimal." None of them are "bad," but none of them are really good either. I'll try to pull the starter tomorrow for a refurbish and try to check the integrity of the magnets. I have a new reg/rec on the way and I think I'll replace the battery as well in order to restore maximum reliability and stimulate the economy. Then I can tear down the old regulator and have my way with it!

I'm thinking I don't know how to use my diode tester. The display reads 1564 with the leads free. One yellow shows 448 and the other 428. Reversing the leads, the 1564 read out stays unchanged checking each yellow to the red. If the 1564 is the meter's battery voltage (1.564 vDC), then the readings of 0.448 and 0.428 are "about" 0.5vDC? Haven't checked the starter yet, but what about these readings?

Groaning crank over again this am in spite of the long ride yesterday. What do you suppose is a reasonable service life for the regulator and for the Hawker Odyssey? I'm thinking five years (+/- 6 months) for each would be "normal."

Well, OK, 20 minutes. The GPS said I had 6 hours in the saddle today. Pretty cool to meet up with a couple other spine frames and rip some backroads. Even if it was 100F/40C. I suppose my rear drive inner seal still needs some attention, but it looks like the big outer is holding. My greatest aggravation today was the GarminZUMO acts like it may need some "reconditioning." (Not quite three years old). Once again, amazing how this site can bring Guzzis together!

I can't believe you said that. I hope your V11 can't hear you typing. I hope my V11 can't hear you typing!

I've renamed the thread to describe the topic as it has developed. I've no way to rename the subtopic, so we're stuck with *shocking difference.* Now I wish I had saved my old, fried regulator (I usually save everything). I'd guess my reg/rec is an arcing mess as described. One more contributor to my Guzzichondria . . . Whacking the charge voltage to 15.5 really did wake up my Hawker, which is otherwise probably on its last dying electron. Time's tickin' , yah?

So, Buzzard, what make relays did you end up with? (Bosch, GEI,OMRON?)

Interesting that "the good" or "quality" was all the theme of Pirsig's book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. By all accounts, he rode a Honda (early 305), but was right engaged with its running and upkeep. I recall his account of his BMW friend who was offended by the offer to shim a loose part with the aluminum from the beer can. Maybe if it had been Bavarian beer! How "character" might be different from the "soul" of a machine, I do not know. This whole concept of imparting animism to machines is quite, er, speculative, as you may know. Yet, as T.E. Lawrence once said (and, oh but do I paraphrase deeply), "We know if the Guzzi loves us, or no. And if she does, there is no greater feeling to the wind." (I'll dig up the man's real words before his ghost comes back to haunt my lovely Sport!) And, Hubert, an SR500? That's the bike that got me into riding! Beautiful with the red stripes!

Hondas can be 'given' character, but it ain't easy. First, buy a Honda nobody wants. Modify the intake, exhaust and electrical harness. Rejet the carburettor. About ten times. Wreck it and rebuild it. Keep it 18 years and ride it 46,000 miles. Maybe a blue dot tail light and some bar end mirrors. Outride some poor unsuspecting chap on a Ninja. Keep it til one of your kids thinks it's the coolest bike in the world. Instant character!

After the 15.5 volt "wake up" charge, the battery is holding 12.72, charge at idle is 13.3 and the full 13.7 comes on at 2000 rpm. The battery is 4 1/2 years old, stator about 1 year, and the regulator 5 1/3. The flash charge made a real difference. For now. Really, I seem to recall Luhbo had a more complete and well established method for this. I believe it involved using the proprietary charger for the AGM.

Today, the Sport groaned a bit on the start up. That's not happened since I found the broken yellow wire under the alternator cover. Oh, no! Another played regulator? Flinky earthing, again? vDC at idle: 12.5, vDC at 5k: 13.38. Not good. I put the Hawker on the 2 amp charger and it gradually increased its charge from about 12.4 (not good) to about 13.3. I then *flashed* the AGM with a 10 amp charge until it reached 15.5 vDC (took three to five minutes), and followed up with a 2amp charge until the battery would hold 14.92 (45 minutes to an hour). Now, the idle voltage is 13.10, and the voltage at rpm is 13.61. I must be letting my AGM battery get soft. I remember Hubert speaking of this before. . .