pete roper

No, it's not strictly an OHC design. It's what is known as a 'High cam' motor. The cam resides in a cambox beside the combustion chamber rather than above it. Previously used by both Moto Parilla and Riley to name two manufacturers. The flat tappet set up has much smaller *Holes* in the cambox and the tappets have small 'Dumbell' pushrods in them that activate the rockers.

It can't be a 2002 as they weren't built then. All 8V's, (And all Stelvios use the 8V motor despite the early ones being designated '4V'.) manufactured prior to the middle of 2012 used the flat tappet top end and they all fail. There are no exceptions. Some may last longer before they make a noise than others but make no mistake, they ALL fail. The only cure is to convert to the roller top end and there are four different kits to achieve this depending on year and model of machine. If people would like I can post up my 'Definitive guide to rollerisation' here but someone, presumably a mod, will need to insert the pics as I can't seem to work out how to do that here. Other major factors to be aware of are swingarm and shock linkage bearings which if they haven't been greased by a previous owner will require replacement and it is wise to replace the sump spacer gasket between the sump spacer and the block with one of the thicker aftermarket gaskets available as they tend to blow out around the front oil delivery gallery if the shitty original gasket is kept. Finally, make sure that the previous owner has not used a K&N type air filter and that the drain hoses from the airbox are intact, attached and plugged. This is very important as the 50mm TB's are very sensitive to damage. Also check that the yellow paint on the throttle stop screws is intact and they haven't been fiddled with, few workshops seem to know how to tune a W5AM Guzzi and if the throttlebodies are messed about with by someone who doesn't know what they are doing it is possible to turn them into scrap very easily. They are no longer available as a spare part. The stock mapping is pretty pedestrian. The W5AM has been an open book for well over a decade. There is no need to pay preposterous money for 'Reflashes' as you can swap maps easily and safely using Guzzidiag 'Reader' and 'Writer' programs and there are several aftermarket suppliers who can offer you much improved maps in both closed and open loop format for little or no money. You will need a laptop with Guzzidiag downloaded but you should have that already for your V11. You cannot tune a W5AM bike without it. Just saw your last message. 2012 was the changeover year to roller tappets. Only way to be certain is to lift the rocker cover and look. If it is still a flat tappet bike it will require an 'A' kit to rollerise it.

It's highly unlikely they will have been looked at. Likewise the shock linkage bearings. Which CARC model are you looking at? Ask in the 'Newer Models' section if you want and I'll fill you in on the things you have to check.

Oh they'll have their foibles too. I believe the V100 uses the same swingarm bearing set-up as the CARC bikes which means first order of the day with it will be to pull the swingarm off to pack them with grease.

Doesn't look like it sadly.

Which hub does the new gearbox have? If it's a twin plate hub it may be fouling on the pressure plate of the clutch.

Is this a single or twin plate clutch?

The two 'special tools' are a couple of rods, probably 5mm if they follow standard Aprilia/Piaggio practice. You could probably use #5 steel knitting needles cut to size. Really, it's a non issue.

Post 2959 in this thread. https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/moto-guzzi-centenario-v100-mandello.1517279/page-148 Even if you can remove the circlip and slide the finger rocker off to the side on the valves adjacent to the chain run you'd run the risk of dropping them, the clips and the shims down into the guts of the motor. Removing the cams is a piece of piss and at most will be needed every 15,000 miles. I just don't get what all the pissing and moaning is about???

It's a very different system. The early Japanese systems used a shim on a bucket. There was nothing blocking shim acces apart from the cam lobe. With this system there is the finger rocker that has to be got out of the way. I can't see why people are so worried about taking the cams out?

Yes, it has shims, but no buckets. There are *arms* commonly known as 'Finger Rockers' that pivot beside the valve spring and go between the cam lobe and the top of the valve on which the shim resides. Biggest advantage over buckets I can see is lack of reciprocating mass in the valve train.

Nope, finger rockers.

Service manuals are out. Full of interesting info. Lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth from the 'Old School' boys about having to take the cams out to change the valve clearances.

The problem I see with the box out of Germany is that it's another one from the same, failure prone, run isn't it? That would seem like playing Russian roulette with two of the chambers loaded rather than one! You surely don't want to be back at square one in a few months if the second box shits itself! As to the factory assembling the gearboxes so they'll be better than one built by a skilled mechanic? Are you mad? The factory uses the cheapest labour possible and assembly is rote learnt without a lot of knowledge or understanding. There is a lot of 'Monkey see, monkey do' on an assembly room floor believe me! The other problem will be finding a second hand box. I was looking a few weeks ago for a fellow mechanic in Victoria and V11 gearboxes seem to be like rocking horse shit! Finding one that is fresh and unproblematic could well be a real issue. If it were mine I'd be stripping it and inspecting for further damage before making the final decision. As long as the pinions are ok and the shafts are straight I'd be rebuilding it. It's not a big job.

Try giving Mike at MPH in Houston a bell. 281 647 6557 Say Hi from me! 👍

Oh, OK, it's some of that *Magic* oil that people rave about. Sorry, my mistake carry on. I use oil that doesn't rely on gimmicks but that's me. I'm pretty dumb....

Once you've pulled the outer race out you'll be able to see clearly enough. Upper pic in doc's post the gear oil looks horribly contaminated.

Keith, I too have not heard of a RM or Coppa Italia flywheel shitting the bed. While this is a good thing I don't know if it is really relevant. What do the part #'s say? I still think all the factory single platers are the work of the devil! I'd rather stick with the lightest version of the twin plater, but that's me.....

With any CARC bike there are a few things you should be aware of that will need addressing if they haven't been already, and they rarely have. Most critically on the 2V models are the swingarm bearings and shock linkage bearings which are rarely, if ever, greased properly ex-factory. By now, sixteen years on in the case of any 2V bike, the bearings will be a mass of rust unless the bike has only ever been ridden in the dry in somewhere like Arizona! While you're fixing that up is also the ideal time to dribble a tiny bit of Loctite 'Super wick-in' down onto the threads of the pinion nut in the bevelbox which will help prevent it loosening if the bearings loose their preload. The third and final thing which isn't vital but is wise is replacing the sump spacer gasket that goes between the spacer and the block with one of the thicker aftermarket gaskets as the factory ones have a habit of blowing out around the front delivery gallery diminishing oil pressure and causing big end damage. This is more prevalent on 8V's but can happen on 2V engines as well. The actual tuning of a W5AM Guzzi has been covered here before so I won't repeat it but it is vital that nobody messes with the throttlebodies unless they are fully conversant with how the system works. If you do a search for my vids on YouTube I've actually done an explanatory video on CARC bike throttlebodies which you may find useful. The TB's in the vid are a set of 50mm ones off an 8V but exactly the same principles apply to she smaller units used on the 2V bikes.

Brad’s offer is very good and the way I’d go. In fact I did with Chuck’s old Scura when I bought it. I’d get the pressure plate and ring gear ground and fit new friction plates and intermediate and you’ll never have to look at it again. Brad? Do you have the thrust cup for it as well?

There are a whole load of CARC bits that are going NLA. The double conrod shock linkage has just gone which is a huge pain as it means we're going to have to start rebuilding them and the parts are almost as pricey as the whole unit was! As for the reactive arm boot? I'm hoping to be getting some made soon.

Whichever one you buy it's important to remember that you are buying machines long out of production and a lot of parts are getting increasingly hard to source. Virtually anything cosmetic and you're at the mercy of the Bay of Fleas and the internet boards like this one for generosity from hoarders and sundry nut cases. All four machines you mention were comparatively low number production runs but the CARC series machines at least have a lot of interchangeability with other models in the cosmetic parts, the LeMans particularly is a nightmare to get fairing parts for and so few Balabios were made I'd think that most bits like fairing supports and the like are probably hand carved from unicorn ivory! Actual performance wise there isn't a lot in it but handling, if correctly set up, will come with the V11's and Griso sharing equal, (Although different.) top billing and the 1200 Sport lagging behind simply because it's 'Conventional' Marzocchi forks are pretty pedestrian for the era they were made in but having said that the wonderful Showas on the Griso need re-springing and re-valving to be anywhere near their best. If you go in with your eyes wide open all four can be fine steeds. The CARC bikes will by this point need their swingarm bearings and shock linkage replacing/rebuilding and it is vital that any CARC bike you look at not have had it's throttlebodies screwed about with by a shaved ape. They are incredibly simple to tune but if the tuning sequence isn't followed and someone messes about with the linkage rod or the throttle stop screw you are going to be in a world of pain! From the point of view of which is best? Don't ask me. I own three Grisos so I'm a lost cause. They are all fine machines though.

here's a pic of what my plate was doing when I swapped gearboxes on my Griso. It was a 2012 motive unit. It was getting ready for the spring to jump ship. http://<a href="https://flic.kr/p/2mi3Frv" title=" by -convertpervert-"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51388731235_cbc137c80b.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt=""></a> Sorry, still can't work out how to post up pics on this site from my iPad.

Yup, that's a bit of the anti-rattle/cush spring. With a bit of luck you got it before it can do much damage and you'll get away with just a plate.

Oh yes. A shittonne lighter. The flywheels and on later models the ring gears have got a lot lighter over the years. The early loops had a flywheel that actually had its own gravitational pull and light would bend going past it! It was vast, as was the ring gear. With the advent of the V7 Sport and 850T it was lightened considerably but it was still huge. That flywheel was what was used in all the T series bikes, the SP, Mille GT, Californias etc. The ring gear was also thinner. Then came the LeMans series and this was lighter again but was still a 'Full Circle' flywheel and used the same ring gear as the 'T' models. After this, with the advent of camshaft triggered ignition there was no longer the need for a full circle flywheel with timing marks so the Daytona and then the Sport 'C' and Centauro got the relieved steel flywheel, (As shown above while I was writing this.). The ring gear was also lightened once again and this assembly remained pretty much identical throughout the entire V11 series and the 2 valve per cylinder CARC bikes that superseded them. The one real oddball was the Sport 'C'. This has its own *Special* flywheel with triggering knobs on its perimeter as they use a weird twin trigger system for their ignition.