New Tacho

[RichMaund]

Folks

My 2000 V11S had the typical tach problems with that era of Guzzi. It read 200-400 rpm higher than it should. Mine developed a "stick" at 6.5k rpm that was annoying too. It would stick there as rpms came up and then it it broke free, bounced up and settled where it should be. Really annoying during the dyno runs.

 

I filed for a new tach under warranty late this Winter since the bike's 2 year warranty would end in May.

 

Checked in June, oops they lost the request! We'll refile for it!

I called a bit over a week ago. It's approved and we're just waiting on the part.

 

Yesterday I get a box from Winchester Motosports with a very well padded and factory packed tach in it with a nice note from Dana there to go with it. Oh Boy, finally!

 

This morning I take my instrument cluster apart to swap the tachs out. I had heard of lamp housing failures on these bikes and had set up the cluster when new with tape and wire ties to hold the lamps together. So should the plastic bit fall free, it couldn't short on anything. This has caused intermittant shorts and many headaches for some owners. Damned if that tape and wire ties weren't the only thing now holding the old tach lamp together! Cheap POS! Glad I did it now. Kept it working. I never knew it broke!

 

I pick up the new tach from the box in it's factory heat sealed bubble packing and I hear a rattle! I open it up and the bottom mounting stud is rattling around loose inside the tach! I can only assume it was busted when the factory packed it since it had enough padding that nothing short of being run over by a forklift could have hurt it! These studs are just badly die-crushed into place to begin with. This one was loose inside the case!

 

I then spent an hour and a half fishing it out and cutting off the bottom 3/16" of the alloy extension stud (Used to lengthen the tacho stud to the forward part of the cluster where the acorn nuts secure them.) and using it as a lock nut to hold the stud in place so I could then install the remainder of the extender onto the stud and then finish the installation. The stud and extender are alloy and soft. Had to do this delicately. End result is a permanent repair but most of a morning lost in time. The new tach came with a improved lamp assembly. Nice touch there. More metal crimped around the plastic base to hold it. Bumping the old one would have knocked it loose! I didn't tape this one!

 

Happy ending... The new tach reads zero when the engine is stopped. Old one read 500 when stopped. New one reads rpms accurately at all rpms and no sticking. Nice to see the improvement in the breed there.

 

But the whole experience was killed by the bullshit, the long wait and then recieving a busted part that I had to repair to use! Lucky for them (And me?) I am also a machinist.

 

I spoke to the Dealer at length about this. They will be filing my complaint with the importer. But I doubt they will even care.

 

Here I am with a beautiful silver V11S that has never been in better running order. It is better now than when new! But I hate looking at the bike because Guzzi has soured the whole ownership of my last two bikes for me with their pathetic excuse for service.

 

I plan to ride out to the Blue Ridge Mountains Friday for the Virginia Guzzi Rally. If the ride and some time cool off my temper and I fall in love with the bike again, I'll keep it. It was at that Rally in 2000 that I first test rode and fell in love with the bike to begin with. If I am still this hot when I return, you will be seeing my bike on EBay. All the custom one-off bits included. A complete package deal.

 

Right now I feel that MGNA is so screwed up they could f*** up a wet dream. This has gone on with me for the last five years. I am pissed off and frustrated enough to now walk away from a marque that has fascinated me for many years. I'll talk with y'all next week!

[dlaing]

Right now I feel that MGNA is so screwed up they could f*** up a wet dream.

You probably already know this link:

http://www.cyclegarden.com/guzzigirls_frames.html

 

Back to Tachs...

My tach starts fluttering after about 30-60minutes of riding. Once the bike cools down for a bit it stabilizes.

Any ideas?

Warrantable???

[al_roethlisberger]

I understand Rich.... and I've only had mine for a year

 

I often get my bike and parts back from the dealer with something new that they've "fixed" for me... that I need to tear into to make right.

 

But then again, every time... as soon as I get it back together, take it for a good long ride... it's all OK.

 

Have fun, I'm sure you'll be fully enamoured on the ride back

 

 

But yes, I agree that MGNA(and MG Italia) have been pushing their luck with owners and dealers for a while now. Many people are on the verge of losing all patience. That being said, I am starting to see incremental improvements from the Aprilia influence... even over my relatively short experience with the marque. So, I have some hope. Only time will tell though.

 

 

I am on my second Tach.

 

al

[Guest scottd132]

I have beautiful green 2001 V-11 sport with Rossa carbon fairing, side covers, fender, and other goodies as well as the Guzzi Ti exhaust system and 1400 miles sitting in the garage. And if I could get it to run right I would sell it but nobody wants a garage queen no matter what she looks like.

 

If Terry at MGNA would call me back I might make progress on getting the thing running, I have owned it for a year and never ride it cause it's a pain in the back side.

 

A guy pulled into work today with a new Buell 9somthingS, twin, 92HP 376lbs, $8,000 and it runs. It look slike a plastic pile but it runs nice and handles like a dream. But there is NOTHING I would like to own other than a Guzzi and am so p#*$$#d off with them I should sell it and WALK.

 

I wished MGNA read this site!

 

Scott in Seatle :finger:

[Guest scottd132]

Oh ya I forgot, this is my second Guzzi, when my new Quota ran terrible and the dealer said "they all run that way but this shinny new grren one doesn't" I traded in the quota with 5oo miles for this.

 

I NEED A DYNO SITE IN THE NORTHWEST FOR PC. Then I could put on a PCIII, spend $600 more and do all this crap myself and not screw with MGNA.

 

Scott in Seattle and this is meant for MGNA

 

:finger: :finger:

[gthyni]

I NEED A DYNO SITE IN THE NORTHWEST FOR PC.

Have you tried:

http://www.powercommander.com/opccvelasco.shtml

 

My V11 too idles a bit crappy,

I will set the tappet clearance to Raceco specs

and make sure the trottels in sync. Since my bike is (yet!) unmodified I think this will

do the trick. When I got my planned pod filters and supertrapp megaphones on

I will probably need a PCIII or FIM dyno run.

[al_roethlisberger]

As I've noted before, my bike now runs quite well..... *except* it won't idle when hot

 

I've pretty much done all I can do, including a custom PCIII map, except replace the ignition pickup, and set the valves to looser specs.

 

The latter is next on my list, so we'll see.

 

As an aside, as long as it's relatively cool outside, the bike runs and idles very well. It's only after a good "hot" run, or if it's over about 85F that the idle starts to cough and stumble *sigh*

 

But, bottom-line, I don't feel confident condemning the bike quite yet as I still need to put the proverbial 6-8k miles on the clock as several dealers I've called have suggested, and before getting the valves adjusted. So it's still a work in progress.

 

al

[RichMaund]

I had read that one suspected problem with the tachs failing is the ground path they use. They are grounded through a rubber grommet mounted panel and then through greasy bearings to the bikes frame. Not a very good ground path. When my bike was new I made a simple ground harness to ground both instruments to the frame directly. I like to think that is why my tach worked when so many others were failing. Electronic instruments don't work well with poor grounds. But, like all the tachs back then, it was only a so-so instrument to begin with.

 

The new one works well. Better than the old one ever did. I hope it lasts.

 

But I still need to get used to not adding 300 rpm to the reading when I glance at it.

[Guest JohnInNH]

Rich...Sorry to hear about your "issues." I felt the same the week after I purchased my Le Mans when I found a place in NY state selling them for $3000 less.

 

It was then I realized the huge amount of negative issues regarding our bikes + MG, the soft valves being the most recent. If I could turn back time would I still get it I don't know. A new HD sure looks good. As much as I hate em I sure loved mine, and miss some of it.

 

But like all the bikes I have had they all needed something fixed from the factory. At least it's not a basic design flaw which is in the heart of the motor like not enough Oil to the valves in the early VF750F. At least with a new valve job we will be in the 50,000-100,000 mile club before we do em again ... not every 5,000-10,000 like some bikes.

 

I had 3 top ends on my HD, and it's on it's 5th now so I hear, and the owner still loves it.

 

Now the VF-Eng Super charger I just put in my Miata... That I would NOT do over again.

 

The easy turn key, no fiddling seamless kit I was promised has been a huge PITA. I am probably going to end up paying the same as the FM II Kit I really wanted (but was $2k more), and will end up stuck w/o the adjustability and power of the FM II.

 

All the reasons I chose the VF-Eng stage II SC kit have not come true. It is NOT a drop in, run perfect kit as advertised. It has some nasty driveability issues. It is not factory smooth. I'm stuck with it.

 

That was a waste of $4K. Now I have to learn to like it, or try to sell the entire car, or remove the kit and attempt to sell -return it, and just loose the $1K I spent trying to make it work.

 

Rich... It's just a tach. Who needs it anyway.... Ain't it a new fangled gizmo for people who are just learning how to ride, or for people who race? The tach on my HD was useless. It vibrated so bad ya could not even see it. The console on the tank would vibrate 1/2" side to side making it a blur. I was amazed it worked after all these years.

 

Sometimes it is the straw which breaks the magic which keeps us from seeing all the defects all at once. Then, once THAT happens, we can really never regain the "spell".

 

I am saddened by the loss of so many, who in the beginning, were so excited by our Le Mans (what is the plural of Le Mans?)

 

Has the list below Killed it for most of "US"?

 

1) Tranny spring

2) Tranny leak

3) Black paint bubbling

4) Fogging Tach

5) Idle issues

6) Vapor lock

7) Cracks in Fairing + Side Covers

8) Low MPG

9) Tank suck

10) Lack of Parts availability

 

Moto Guzzi in general is killing it's self by not admitting when they are wrong then fixing the problems. I too feel I am on a sinking ship. When, and should I jump, have been on my mind.

 

Often a short ride makes it all disappear and the magic of the mighty twin with it's rock stable footing make me realize the REAL reason I have the bike. Like most "brutes" they are a little rough around the edges. We need to just accept the bad with the good.

 

I hope we both keep and love our bikes.

[Guest scottd132]

Thanks guys we all have our issues but:

 

1. Won't Idle

2. Misses and coughs between 3-4K and I mean misses big.

3. Instrument cluster lights just went out

4. Output shaft seal blew

5. Output shaft seal blew again

6. Head temp sensor replaced

7. Valve cover gaskets, 4 times

8. ECU replaced

9. Ignition Pickup replaced

 

1400 miles!!

 

been in the shop 7 times, cab fair home?

 

You call it

 

 

Scott in Seattle

[Orson]

Gosh, I'm feeling guilty here. I've only suffered the foggy tach and the timing chain cover oil leak...oh & the rear wheel bearings but that was a quick fix.

 

Rich, I hope, like Al says, you get re-enamoured on your ride to the Virginia Rally. I hope the weather is great!

 

Al, I bet after your bike gets a few thousand miles under its belt, it will straighten up. Remember, these bikes aren't happy in city traffic. Maybe time to call in sick? Call in and say you have SARS & you need 2 weeks to recover

 

Well, I'll shut up & go sit quietly in the corner.

[al_roethlisberger]

...that's my plan Orson... well, putting a few thousand miles on it before I really start to complain... that is

 

al

[callison]

1. Won't Idle

2. Misses and coughs between 3-4K and I mean misses big.

3. Instrument cluster lights just went out

4. Output shaft seal blew

5. Output shaft seal blew again

6. Head temp sensor replaced

7. Valve cover gaskets, 4 times

8. ECU replaced

9. Ignition Pickup replaced

 

1400 miles!!

 

been in the shop 7 times, cab fair home?

 

Scott, for your bike I think I would get your dealer on your side and push MGNA to just replace the bike. If you're taking it to Moto International for service, they're supposed to be really good, and if they can't make this beast reliable it must be a lemon. Sorry.

 

I put a wonderful 47,000 miles on my Sport 1100i before it started giving me problems and I have 20,000 on the V11 Sport. For the last 2 or 3 thousand miles, the V11 Sport wouldn't idle very well either (idle well? it didn't idle at all, I kept the fast idle lever full on always). I set the valves, changed the plugs and made an appointment to have the TPS set by the shop in Sacramento. $70 straight up and now the bike runs like a charm. As it turned out, the TPS was at 1.9˚ when it should have been at 3.6 - 3.8˚. The 2500-3500 hiccup is still there of course, but it's pretty subdued compared to before. I'm fairly certain the hiccup is bad programming on Marelli's part.

[RichMaund]

Got back from the Va. Guzzi Rally this afternoon. Great Rally, bike ran like a dream. But the new tacho is contaminated with moisture and fogs up in the sun. (My theory is they spilled cappucino in it after snapping the stud loose.) To Winchester's credit, I told Carl about it at the Rally. He got back to me an hour later and said "I made some calls. You have another tach on order." You can't beat service like that. Got to check out the new Breva. Except for the cheap facia plates on the wheel spokes (I predict there will be a problem with some falling off.), I was very impressed with the bike. Even the seat was great. I think they have a winner here.

I was less impressed with the '03 EV and Special. Those seats are still POS's. I'd like to punch the fool engineer who approved them. The bolts holding the riders footpegs on are tiny 6mm grade 2 bolts. There have been problems with these breaking suddenly over the years. Stupid design. A grade 5 8mm bolt is the smallest I would have used.

Aw well...

Have much work to do. Gotta get back to the shop. It was great to see so many of my friends there this weekend. But I am undecided about keeping the bike. Hope you all had a good weekend as well.

[al_roethlisberger]

Well, hope you decide to keep the bike.... or get a new LeMans

 

But I did want to mention something about the tachs.

 

While not an "excuse"... the "Vague-lia" tachs on the recent generations of Guzzis are well known to be trash. That's why MG finally switched to the new black units on the 2003 bikes.

 

My dealer laughed that he can "deal with swapping out tachs" all the time, because he can stock them and it's a known issue to Guzzi that they replace "no questions asked". But other problems such as the engine paint failing are another, bigger issue for sure.

 

That being said, aside from the mechanical issue you noted, all the Veglia tachs I've seen fog-up from the start when unpacked and installed.

 

I don't know if they are packaged or stored in a much more humid environment, and when taken somewhere else that is hotter, etc... they fog... I dunno. But almost all of them seem to clear-up within days and/or one can make(drill) a very small vent in an inconspicuous spot in the plastic cup and that seems to clear it up.

 

My two units fogged, then cleared in a couple days of riding... never to do it again(knock on wood)

 

...again, not an excuse, but MG doesn't seem to have any issues with replacing the tachs "no questions asked", so to some degree while annoying, it seems like MG is doing the right thing.

 

I guess the other only alternative is to request on of the new black units if one keeps having tach problems repeatedly. But then you'd have to get a black speedo as well, and I don't know if they'd pay for that... but who knows if you threw a big enough fit

 

I guess my point is that for all the other problems we have with these bikes, I wouldn't think that the infamous "crap tachs" would be the one that pushes one over the edge to just sell the bike??

 

 

For the most part, I thought you were having pretty good luck with your 2001 Rich?

 

al