Pesky transmission leak revealed

[Guest John T]

Carl,

 

I'm a little surprised by the alarmist attitude and the "lucky" people that don't have the same crack as you.

 

If I'm not mistaken, you are the only one with this crack (accident bikes don't count)

and, this could just be a bad casting at the mounting boss. (correct me if I'm wrong)

 

Maybe I should just get rid of all my Guzzis and by a Guzzi with hanging tits :-)...no wait they have exploding rear drives...how about a Honda...no....cracked frames and overheating on more than one bike in the lineup....harley/Buell.......despite making millions they still have recalls. I could go on all day!

 

Pefect bike?? I DON'T want one of those! (boring)

 

Sorry, I'm just a little surprised how one problem becomes a huge deal on this board.

 

Gotta go and tend to my babies poor tranny. Will be better than new and I'll love her even more!

[Baldini]

I love my Guzzi, it'll be alright.

I love my Guzzi it'll be alright.

I love my Guzzi it'll be alright

[callison]

What "alarmist attitude"? I accept whole heartedly that my preferred choice of motorcycle isn't perfect. I'm not alarmed a whit that things go wrong. I'll go with the notion though, that information shared is more valuable than information kept secret. If you smell oil, you now have one more place to look. Apparently, my cracked case is number three, so though it's not common it's not unique either. I've been putting up with that smell for the last 21,000 miles or so. Now it's origin is known, it's going to be fixed, and I get the transmission upgrade taken care of at the same time. I like to help, it's why I have a whole web site devoted to clarified Moto Guzzi wiring schematics and it's my pleasure to share any information I have that will help another Guzzi rider.

[Guest John T]

Apparently, my cracked case is number three, so though it's not common it's not unique either.

WARNING! Long caffeine induced rant to follow!

 

Three cracked frames in the same spot as you and no accident bikes? If this is the case I will take notice (just a little)

It must have been from your post about helping a friend change his tire and noticing he did not have the crack and you called him lucky.

 

Maybe I just took that wrong, or maybe you were "crack"-ing a joke?

If I was cruising this site as a potential future Guzzi owner and read your post I may dismiss the whole sport line as "they all break transmission cases".

Right or wrong, this is probably the origin of bad rumors or urban legends.

 

We must remember, we are not the tight little club we think we are. There are outsiders giving Guzzi a look, and if all they here is bad stuff, who will buy them?

 

I agree that this is the nature of the net and newsgroups and if you read any other motorcycle group you will here the same "bitchin anda moanin".

 

Sorry if I'm ranting, and maybe I should stop reading these groups as all the problems and complaining gets me down sometimes. You don't know how many times I jump from the computer and run downstairs to the garage to see if my baby has the same ailment as what other post, including yours! My wife thinks I'm nuts sometimes on the cold floor with a flashlight looking at some obscure part.

Maybe we should have a section for "my bike is great" and here some good stuff.

 

This is the best Guzzi group by far and I hope it doesn't turn ugly like some of the other "waste my time with crap" that goes on in some of the other Guzzi groups. (you read them also, the long harley bashing thread and Meridith the gash threads)

 

But Carl, I am on your side and information, however hard it is to here is good. Lets pretend our bikes are like a new baby that had an accident. "poor thing, it's not his fault, he can't help it"

 

O.K. I think I'm done, I feel better.

 

It is well below zero here right now, I'm tired of winter, my bikes want to get on the road but they are hibernating.

 

I guess it is time to buy something for the Rosso Mandello and start wrenching.

 

Love you guys! (ya bunch a whiners!) That's a joke.

 

PS wheres Nemo? I liked him better than that guy from the Northwest! (another bad joke)

 

Hey, by the way, my bike runs great! All of them!!

[big unit]

John T, I hope you are correct and does any one know what the reason is for the sub frame strut to the middle of the motor block was introduced for on the later models.

I know they lengthened the bike, what year model did they do this and did this coincide with the strut addition. Also the short wheel base V11, what is the year run start and finish.

[al_roethlisberger]

Wow, how'd I miss John's rant back in January? I must have been out of town or something What a loss....

 

 

 

 

Anyway, I don't recall if the bikes were actually "lengthened" or if the steering head angle was simply changed... which of course would affect wheelbase and trail.

 

But to answer your questions, the 00-01 models are the "faster" steering bikes, and the 02+ bikes have the "longer" wheelbase, and extra engine/tranny/frame brackets.

 

But BTW, tire and suspension choices can negate much of the handling differences between the years. For example, Mike Stewart has noted that quicker steering tires on an 02+ bike really quicken things up.

 

Hope that helps!

 

al

[Paul Minnaert]

don't recall if the bikes were actually "lengthened

Al, the newer bikes are lenghted direct behind the steering head.

[big unit]

Some V11 gearboxes have been recalled for gear problems. The owners of these recalled boxes would be wise to look out for this noted crack.

[motoguzznix]

I am somewhat surprised that there exist people who refuse to accept the posibility of failures on these bikes.

 

I can add at least one further gearbox with a crack on the left side of the upper gearbox mount. Engine torque always contributes to this failure and the material is thin and weak in this area.

 

The bike is a 03 with the lower struts, 15 000 km on it.

 

My 00 leaks since km zero from the gearbox, now I will check it in this area too.

[motoguzznix]

Here is a photograph from the crack. The gearbox is upside down in the photo....

 

 

I inspected my own gearbox and there is no indication for a crack in this area. The oil escape seems to occur at the front gearbox seam and is hard to detect as the seam is hidden by a stiffening fin in this area. I will try to fix it with a sealing compound applied on the seam surface.