74 Guzzi Eldorado

[zookster]

Originally Posted by danedg

Getting a new bike or working on a bike you're unfamiliar with always serves to remind you that you're not the rocket surgeon you think you are...

Todays question is:
What's that big 20sumthin' mm hex head thingamabob located on the head just to the left of "A"?

Access plug to a head bolt.

[F_Sahms]

Originally Posted by zookster

Access plug to a head bolt.

Later Tontis have an allen plug there, sealed with an o-ring. It's a little lighter, but they seem to get stuck a lot and the allen hole strips out. I have chiseled a few loose. I usually replace them with the old heavy loop item.

[danedg]

Thanx All for your patience and understandings...

What appears obvious to you guys isn't always to the new guy...

With our fantastic weather I'm gearing up to dive face first into this puppy...

My next step is to pull the cylinders/pistons and replace with them shiny new Gilardonis that are eating a hole in that big box...BUT!

A little birdie (my machinist) , told me a little story of a bike that sat around for years and was rescued. The punch line being... the tranny below the oil line was great. Condensation above the oil level had played hell with bearings,bushings and whatnot. Fresh motor and a lot of other things and Off We Go! for about 30 miles until the tranny locked solid... no one was injured.

This bike looks like a daily runner that got barnparked for 11 New York years before my greasy mitts got ahold of it.
Condensation destroyed the gas tank.
Should I have concerns about the interior rust factor in the tranny and motor? And where do I find a RustOMeter to check levels???

[F_Sahms]

Originally Posted by danedg

Thanx All for your patience and understandings...

What appears obvious to you guys isn't always to the new guy...

With our fantastic weather I'm gearing up to dive face first into this puppy...

My next step is to pull the cylinders/pistons and replace with them shiny new Gilardonis that are eating a hole in that big box...BUT!

A little birdie (my machinist) , told me a little story of a bike that sat around for years and was rescued. The punch line being... the tranny below the oil line was great. Condensation above the oil level had played hell with bearings,bushings and whatnot. Fresh motor and a lot of other things and Off We Go! for about 30 miles until the tranny locked solid... no one was injured.

This bike looks like a daily runner that got barnparked for 11 New York years before my greasy mitts got ahold of it.
Condensation destroyed the gas tank.
Should I have concerns about the interior rust factor in the tranny and motor? And where do I find a RustOMeter to check levels???

Open the big fill hole in the trans and take a peek. The stuff you can see is above the lube level. Pull the sump off the motor and clean the screen while you're doing the cyls. You'll be able to see everything from the top and bottom.

[danedg]

Originally Posted by F_Sahms

Open the big fill hole in the trans and take a peek. The stuff you can see is above the lube level. Pull the sump off the motor and clean the screen while you're doing the cyls. You'll be able to see everything from the top and bottom.

Good answer. Thanks!

I was loathe to open a trans that didn't need it. But I'd prefer to not destroy the thing but not making sure beforehand...

[OldPete]

Having been a diesel mech for 35 years and diddeled with many old bikes i have yet to see a trans rusted up.
Granted it could happen if it had been submerged... seen that happen to truck rear ends & transmission from submersion when hot and then it draws the water in.

Gear oil is formulated to prevent corrosion because quite often the oil just gets warm, never hot enough to drive out/off condensation.

The Tonti (later bikes) trans take some special tools for disassembly.
The rear end is easy to open up. Just be sure to count & "mike" the shim gaskets.

Do drop the sump as noted earlyer.

[Bloodweiser]

Originally Posted by danedg

Good answer. Thanks!

I was loathe to open a trans that didn't need it. But I'd prefer to not destroy the thing but not making sure beforehand...

You're close enough that I would pull it if it'll give you that piece of mind.
If that rubber boot covering your u-joint is shit,
and you plan on replacing that,
then you're literally a handful of bolts away from pulling the trans.

My old ambo's trans was the first one I ever looked at.
Was apprehensive, but there is not a thing to it.
Just got to get a little creative to keep it in (2nd?) gear when installing it.
New bearings all around cost me $60-80 I think.

However, I'm a let sleeping-dogs-lie guy, except for those chrome cylinders.
If your boot and u-joint are fine,
I probably wouldn't bother except to shine a little light on through the filler whole
and see what's up.

[danedg]

Thanks Blood...

I'm close enough on the mechanicals, to wanna pull the junk just to clean the frame...while it's out I could pop this and check that...and clean.

This bike is a totally unknown quantity. I think I'm the second owner, and the first is morte.... so what I've got is only what I see...no history.
With the slash2, I had access to the PO, riding and usage history, and assurance that it was a totally unmolested bike with great patina... all a giant crock of hooey! Valuable lessons were learned.

I'm now looking at a neat Eldo with great patina. I have to assume that it's been badly serviced, generally mistreated and is ready to explode upon ignition after an 11 year hibernation.

I think I just answered the very question I never asked

[nick949eldo]

Originally Posted by danedg

I'm now looking at a neat Eldo with great patina. I have to assume that it's been badly serviced, generally mistreated and is ready to explode upon ignition after an 11 year hibernation.

I think I just answered the very question I never asked

Don't sweat it. On my 750S, which had been sitting for 25 years, I checked the cylinders, pulled the sump and cleaned everything, then changed all the fluids and started riding. 8000kms later, its still running sweetly. Same thing with my 74 California which had been in the hands of an unsympathetic ape. I need to change the clutch, but other than that, its ready for cross-continent.

The Eldo is likely to be the same. I'll bet there's nothing much that some fresh oil, the new Gilardonis, and a few thousand miles won't cure. Have faith - they're very nearly indestructible.

Nick

[MZRider]

If you have the transmission out, then I'd definitely recommend opening it up to replace the shift return spring if nothing else. Got an email from a fellow down in TN the other day wondering how much work it was to replace the return spring - he had the clutch replaced just a week earlier...

When I built "Barney" http://thisoldtractor.com/gtbender/p...arney_blog.htm I used a presumed good transmission. Upon inspection, it was found that the input shaft would only turn so far then "crunch", same with the output shaft. Opened it up and found rusted bearings and 2-3 "sliding muff".

I don't have the time (or money) to do things over, so I try my best to do everything right the first time.

[OldPete]

Those springs were a known fault on some early guzzis.

[danedg]

New gaskets...check
Seals...check
ORings...check
Cylinders/pistons/rings...check
Carb kits..check
Split boot..check
Good used gastank...check
Cables...check

Get my ass in gear and pull the junk and get to it!!!!

.....check?

[MZRider]

Originally Posted by danedg

New gaskets...check
Split boot..check

Split u-joint boot? Wouldn't recommend it. Better to pull the rear drive and swingarm and do it right. Gives you a chance to grease the splines and have a good look at the condition of everything.

[OldPete]

Originally Posted by MZRider

Split u-joint boot? Wouldn't recommend it. Better to pull the rear drive and swingarm and do it right. Gives you a chance to grease the splines and have a good look at the condition of everything.

yes, indeed.

repack the swingarm tapered bearings. the centering and pre-load are easy to do.

add about 2oz of gear oil at the boot before clamping it as i stated before... works.

[Bloodweiser]

Originally Posted by OldPete

repack the swingarm tapered bearings. the centering and pre-load are easy to do.

they ain't tapered.


I'm not sure what your plan of attack is;
she'll fire up easy for you I'm sure.
But if you plan to do some miles,
put some love into the running gear.
Lube those splines,
scope out the u-joint,
replace that carrier bearing,
and give your RD a going over....
I shattered one of those pretty good.

Above all, listen to MZrider