TLM dipstick for Norge

[Mark909]

I originally posted this on my club's website but now that we have a section for us CARC people I thought I'd post it here.

 

 

Replacement Norge dipstick by TLM and how to fit it.

 

 

I've recently become the very happy owner of a Norge GT. A fantastic bike, but like any good Italian bike it has a few small design "issues". Nothing too serious, just a few annoying little things really. To me the big one is that checking the engine oil level is a major operation involving the removal of no less than three sections of the fairing. Whilst I understand that Guzzi's don't tend to use oil I feel happier knowing my engine has the right amount of oil rather than merely assuming it has. This lack of access could lead to owners not checking their oil as often as they should. Those who do check it often may well find that removing and refitting fairing panels so often causes damage to them. Bearing in mind that this is a touring bike that will likely be used for extended periods away from the owner's home workshop facilities this is not a satisfactory state of affairs.

 

Thanks to the wonders of the internet I was able to find a solution. The well known firm of Teo Lamers (www.tlm.nl) has produced a replacement dipstick assembly. I ordered one online and received it in Australia in less than two weeks. It cost me $132AUD including postage. It came very well packed but did not include fitting instructions. So I thought I'd provide some here.

 

Disclaimer: This is intended as a "Dummy's Guide" to fitting the Teo Lamers product. I am not a mechanic (although I am a tradesman) and I had no trouble with this job. However, I accept no responsibility if you choose to use this information and cause any damage to yourself or your bike. If you are unsure of doing any mechanical work you should leave it to a professional.

 

Heres what you get;

 

It arrived fully assembled as shown below

 

 

 

This picture below shows it broken down into its various parts. The piece on the right screws into the engine. The tube is retained by the other two pieces. It is rather like the compression fittings found in household plumbing fittings. The tube is threaded inside at the top end for the new dipstick to screw into.

 

 

 

Fitting it to the bike;

 

Tools required: 4mm Allen Key, 10mm socket, 7mm & 13mm spanners (ring or open end), 27mm open end spanner or adjustable wrench.

 

1. Remove the lower fairing panels as shown in the owners manual. If you don't have the owners manual one can be found here Guzzitech.com - Manuals. You'll need a 4mm Allen key (preferably a T Bar or one on a socket extension), and a 10mm socket. All screws/bolts are the same length so don't worry about keeping them sorted.

 

2. You'll need to unfasten the main fairing panel on the left to enable you to move it aside. This is mentioned in the owners manual but it lacks detail, so I'll give some more information here. First thing you'll need is a couple of spanners, a 7mm and a 13mm. Remove the two 7mm bolts and remove the fairing mounting bracket shown below.

 

 

Now remove the two 13mm bolts that the fairing bracket was attached to. This releases the rear of the fairing. You'll then need to detach the press fitting towards the front of the fairing (not shown in the picture). You can now move the fairing to the left enough to access the dipstick.

 

 

3. At long last we can remove the dipstick, its still not easy to get at unless you have extremely skinny arms. Take heart, this is the last time you'll be doing this. In the picture below the standard dipstick is clearly visible. I'm using a piece of cloth to hold the fairing out of the way. Take care not to bend the fairing too far. When you remove the dipstick take a note of the oil level as you normally would (without the dipstick screwed in). We'll compare this to the new fitting later on.

 

 

4. Screw the double end "adapter" into the dipstick hole (the side with the washer and O ring to the engine).

 

 

To tighten this you'll need a 27mm open end spanner or adjustable wrench as I've used here. I know, I'm not a fan of them either but it was all I could lay hands on. It is possible to get the spanner between the lower edge of the fairing and the exhaust header pipe. Take your time and mind the fairing panel.

 

 

5. Next, place the small compression washer into the fitting (narrow side down) and then loosely screw the lock nut into place, finger tight is all you need at this stage. Now put the bottom end of the pipe into the lock nut. Remember that the top end of the pipe is threaded inside for the dipstick so be sure you have it the correct way up. I needed to tap it into place using a hammer and a piece of timber. Do not hit the end of the pipe directly with a hammer or similar tool as this will likely cause damage. You need to ensure the pipe goes all the way "home" into the fitting. once this is done you can tighten the lock nut, this is another 27mm fitting.

 

 

6. Now insert the new dipstick. Before doing anything else check the oil level. Do this with the dipstick unscrewed, as you would with the standard part. I compared the two before fitting and found that the TLM part is calibrated to be used this way. If you notice a significant difference in the oil level compared to when you checked it in Step 3 it could be that the pipe is not seated correctly into the fitting, this would show as a lower oil level than was first measured. If this is the case loosen the lock nut and repeat Step 5.

 

7. Refit the fairing panels in the reverse order that they were removed. Take special care with the tab fittings, they look quite fragile to me.

 

8. Job done, well almost. I found that with mine the top to the dipstick was touching against the fairing panel. It was only just touching and did not interfere with refitting the fairing. However over time and with vibration it would probably cause damage to the plastic. To correct this I added some washers behind one of the fairing screws as shown below. This moved the fairing out and gave the required clearance from the dipstick. It was only a matter of about 2mm. The dipstick is hardly noticeable when looking at the bike, and I am very impressed with the level of engineering that went into the design. It should make living with my Norge that much easier.

 

 

9. Sit down with your beverage of choice and admire your handiwork. Happy Riding

[antonio carroccio]

Nou you have posted this pic's, the Norge look like a transatlantic to me.

[orangeokie]

Outstanding write up Mark. It is people like you who make this one of the best MG forums on the net!