Gmc28

Replaced the #5 fuel pump relay. With the old relay it still gave me a fuel pump “click”, but maybe it was failing, and the new one (Bosch, because it was there in the kit and readily available, but I have the Omrons in my kit as well) fixed it. I’d love to believe that is the case... hate not having a smoking gun. fuel and air filter are indeed a troubling possibility.

Arrived without further drama in Santa Fe. Adding fermented liquid to the throttle operator now... she ran basically flawless on the freeway. 75mph limit, so easy to do 85, and she purred the whole time, about 56 miles worth. Entering downtown went through the series of traffic lights, and she idles poorly. Odd. Perhaps just a distraction, or maybe related. I’m thinking distraction. Manual fuel cock, if I recall the details of that.... there’s a nickel sized metal turn-knob just under the aft left side of tank which presumably is the fuel petcock. What’s the tell-tale of a manual vs electric... a wire? bad fuel a possibility. Added fresh high octane at last stop, but it was only half empty, so could take a while to work that out. Maybe some additive, as suggested. cant yet prove yay or nay on suction/vacuum in tank. Was ready to pop fuel cap if she started to sputter again, but she didn’t. And I’m truly about deaf now from the brutal wind onslaught. I left my earplugs out after she quit, thinking I’d be able to better hear any telltale signs, but instead the road straight into that damn 30+mph gusty wind, which rag-dolled me around and shrieked in my ears to where I feel like I just left a Metallica concert, minus the good parts... do failing fuel pumps on these exhibit a pattern of faultering before dying?

Here we go... ”red” (what i’ll Call this silver/red 02 lemans) decided to quit running while cruising down a tasty back road north of Tucumcari. The cool road is another story, but of course it happened as I came into the most remote part of the road, and had no cell service. Coasted to a little driveway area to troubleshoot. Symptoms: while loping along in 6th at about 70mph, she just all of a sudden felt “gutless” for little bit... still running and going, but twisting throttle didn’t do much. That went on for 5-ish seconds, then got worse, then it faltered, and again, then started to decelerate whether I wanted it to or not, and I pulled in clutch to let her coast, and she sputtered, then quit. Toward bottom of hill I released the clutch to bump start, and it did, but sputtered more and quit. what I did: what I did didn’t fix it, I think the brutal wind that I’d been cursing probably helped cool things down quicker, though that’s just a stab. Turn key and hear the fuel pump and solenoid. But, it sound anemic. Little unsure about that, as a solenoid should either work or not, and the wind made it really hard to hear, but I swear the click and the hum from the fuel pump was weak. In fact, the pump sort of squeaked. Pulled the seat, checked fuses just because, then verified the fuel pup relay was clicking. It was, but changed it anyway. Started, ran rough, and I shut her down. Changes the ecu solenoid just because I had several solenoids and wanted to do something while thinking about what’s going on. Plenty of gas. In hindsight I did not pop the fuel cap to see if there was any suction, as actually the bike behavior would be consistent with a clogged charcoal cannister (just noticed it back there... thought it had been removed, but no). Vacuum build up from bad tank venting could cause that sort of slow flame-out, then allow it to run fine after waiting a bit. i had just come up a tasty, steep, twisty road carved into the the face of a mesa-cliff thing, with 25mph posted speeds and me of course not behaving. I was not going easy on red, but neither was I flogging her. Data point perhaps. And I pulled over for a 1 min photo op and left her running, and it was hot out. Another data point perhaps. After 15-ish mins of futsin’ around, changing those relays, things cooling off, I figured I’d give it another go and see if I could reach top of next hill to get cell reception. She ran fine , and I rode her the next 20 mins in deafening headwinds (32mph winds per the local airport Wx info) to the gas station and cell reception, where I am now. Topping off then, heading to Santa Fe, about half hour I think, and hope it goes well. Eager to hear thoughts on what u think my gremlin is. cheers

All that travel-log stuff said, i’m Now clear on the fact that something ain’t right with Goldie (the other lemans, at home), as this one is so different. As noted previously, Goldie has that super sweet top end, above 4800 rpm where it just smooths out and comes alive. That’s due largely to the crossover I assume. But the rpm below that on Goldie is just not pleasant, with a very unpleasant buzz and lack of kick, which I associate with the buzz, right or wrong. This “new” lemans proves what I had suspected and what y’all already know, that these things can run sweet, and that something is truly amiss with Goldie, as this new one (what to call her...hmmm) is super smooth through the whole rpm range, pulling beautifully from a very low rpm. I’ll have to re-energize my efforts to figure out what’s wrong with Goldie. She’ll go back to my good friend in 2020 (he’s buying it back from me, as he realizes he can’t live without his mistress), so for his sake and my curiosity i’ll be looking harder for a root cause. dave Blues tune-up, plus the new cross over, made it good enough where I figured “well, that’s how the v11’s run”, but now I know that ain’t the case, as my new girl sets the proper standard. Could be crank balance, but that’s a long shot, and I still suspect low end fueling issue for Goldie, as she feels like my old oilhead before I was able to enrichen that machine with the ecu magic.

What a sweetheart.... loved the V11 before, and love it more now. Yes, my left foot is still buzzing, and I have the other aches associated with getting older and being on a machine not as conducive to long distance comfort as my other machines, but she pushes the right buttons. finished work stuff today an hour or so early and headed out in the brutal Texas heat (for someone no longer used to it... others can scoff at my whining....there was a time when I didn’t mind it so much when i was more accustomed to spending large parts of each year in hot climates, but not any more). Up highway 287, beating my way toward Santa Fe, but in middle nowheresville Texas tonight (all due respect to any north Texans who call this home), pulling off the highway when the sun went down. tomorrow a long but not too painful day to Santa Fe, and looking at some possible alternate routes toward the last part (sena, NM?) to break up the super-slab grind. Next day will be a fun one, winding my way on a shorter day up to Durango via some fun backroads (chama, and/or Taos, pagosa springs) then to brothers house in Durango. Next day million dollar highway, Moab, etc. Need to get some miles on this underutilized tart, to work on catching up with all u guzzi high-milers.

I like it. i’d consider dying the leather a bit darker, but would just consider it.... don’t know that I would bother.

Nipple covers installed. Seems to run a little better, but main culprit seems to be heat... it hates those long, un-coordinated traffic lights, in traffic, in the heat. It’s fine, but she isn’t happy that way and let’s me know it with some hesitation/sputtering in the get-go still, but nothing that bad. Proper full tune at home, and cooler temps are likely the recipe for happiness. replaced some missing bolts (sigh), loctite blue on some other suspect connectors, topped up oil a smidge, and parsing out more stuff/baggage I don’t need once work here is done and will FEDEX home to make loading bike easier on Saturday when I get back on the highway. Will likely wrap left footpeg with some thin foam for the long ride home.

That sounds like my limited experience, at least the going dead thing. Learned to let it “warm up” with key on for a cold morning, which took some getting used to. But then sometimes it would just be low voltage, and need a bump in order to come to life and crank the motor, but then afterward would act normal again for a week or two. Maybe the PO, who had installed it not long before I bought the bike, had killed it then revived it, doing some “memory” type damage. I forget the brand, but it’s the more popular one I see around.

I hear u, and won’t argue....but my experience is that the open airbox thing is usually (not always) overrated or even counter productive, even with enhanced exhaust. But certainly depends on specific machine and mod status.

Properly designed airbox in my book is a small but real plus, and is one less (or lessened) variable if chasing the ideal tune. I can’t get My Austrian bike to run as well on the highway with an (expensive) aftermarket air filter system as it does with the (“factory tuned/shaped”) stock intake/air-box. Air flow and pulsing at intake at higher speeds and Rpm’s Appears to be the issue, based on what I experience, and what a ktm guru strongly voiced. But depends on the machine, of course. Same physics, different physical variables at play. I just like to stick with the stock box, if it’s well designed.

Mostly just a gee-whiz question, but is Anyone running a lithium batt in the v11? I’m not a big fan, but have one at home on it’s special tender, on the shelf, that I removed from another bike because I don’t like them for reliability (I know, some swear by them, but I grew weary of the issues with it). The odyssey in the lemans is a bit tight in there, and the lithium would open up some nice working space to do a fuse block or something like that with more ease. I’d likely stick with the trusty odyssey, but if someone here has had good experience with the lipo in the v11, then I’d consider it again perhaps. I walk into the shop and see that expensive thing staring at me, which makes me keep fishing for ways to use it.

Very good. I have a bunch of those nipple covers at home, but hopefully Napa will have some locally here. footpeg buzz is left side.

Question: the rubber nipple/caps on the throttle body housings are cracked. Both of them. I assume that’s for the vacuum measure/attach (?), and if so wouldn’t that cause some less-than-ideal running if some air can get in? was thinking of swinging by Napa and grabbing a couple new caps.

Good call on the dent remove guys. I’ll check that out.

Not to drown the site with my posting, but wanted to try and keep the questions somewhat segregated by topic.... in this case, i’m Wondering if anyone knows what the secret handshake is for the candy-apple red guzzi paint color in the ‘02? The champagne color was largely unobtanium, so hoping the red is better. and, this lemans has a couple sport mufflers, off an ‘01. I like them (nice sound, and look ok), but one of them is dented. Anyone have one laying around to sell?

Have my multi/voltmeter, part of my Italian travel tool kit. And once my amazon pkg arrives at hotel Wednesday, i’ll Have my powerlet-to-usb-and-voltmeter as well. I brought an sae version of that, when the PO said he had a battery tender lead, but what he didn’t note was that he had done a (nice) version where he ran the tender lead to the lower fairing area of “cockpit”, and made it a powerlet lead for power output or for charging. All good, but had to get the other adaptor for that. Have some spare Omrons, and PO had some spare Bosch relays stashed under seat. speaking of no-start, this has the switch for requiring clutch to be pulled for starting, even in neutral, whereas Goldie doesn’t have that. May mess with that this winter, but only if I get around to it. Caught me off guard at first.

Thanks to all so far! lowryter, I think the higher rpm kick is as you’ve alluded, result of adding a good crossover. Goldie goes like a 2 stroke past about 4800 rpm, while this one is fine, smooth, but no obvious punch at higher rpm. chuck- yep, I love the suspension. Goldie is way too stiff, but I wasn’t sure what was considered normal. Foot peg buzz is Tb sync? Interesting. I find on other bikes that TB sync is a less high frequency buzz, but i’ll Give it a whirl when I tune her at home. mikko- that’s what I was leaning toward.... small air/vacuum leak. Easy fix later, and hopefully that’s it. rolf- i’ll pull that connector tomorrow and give that a try! docc- thx as always, in this case for my newb question answer! back to the machine, my ride back to hotel from dinner. Been dodging thunder showers with pure blind luck so far, and i’ll take luck any day! In class here till Saturday eve. Picked up my 30a CB from Napa today, so have that as a spare for now, then will become the primary “fuse” when I get home.

Hi all, been following the threads on various things like ECU’s, electrical issues, etc., which can apply to this topic, but looking for some thoughts on what “normal” should be. i’ve got this new-to-me v11 now in Dallas, and will head out for 2300 miles home next week. But she runs very different than my other v11, and since even my 1st one I barely rode (had surgery, broke my arm, etc) during the first year of ownership, so I don’t have a great mechanical baseline to compare/judge this current machine. She runs sweet, real sweet, but different than Goldie (Goldie is the 1st lemans, currently tucked away at home). More on that at another time, but in short she has noticeably less punch above 4800rpm (no after market crossover, so I think that makes sense), runs way smoother at low rpm’s (great, but why? And what’s wrong with my other one? Different thread...). But, at low rpm, when going from traffic light to light on a hot, humid day in Dallas, she sputters a bit. So, to my question, and point of this thread.... are these things normal, or should I have concern before heading northwest for 2300 miles? 1) low rpm sputter when idling or under low throtttle. Goes away if u add throttle. 2) runs rich (see #1?). I’m told they all do (?), but exhaust is sooty on tailpipe. 3) little bit of oil seepage, very little, but on right head, just around valve cover area. I assume no big deal, but you all have the experience that I don’t on these machines. 4) suspension is way more supple on this new one (both of my Lemans are 2002’s). Probably more indicative of things being too stiff on Goldie, but maybe this one has something wrong. No seepage from suspension, but it’s been sitting a long time with little use. I just don’t know what’s normal on these, and these two lemans are polar opposite, supple vs super stiff. 4) don’t want to start an oil thread, but where’s the sweet spot on these for “normal”, and where u would add oil? What’s your favorite oil check technique (upright or on side stand, hot or cold)? My Goldie only ridden around town at home, so she was always right where I left it from the last ride. 5) related probably to items further up this list, but does this air/oil cooled motor behave different in hot temps? I assume so, but curious. Last bike where that was obvious for me was 20+ yrs ago on an air cooled, carbureted bike, that behaved very bad in high temps. This bike seems ok, but are there things I should expect hot vs cool ambient temps around town? 6) anything else that might stand out as odd, unless u know V11’s well enough to say “ya, that’s normal”....? this is all for some knowledge, but specifically to make me feel better about launching on the next part of the journey. The first day was only 4.5-5hrs here to Dallas, but the riding days will get longer from here. Already doing a few little things, like looking for something to wrap around that left foot peg (moto bits or the other version, where the controls are lower and forward), as that peg buzzed enough to make my left foot unhappy. Just a temporary thing, that I’d take off once home. And picking up my 30a ATC CB tonight from Napa, and already have other spares and tools in the kit.

Just proves i’m Lazy.... found the motoelectric site in about 12 seconds by just searching. Anyway, here’s their site. I will say I’ve been happy with their product when I’ve used them for older (uh, middle aged?) Ducati’s, like on the st4 and the 904 (Gran Canyon), but don’t know if it would be money well spent on the v11: https://motolectric.com/makes/moto_guzzi.html from the sounds of some of the issues, it MIGHT be of some value on the ground side of things, though most of the benefit usually comes from just having good clean connections. But still, I love my toys, and there’s no downside mechanically to doing this minor mod, and a truly possible benefit, so i’ll Likely do it. i will say that I picked up my 2nd lemans last night (love it, but more on that elsewhere/thread), and it does not have the hicap, and now that I think of it this “new” lemans without the hicap cranks slower than my other lemans which does have the hicap. (So also note that I’ve just admitted my own laziness again, and answered my own question.... I forgot that Goldie (1st ‘02 lemans I have at home) has the hicap kit, as I recommended it to my friend some yrs ago, he had installed it, and later I bought the bike from him. Duh.) so, i’ll Likely do the hicap kit this winter, and clean up all the connections, and do your described 30amp fuse upgrade. So endeth my circular thinking/answering my own questions extravaganza... guess my lousy memory is just getting worse, but it still works when u let it warm up! 😎

Well, good question docc, in regard to the detail, as i’m Not actually sure if it’s a brand or just a descriptor, but I assume it’s a brand, as it’s always the same look to the kits I’ve purchased for various bikes. But now I’m being lazy.... i’ll Do the quick research and circle back, since no one is saying “oh ya, we’ve all got those...” in general, it’s just a larger gauge, higher quality cable/wire set for the primary cables for battery and starter. Been very happy with them in the past on other bikes. Made an obvious difference on my 99 ST4, where (Luigi’s) lousy grounding caused issues of various sorts despite clean, solid looking factory cables. I’ve used them on other bikes without any obviously noted improvement.

So many good threads, so little time (until winter, when it’s “low season” for riding.... great read on the problem and solution noodling. Great group! i’ll only pitch in that I’ve found most of the same issues on other older Italian machines I’ve owned and/or worked on. Often not able to say with 100% certainty what the real culprit is on such issues, but I eventually ended up doing a winter maintenance task on each bike where I’d do most of the basic (and sometimes not so basic) upgrades, including roadstercycle R/R, cleaning connections, removing and/or upgrading Luigi’s connectors, upgrading wire grade and sometimes gauge, di-electric grease all fittings, and usually either adding another ground strap and/or doing the hicap wiring kit. Is there a hicap kit available for these? I can just look, but this group is too dialed in for me to want to do much of anything without checking with the forum 1st!

i think he's referring to the tipping of the tank/bike as being the "manually operated reserve supply"? But does the bike-tipping method apply to both internal and external fuel pump bikes? i would think so, since the fuel pump location should only effect total capacity, whereas the petcock location (or lack of additional locations) effects the need for the bike tip...

revival of zombie thread, and likely with answers scattered elsewhere in other threads.... So a little over 5 gallons usable in the pre-03 V11's (like an 02 Lemans)? And, dare i ask what kind of fuel economy folks get on the highway, perhaps around 80mph? that i'm sure is addressed elsewhere, but seemed ok to link that to a fuel capacity zombie thread. I've not had my V11 down to the low fuel light, being mostly an around town bike to this point, so figured i'd do a little reading before taking one on a much longer run. An old RoadRunner article lists the tank capacity at 5.8 gallons, which clearly sounds like a number to not pay much attention to. And then is there a fuel econ speed "cliff", where the efficiency drops off fast? in other words, above about what speed does the economy start to noticeably suffer? My little air cooled ducati 904 hates it above 65mph, at least in regard to fuel economy, whereas not surprisingly my italian machine with the 1200 4v is fine on fuel up to much higher speeds. The KTM just flat sucks on economy, but i still tolerate the austrian dame.

Thats what i've been using for some time on multiple italian machines, and i also have had my electrical issues go away. Thing is though, i have to admit that some time back I ended up defaulting to just going through the italian machine electrical the first winter I would own the machine (winter projects, not during riding season :->), which meant the roadstercycle mosfet regulator, upgrading any suspect looking wiring from stator to reg and then on to battery, removing un-needed italian butt connectors, then often also spending the $$ on the hicap cables. I used to fret over which of those changes was the most important, but ended up drinking the coolaid for "its my toy, and i want it right" to justify the expense in each case. A wise case can be made for all that being overkill and a waste of some of that money, as well as for the opposite, which is to have a well sorted machine. over time. i've had success with each of those fixes on different bikes, so i usually do them all now. The hicap cables worked wonders on my old ST4, whereas just upgrading the wiring and connectors to the VR from the stator on 3 different Gran Canyons seemed to be the real silver bullet for the issues that plagued that model. The shindengen I also do, but not as clear on whether it really was the answer based on trial & error, since that upgrade was always accompanied by another change (usually the wiring upgrade, which is certainly the cheapest of all those options). In fact, now that i think about it, i started doing that in around 2005, and since then i have not had a single electrical issue on any of my (modified as described) bikes. knock on wood. charging is great, batteries last 7+ years and are only replaced because i figure its time and not because of any bad symptoms (though note i also use deltran batt tenders all winter, always), and no oddball "won't start" issues. Very possibly just lucky, but the miles, years, and number of italian machines so modified are adding up to what might be a relevant data set...

amen