docc

How great to see this V11 out&about! Welldone, Sir! @jetboy, would you post a summary of what stopped your bike the first time? And, perhaps, an addendum of what confused the issue on reassembly? TIA!

The GB is equipped with an oil "Separator" attached to the front of the airbox to split the liquid and vapor portions of the crankcase venting (much like the frame spine does on the V11). From new, the GBs were known to wet the front of the air filter with oil, especially with Grade 2 ("dino") base oils when run hard at high rpm (me!). This was much improved after using a Grade 5, full ester, true synthetic base oil (RedLine). Once I discovered an Aussie racer-type using an open hose to vent the crankcase to the tail cowl above the head, "Triumph-style", I installed the vent on my GB and blocked the separator from the airbox. (Yeah, the GB just got a refresh at 51,000 miles. Plus, I returned to a "dino" oil.) This all makes me think a couple things about the V11 crankcase venting. Next tank-off, I'd like to inspect the lower banjo bolt and flow through the return line as @Tinus89 noted. Also, I wonder if this wetness @Grim showed us is lessened on V11 running Grade 4 or Grade 5 full synthetics (not the more common faux-synth using Grade 2 base or using Grade 2 "dino" oils. Heat evaporation is significant with these oils and absent with the Grade4/5 ).

My GB's closed venting would oil contaminate the air filter ridiculously. It went "atmospheric" long ago . . . > Watch yer eyes! <

No matter what, those true High Current G8HE Form-C relays will serve well. If there is any "micro-ISO relay" with equal or better capacity: bring it on! It is always good to know which of the relays in our stack are the most stressed, and the least. With this, we know which to switch around (if needed).

Relays might be sold by the gram, but not springs! Sold by the each! Just beware if the "first one's free!"

More like "by the gram." Notice how the vintage triple beam balances come out . . .

MG Cycle ain't got none? Harper's?

Sorry, that was kinda "ranty," I suppose. The set point from amber to green on the SparkBright is 13.2 volts, so a little above battery voltage (assuming a fully charged AGM is 12.84v), but still a full volt below the V11 regulator set-point (14.2v) or the minimum float charge voltage range (13.5-13.8)v. It will remain amber between 12.45 and 13.2.

That's a good question. The V11 alternator/regulator combo is "set" to 14.2V. An optimally functioning V11 charging system should throw this voltage at least from 2000-2500 rpm, but probably not at idle. Unfortunately, there are far too many V11 being expected to idle too low (IMO), complicated by tachometers that "may" read optimistically. A tach reading 300 rpm off with an owner expecting a 1000 rpm idle (too low!) is actually idling at 700 rpm. Way too low for charging. Probably too low for idle stability and even too low for decent oiling/cooling. I think (just my opinion/observations) that too many V11 owners also let their AGM battery fall below the Odyssey 12.65v charge threshold, then expect our flinky charging system to bring it back up. Probably asking too much. The melty 30 amp "charging"/regulator fuse, regulator diodes, regulator ground path, and stator wires would likely agree . . . If I were to install one of these very clever, well designed LED voltage monitors, I would customize the voltage breaks for the Odyssey PC545 AGM.

Oh, my! My buddy with the 1200 Sport is gonna love this!!

Well, since the hammer is big enough, must be an electrical problem . . . I suspect the difference from the V11 is the middle relay (where that turn signal flasher is) is not present on the 1100 Sport-i (Neutral/"sidestand" relay that is triggered by the Neutral Switch on the V11 6speeder). Otherwise, I wonder about the functions on those four, front to back: Start; Lights/etc; ECU; Fuel/Ignition ? And, if so, Have you administered the "Livin' Easy Test?"

+1 on the 20.0 grams with my analog method. For comparison, my original Seimans are 15.1 grams. [ Note that "sealed" relays and those with wider coil contact blades add weight without adding capacity.] I have edited the "Answer" post to direct buyers to ebay. Please continue to post reliable, available sources of these desirable components. Also, it occurred to me that @Pressureangle is using these in an 1997 1100 Sport-i. I am not sure the sequence or number of relays on that model. Are there still five relays in a row?

The difference in infrared temperature readings between other relays and these High Current OMRON (especially in Position #5) by different members was really telling. The components that add up to that weight difference certainly matter.

There are >many< variations on this same topic. To the point of this particular thread, do be sure your CO Fuel Trim is (at least) set to zero.

Oh, but this is what we live for, yes? No question that a dedicated enthusiast, "with a little help from his friends", can make these V11 run very much better. Even "really nicely" . . .

Also, good to realize the V11 has a fairly aggressive camshaft profile and only two valves for the rather large bore (rather inefficient at lower revs) combined with a light (for a Guzzi!) flywheel that does not damp the power pulses well at the lower (below 4000 rpm) revs. Also, the tachometers can be optimistic and an indicated 4,000 rpm might actually be as low as 3,500 (so that an indicated 3,000 might be 2,500-2800). Very unhappy territory for the V11. As in Texas, this time of year in the US "deep south" is very hot and humid. I always revel in the coming of autumn and when I feel the combined atmospheric conditions must match those in Mandello del Lario - the Sport knows this in its core and runs like a Labrador Retriever between the truck and the lake!

If any one, or a combination, of the tuning parameters are off it could contribute to this behavior. It is very common that the factory CO Fuel Trim setting is in the very negative range. That is, of course, a specific and important step in the Decent Tune-up (zero the CO Fuel Trim). This behavior is also common to a bad TPS. I have never been able to diagnose the TPS looking at millivoltage, but have found bad ones by watching the resistance across the TPS while slowly opening and closing the throttle looking for skips, jumps, or open readings. That said, the V11 is really not happy in these very high temperatures or at those low RPM. The combination can be particularly aggravating. So, simply riding in a lower gear to let the motor rev more freely may be all that is needed . . .

Are we trying to "get an order up" for Joe to do a run?

Well, I had a great time scrolling through the South'n SpineRaid archives looking for the reardrive temps TechSession. It was South'n SpineRaid five, 2008, but I can't find the data (our forum lost a bunch of posts and threads back then). I'll have to load up the IR gun and get some temps off mySport for comparison. Re-shoot yours at sustained highway speeds or after repetitive accel/decel @Pressureangle 2008/ 4th South'n SpineRaid:

That looks like an awesome result! And you feel that it is still actually "venting?" We checked reardrive temps with an IR reader at one of the SpineRaids as a (rolling) TechSession. Let me see if I can find that . . .

Interesting, @twant4 . . . as a link to this site?

Alright, alright . . . "those kinds of posts" . . . I should report myself. To myself. Again. Looks like you have your solution, @Pressureangle. It will be interesting to hear your results. The V11 reardrive has substantially more capacity than the earlier Sport. (370 ml vs 250 ml?) and is vented. (Was your '97 Sport-i originally unvented?) I suppose using the V11 vent system would still let too much oil out? Breather Plug GU19206501 Gasket GU01528930 Oil Plug GU01351230 Gasket GU01154230

This, I have done too many times to count . . . ("Back in the day" . . .)

Or simply paint them both the same?

I hurt my kidneys laughing at this so hard it had to be set as the "answer", imho. Once again P.Roper keeps us honest. Even if it hurts our kidneys. edit: [I tried to read that post again, completely burst a kidney and am off to hospital. Reader beware!