Gio

Further to GuzziMotos suggestion - I checked my notes at last fork oil change - I have the smaller(?) Marzocchi fork - spec vol for which is 400ml / leg. After first overnight drain I recorded approx. 380ml from each leg and since I had to wait for other parts at the time, a further 10 ml from L (comp) and 30ml from R (rebound) over the next couple of days for totals of 390 and 410ml respectively ... close enough to spec volumes - with which I refilled. Didn't measure air gaps but forks work to my satisfaction. Hope this helps?

Something I do routinely at every oil change (both bike and car) - think of it as cheap insurance ..?

Great news re sensor results ... I can feel a collective sigh of relief as many were following and contributing to this thread! Further evidence of how awesome this forum is ... in fact, feel free to donate any proceeds of my sweepstake winnings to the cause (!)

Any progress Tinus?

I think the clearance spec should be on a "cold" motor (not sure how much "hot" would affect the clearance?) ... so I would replace it first and see what happens.

Brilliant! But just in case google withholds the truth (it happens) ... might be a good idea to mic those layers just to confirm spec thickness ...

Seems to me that (after reminding us) that you have both go-winky and guzzi-diag that the ecu is not dropping out (and tps likely ok?) and so if there was a sweep-stake (there's an idea!) I would place my bet on the sensor going out of whack with temperature ... this does seem to fit the symptoms ?

In agreement with your thoughts that timing chain unlikely to be the culprit as you would likely have problems when "cold / warm" also. Something is getting out of whack as things get hot and my hunch is an electrical component / sensor as the cut-out is so immediate based on your video. Always a good idea to listen to Kiwi-Roy btw ... he has helped countless members over the years, myself included. As Docc said ... this is indeed an elusive problem and we are looking forward to a resolution ... almost as much as you are!

That rattle is at the back of my mind also ... and the old saying that if there are two things going on - there's more than a good chance they are related ... alas I can not add any further insight as to the likely culprit however.

So not opening the throttle keeps the engine idling ... and from your video it seems to die quite suddenly (as in more of an" electrical" way) as soon as revs are increased. I don't think this is vapour-lock but certainly does sound like something is failing when hot ... testing the TPS sounds like the next step to me also but have no personal experience of how you might do that? And yes - the metallic rattle can be heard also ... All very strange and hope we can figure it out!

I'm not sure I would re-locate the pump at this stage ... mine was re-located to a similar location to yours is now (ie above the spine) and has been problem (vapor-lock) free since - but I would try to distance that fuel line from the left cylinder and/or heat shield it.

It wouldn't account for the slow cranking, but some symptoms do remind me of vapour lock ... stopping after a spirited ride, the sputtering and re-starting ok after allowing to cool down - although this would not normally happen whilst underway when there is good air-flow. Is there good clearance between fuel lines and cylinders?

I'm just reading this post for the first time - and there are important words here for us all ... I know I have taken some to heart and will act on these. Our bikes may have soul ... but it is truly a human experience at the end of the day. RIP indeed brother ... I will be raising a glass in memory.

From feedback here, plus some googling ... opinion seems to fall into 2 camps - a) time sert preferred or either would be ok ... given an equal choice I would probably have gone with time-sert but am justifying the quicker / less expensive option as there is an alternate port from which to drain the oil in future (and check / clean the magnet every other oil change when the pan is dropped for an oil filter ... now planning on switching to an alternate based on the flaking paint on the one I just removed!) Thanks again for all feedback ... good to be back on the road.

Job done ... all good. Just as Chuck predicted ... nothing to it! Tried to upload some pics but having less than positive results on that front ...

Thanks for all advice ... sump now off and getting everything ready to try the heli-coil ... probably good timing as I see some of the paint flaking off the UFI filter (and not where the safety clamp is) ..!

Drain plug is 10 x 1.5mm pitch ... and have been able to source helicoil kit in that size at my local Canadian Tire - so I'm thinking to give that a go and then use the blanking plug "B" for future draining so as to reduce stress on the repair ... or do you think it's worth the additional time / expense of sourcing a time-sert (if available) ..?

Good to know and thanks again. Yes - drain plug itself looks fine ... PS - I was thinking further on the purpose of the other oil-line blank ... perhaps this was to give the option of running the return line from the other side ..?

Thanks Scud ... I'll keep that option in mind - much appreciated! I usually drop the sump every other oil change (10k km) to replace the filter (and clean out any cheesy deposits) but otherwise draining through the right hand "oil-line blank" fitting if centre hole gets repaired in future.

Yes - I guess some kind of heli-coil (or Time-sert as recommended by guzzigary) repair might be a better option ... but have no personal experience of doing this.

This time last year - within a few days of the first ride of the season ... I was sidelined by a car that failed to stop at the scene. First ride this year was a short one just to warm up for an oil change ... and now a problem of my own making. After letting the oil drain overnight I was re-fitting the drain plug - and managed to strip the thread from the drain hole ... as in the drain plug turns completely freely and some nice swarf as a result - kind of ruined my day to say the least (!) - it's been a while since I made such a basic mistake and a reminder that they can still happen. It was cross-threaded rather than over-tightenened and just too anxious to get some fresh oil in there I guess.. So am now considering my options and come up with a) replace the sump ($$) re-tap the drain hole and fit an over-size plug c) block the drain hole (with a bolt perhaps) and use the adjacent blank in future Interestingly enough - page D4 of the manual describes this blank as "oil draining plug B" (when viewed from the rear the left has the oil return line, the centre the smaller drain plug with magnet and the right this plug B - anyone know what this would have been there for ... or is it just me that has been using the centre hole for draining?) So - anyone have a used lower sump kicking around or recommendations for the solution ..?

+1 on the question of a 160 for your '01 ...

But the clearance specs are for a "cold" motor, no ?

Docc ... re point 1) above - do you think that the motor would be "cool" enough to set valve clearance after being off for only 45 mins ..? I have always thought that an over-night cooling would be more appropriate ???

Yes - he know's what he's doing! Seriously - the stock cans look great, and have a much deeper sound than the Mistrals I have been running - if you buy the bike (and I hope you do) and still interested in trading ... just let me know! Cheers and best of luck! Gio