Trevini

Thanks for the heads up

Stumbled across these today. Linky to guides

like this one...OMG! Maybe?

I also has a similar experience. Turned out to be the rear cover screws worked loose. Bear in mind the gearbox oil isn't pressure fed (as far as I know, anyway), but a blocked breather could also cause weeps from seals etc.

Best for me is 51 (only once, mind) and the lowest 34 (riding like Rossi, well, it felt like it anyway, lol). "Normal" for me is early to mid 40's. All UK gallons, of course.

Yup, there's a short wire that provides a ground/earth on the casing of the reg/rec unit. Common practice is to beef it up with some heavier duty wire and make sure the connections are clean. Poor connections on the relays and fuses can also cause under/overcharging. The reference voltage for the reg/rec is taken from the headlamp relay and poor connections there can also cause problems. THIS THREAD should help a bit.

I'm no expert in these things, but it has been well documented that dodgy earth connections on the reg/rec can cause issues, as can relay and fuse contacts. You'd do well to search some of the posts by Kiwi Roy. He's posted some excellent test point diagrams and knows the electrics inside out. Have you used a volt meter to determine the actual charge voltage? edit to add link Linky Dink to charging euphoria

To answer your question, Docc, over 15.2v flash red/green and below 11.8v, flash yellow. There are two modes on the unit, achieved by fitting or removing a link piece. Below is the chart (taken from the ebay ad). Battery Charging Indicator Mode (No Link Fitted) Red / Green Flash - Over 15.2v: Green - 13.2v to 15.2v: Yellow - 11.8v to 13.2v: Yellow Flash - 11.5-11.8v: Red - 11.2v to 11.8v: Red Flash - below 11.2v Fairly easy to fit, but you do have to open up the hole where the original lamp fitted and trim away the sides of the housing. Sounds difficult, but obvious when you have the dash stripped out. Sorry, didn't take pics when I fitted it!

Here we are then. Pics as promised...running and non running Andy, you are, of course, correct about the warning lamp with the Electrex reg/rec, but I wanted to monitor the voltage at a glance without adding any extra dials to the dash. Keeping the smoke contained in the loom is a given for Italian electrics

I have an Electrex rec/reg on mine and fitted the LED simply because it's a more accurate visual reference than the original warning lamp. I wanted a voltmeter, but didn't want to add extra dials to the dash. The ebay seller in the link I gave lists postage to USA, so you could order direct. I haven't forgotten the pics of the unit installed, just not been in the garage to take them yet.

I have a multi colour led indicator fitted in place of the original warning lamp on the dash panel. Wired independently of the charge system, it shows green between 13.2v and 15.2v, yellow between 11.8 and 13.2v. I'll post up a pic when I can get near a PC (on phone at mo). Ebay linky

That's pretty much the same set up I have on my 02 MY Le Mans. I didn't do it though, so can't help with what parts you need. I do have non standard oil lines, but not for that reason (had one split and have local tame hose guy). Trev

I won't be doing the track day, but might be able to get down to watch for a bit. It does get expensive very quickly.

Hi Trev, All is not lost. Robert is running another in Aug. That'll teach me not to read all the posts on the MG Club forum Are you coming down for that one?

Damn, I missed that one. I work only 15 min up the road and would have popped down if I'd known. Looks like you had a great day. It's nice when you can show the fast boys up a bit on their "superior" mechines. A mate of mine did a track day at Snett on his mk1 TDM and eneded up out braking and riding round the outside of litre sports bikes just about every lap. Like you, though, they went past again on the straights. Nice write up, thanks for sharing. If you're over this way again, give us a shout and we can meet up for chips/cake/coffee. Trev

You could be onto something there Andy. I've only ever had one inline 4 and didn't like it. Mechanical sympathy and all that, plus I was brought up on Brit Iron, hence big singles and twins. Anything over 8k revs just doesn't feel right to me. I try to be a smooth rider generally and tend to use the torque more than the power and also engine braking with fine throttle control ....if only I could put it into practice :-)

When I first got my V11, it had a Diablo Strada rear and a Diablo Sport front. Front was very planted, but it was a softer compound for sure. Both wore at the same rate. To be fair not too bad, but knowing that Pirelli and Metzler are one and the same, never really trusted them after my previous experience with the Metzlers (big highside in dry, good conditions - and no, I wasn't being heavy handed with the throttle). I have Conti Road Attacks at the moment. They don't last long, but the bike feels so much better. I have Michelin PR2s on my TDM and really don't like them compared to the feel of the Contis (I ran them on the TDM previously and loved them). It's probably my riding "style", but I struggle to heat a decent amount of heat in the front tyre on any bike, which leads to a cycle of no heat=less grip=less confidence=less heat=even less grip=even less confidence. I'm not shy with the bike at all (knee down in the wet), just gentle on the front so it seems!

Last time I ran Z6s was about 4 or 5 years ago - never again. Truely aweful things that let go with absolutely no warning or feedback. Still got the limp to prove it. Squared off pretty quickly too from what I can remember. Hopefully the Z8 is better. ST type tyres have moved on a lot now and tyres like the roadsmarts/pilot road 2/3s give more grip and better wear. That said, I'm not too keen on the pilot road 2s either. Very bad on overbanding and damp roads. Good in dry and very wet, though.

Sounds like you're on thr right track now, Andy. Your voltage readings (for the same reg/rec)and more or less the same as mine. I'd be inclined to agree with the idle being a bit slow. Trev

Andy. What reg have you fitted? Is it the electrex 451 (i think). If so, I have one fitted to my Le Mans. I did an experiment when I fitted it. Wired in using the bike's standard wiring to pick up the reference voltage, It rarely did better than 13.8v measured at the battery. Wiring as per instructions i.e. straight to the battery, 14.2v. I also have an extra, heavy duty earth strap on the reg to the engine case. I don't have a battery warning lamp as such, as that was changed for a multi coloured LED unit, but it stays green (over 13.8v) all the time unless idling for a while with the lights on, in which case it drops back to yellow (11.8-13.8v). Just a thought, what's the earth connection like on the clocks? It might pay to get the battery checked even though it's only a year old. I've known them to fail in as little as a couple of months.

I haven't got the carbon capped round Mistrals, but I do have Oval Mistrals and they sound bloody awesome. They are a bit on the loud side if you swap out the crossover as well, though (I have a Mistral crossover on mine). Performance wise, the crossover makes a big difference to the mid range. I don't know how the cans compare to standard because I've never ridden a standard one. Trev

I'm guessing here, but it looks like it might be a cable/hose guide.

Good job. I got mine down in the wet the other week

I had a leak on mine from what first appeared to be the head gasket. 300 miles and it would leave oil on my left boot and traces between the head and barrel. It turned out to be the o rings on the head studs gone hard, in particular on the cap that fits over the stud on the inner most short stud. That one vents straight to the great outdoors by the oil feed pipe.

There's just something about them....that ALWAYS makes you turn round to have another look before you close the garage door.