belfastguzzi

YES. Same happened. If you mean the valve was completely loose because there was no nut to hold it in place, I've posted here before to say this happened and of course the tyre goes completely flat because the valve drops into tyre when you're riding. The nut split, of its own accord, and disappeared. Valve stem also splits around circumference and gives a slow leak. They may be light, but these are rubbish parts for a motorbike, especialy a heavy V.11. Replace with stainless steel.

10 Greatest Machines type series on tv now. This week is about motorbikes. Have just started with Harley knucklehead, but I think they're going to show footage of MG V8 – they've just said they're going to show the most audacious racing bike ever.... oh too late chaps... the ad. slot has just finished and it's on now, as no.9....bye

hmmm... see what you mean, pretty similar parking signs I suppose it could just be coincidence...

oh, right ?

I remind you

- that's cars BTW I think that Dave R. in Guzziology says 10,000 miles for oil filter change (and 2,000 for the oil)

Good answer: but still, you're wasting your money and precious time, as I'm sure you know.

Haven't you read all the other oil threads? Haven't you read all the other oil threads? If you're tight,why are are putting a new gasket in?

oh yeah, thanks. I should have thought about that.

It's not a real answer to oil not having time to get hot enough, but I'm just thinking that it could be worth blanking off the oil cooler.

Need to carry a car, in case the Guzzi breaks down? A dealer might have some of this old luggage stock in the store.

I think that the pick-up does sit very close to the bottom of the pan, but we'll see after Nog's experiment. Bet we see a new thread next week: 'My oil lines are blocked with plasticene – is it a warranty repair?'. (BTW Nb, it has not escaped my notice that you keep copying my maintenance programme – one week I'm taking out a needle roller bearing and next, you're at it; then I drop the sump & change oil & filter and next week you're doing the same. Please note that next weekend I'm taking my pistons out to do a cut and shunt modification on them.) BigJ, sorry I omitted to post a photograph of the bottom of the sump pan. Here it is now: (I sent Fred in to check the clearances)

That's what I've done, as per the other (part 2) thread. So far, nothing has collected – to my slight surprise, but I need to wait a bit longer and do a longer run. I then want to move on to the other parts of the system. I'm surprised if it's 'finely tuned' and if meddling with it will have dire consequences. But that's what I was asking about in the other thread. Thanks.

I see you're lurking – you may have noticed, the boys are queueing up to buy your Centauro: get it on e-bay, quick

The spirit's willing, Greg, but the flesh isn't up to it

Eggnog, this could be the one for you:

1) You heard me 2) I was only refering to whisky, not to whiskey. 3)

I'm gonna run it on Scotch Whisky. Then the water can only improve matters.

Synchronicity or what! The newspaper in the photo in this thread has an ad for – a Volvo 850! I just have to hoke through the bin, find the paper, a bunch of old tenners...

Here, an Aprillia and Triumph dealer would be one of the bigger Ohlins guys. You might find other specialists who only do suspension or who do racing/performance work. I don't think that the Guzzi dealers would necessarily be the best place to go.

well, the million dollar Formula 1 roadshow has messed up big time in the USA. Hope you didn't buy a ticket.

sounds dangerous – won't you get tempted to shoot the bike?

I would prefer to catch, or lose, the stuff before it gets to the frame. If I was to do something with the return from the frame, I would be tempted to open the pipe and close the sump and just not return anything. The reality is that most of my weekly journeys will be short ones, so the oil is not going to get a good roasting. Although I didn't consider the issue in great detail, I had previously thought that the air-cooled motor would heat up quicker than a water cooled and so be better for short journeys. I can't be the only one who does short 4 to 5 mile journeys – or am I? I wonder if any of the modern car engine technology has tackled this issue of constant short cycles where the engine & oil rarely gets up to temperature?

yes there was plenty of emulsion around the pick-up. I suppose it makes a bit of a nonsense of the 'what oil, exactly, should I use?' concern. Make mine a capuccino. Actually I prefer espresso. Good to hear that there is only a coating of oil in your frame. So cutting out repeated short journeys is the real answer: though I'll still experiment with the plumbing routing. Do Gaggia do aftermarket parts?

Yep. Opening the vent to atmosphere may make the problem worse rather than better. I just wonder if, as well as sucking damp air in when bike cools, will it let the moisture out again? I'll look out for that PCV valve. You're probably right, in that the only real solution is to use a CZ 125 for going to work – or better, a pushbike. Those big cars that are only doing 4 or 5 mile trips, used for school drops and shopping, must be getting wrecked inside.