belfastguzzi

Hi John that's what I've done. The vent that I've described above is the one that goes to the airbox. There are two ways that the oil/water vapour & liquid can go: out to the airbox and back down to the sump. I know that oil mist does go to the airbox, but I'm hoping that mostly water vapour goes there to recirculate back into the engine and so taking this pipe out of the system will let water out, rather than oil. We'll see.

Maybe another option is to put a drain into the spine where the water collects, so that there is not so much returned to the sump?

Sorry Ratchet, the oil's in. It must sit close to the sump pan. It is surprising that a surge can move so much oil back and away from the pick-up. I think that the end of the filter also sits close to the bottom of the sump. This could be checked through the access cover. The pick-up looks like it sits lower than the filter. The bottom of the pick-up is castleated – I presume because it sits close to the pan and the gaps let the oil through. On first oil change I found that my castleations were broken – careless assembly / handling at the factory?

ok, sorry these pictures are a bit disgusting. They show the water - emulsion that returns to the sump oil: The pipes and the spine frame are thickly coated with creamy emulsion. In the bottom of the spine there is a pool of water that can be seen through the outlet that feeds this water into the sump oil. Yuk. It was hard to get a photo. You can see the line of the top of the water. Angles are funny because the bike is leant over. In the jug is some of this water extracted from the spine. Now you know where to find this, no need to carry a drinks flask in future. Just remove the banjo bolt in front of the tank and drop in a few spoons of coffee powder or instant soup. Is this system really necessary? Why not disconnect the breather where it enters the spine and let the water vapour vent to atmosphere instead of recirculating. Is there too much oil being vented for this to be a reasonable proposition? Is there a reason the vent system has to be closed (apart from environmental considerations)? Sometimes I have disconnected car breathers instead of having them recirculate, particularly when a core plug went in the Land Rover engine (– until I repaired it). I collected the condensed vapour in a bottle. It was basically all water, I don't remember much or any oil. As a first step, I have vented the outet pipe from top of frame to atmosphere and closed off the airbox feed. I'll see if any / much oil shows out of this top vent and how much water is expelled. The next step would be to rearrange that engine case breather, before it gets to the spine frame. (Water in the steel frame can't be good thing anyway.) Any good reason not to do this? Pete? Rubber chicken?

BTW, here are some pics that show the relationship between dipstick max/min levels and the oil pick-up and this is a bit of the spinning stuff above the oil. A big bit.

Day to day journeys are very short – that's why it's a 'losing battle'. But this is after 830 miles of long, hot running last weekend. If the water was allowed out, would the longer journeys not clean the oil up a bit?

I've drained the oil and dropped the sump. Gathered as much of the used oil as possible, including from filter. There was a 2 litres amount collected. The motor takes 3.5L. 3L plus filled filter brought the level to top of dipstick marker, without spinning the motor and priming the system again. I don't know how much of the old oil was left in the system, but it looks like around 1L may have disappeared, perhaps a good bit of that in recent fast run to Erin Rally and back. That seems a lot. This is all a very inaccurate, 'rough and ready' assesment, but I think that the lesson is to measure oil level accurately and keep topped up, particularly during long runs. When changing oil, I always drop the sump because I like to clean out the horrid emulsion. This is a losing battle of course – and maybe the stuff does no harm – but I always hate the idea of water in the oil system. Why keep recirculating it? I feel a new thread coming on.

I'm hooked. Same time, same place on the dial tomorrow?

There were plenty of T3s/Californias V7 yummy Beauty or beast? Beauty or beast? and a V.11 at last Link to other pics here Slideshow pics may be slow to load on dial-up

Nice road, nice country, nice sky and a bike Yep, nice road Link to other pics here Slideshow pics may be slow to load on dial-up

The best part of this bike? It's a Moto Guzzi – and it's red When it starts humming, the clocks above start spinning Link to other pics here Slideshow pics may be slow to load on dial-up

Not so many pictures. I have looked and the pictures that I posted have disappeared again

Lots of info & more pics in the Quiz Forum

It's not so much the oil consumption, as what the oil does / where it goes when in the engine and particularly the sump (under particular circumstances?). It looks like the low oil pressure problem is widespread.

Here's our very own candyman. Maybe tomorrow night I'll get pics from Erin uploaded and add a link here

"There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself, `Oh dear! Oh dear!" – please do on

Make your mind up chaps. Either it is is no time, or it is time. I don't think that it can be both, although I'm continuing my researchs...If only I could find some of the stuff. I seem to have misplaced it.

Now you're talking

It's pretty much how John O'Sullivan described his Centauro, something about the poor engine management system. And by the way, you think this is scary? – there's a guy over in Tech Topics whose bike is screaming.

Ryan > "I like sex and candy... my Guzzi qualifies as both!" Lady > "The menace is loose again running loud and fast on the early morning freeway, low in the saddle, nobody smiles, jamming crazy through the traffic and ninety miles an hour down the centre stripe, missing by inches... like Ghengis Khan on an iron horse, a monster steed with a fiery anus, flat out through the eye of a beer can and up your daughter's leg..."

Trois époques distinctes jalonnent cette quête du temps dans laquelle le motocycliste est entrainé.

Ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh. DON'T mention Baldini's sheep!! I didn't.

Shocked to reach the back of MGCGB's latest issue of Gambalunga and see a book review by one, Belfast Guzzi. The bounder's stolen my name, thought I. A second look showed that in fact it was an extract from this thread: 'Tucker's Advice'. Grr. That young pup Tucker must be selling old Forum tat to unsuspecting magazines. The 'Secrets of a Professional V11 Mechanic Guy' by Belfast Guzzi is followed by Aironeponey's 'Advanced V11 Training'. Ahh. Maybe the Hairy Pony is the secret stringer? I look forward to a future serialisation of the 'What Time is it Thread'.

Looks like you are entertaining with a Highland fling, 3 photos up. Nice.

More revelations!!!!!!!!!!!!