Scud

I don't like re-work. But the bushing is back in and I'm glad I did it. Thanks again for the help solving this problem. The bike is much more enjoyable now because of all you fine gentlemen.

Pardon my prior playfulness. Here's some actual advice: I needed to re-install a bushing on my pre-selector (since I overlooked it a few days ago). So I took mine off just now. Having done it a few times recently, here are some lessons learned. You want as clear and straight an approach as possible so you don't get sealant everywhere. (How did I learn that???) It's a good idea to dry-fit it first (without sealant) so you have a feel for it and don't get sealant everywhere (again, how do I know?) Loosen the lower nut on the oil return line and wedge the line as far away from the transmission as possible. If your fuel line is in the way (top right) you can wedge a screwdriver in there to keep it above the transmission case. And you probably already figured out that you need to grind down a hex wrench to get at some of the lower bolts. This would not be a problem on the red-frame bikes, because there is no frame rail connecting the engine block to the lower transmission bolt (that goes through the porkchops.

It's normal to have a little performance anxiety on your first time - not being sure how everything is supposed to fit. Now you'll never forget this transmission. Set innuendo on maximum...

Pawl spring looks right to me. But you can push the coil up and down with a screwdriver to see if you can make it sit better. It will probably just relax into its own best spot after a few shifts anyway. The metal plate under the upper cog only goes in one way. It has a tab that fits a slot on the underside of the cog.

Check your external shift linkage first. Is the foot lever free or binding? The lever pivot bolt can be adjusted for tightness - then locked in place by a secondary nut. Is the linkage nice and tight? A loose bolt on either end of the linkage will ruin your shifting. Is it rubbing on anything or hitting anything? The nut on the forward part of the linkage can hit the starter or the transmission case if it's not on right. After all that... off with the pre-selector. I was pretty intimidated by it at first, but it can be done.

Centauro a sportbike? Can we call it a Power-Cruiser instead? But it was a spineframe, so I assume it handles similarly to the Sports and V11s. People who like 'em really like 'em.

Yeah, great day (except for the big stretches of slab to start and finish). I've been scheming on this ride for a while - staring at maps. I try to do a big ride on or near my birthday (today) - which I don't really celebrate, except as an excuse to go riding on a work-day. And I went in my birthday suit... by that, I mean I got myself some new riding gear recently. Called it a birthday present.

I rode about 150 miles along the San Andreas Fault today. I mapped out a bunch of twisty back roads that follow the fault line. Such as this tasty unstriped road. The fault itself is rarely visible on the ground, but it was cool riding along the transition zones that have different features on each side - due to the plates sliding past each other over millions of years. I believe the fault is at the bottom of this valley. Everything was green from last winter's rain - and this hillside is going to explode in purple soon. I saw a few spots with intense early bloomers, but no pics of those, sorry... After leaving the fault line, I headed South on CA-33. This road has been calling me since it denied me recently (due to landslides). So worth it. This section is on the descent toward Ojai. Then on to Neptune's Net on the ocean for a bread-bowl of clam chowder... a quick rip up Mulholland Drive... and an agonizing slog through Los Angeles. Ride Stats: 500 miles 11 hours 6,879 max elevation 4 gas stops 9 California Counties: San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles (southern pass), Orange, and back to San Diego.

Vocabulary and ass-orted solutions here: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18602&hl=%2Bfarking+%2Buni

VHT Engine Case Primer and VHT Engine Case Satin Black

Engine cases all painted. That leaves the block, and maybe the heads (since the silver paint is bubble-peeling on fins). Interestingly, the upper sump ring had silver paint under the wrinkle paint. Must have been a re-paint at the factory. Twice the stripping fun for me...

I agree that the problem sounds like something other than the battery. For what it's worth, I had a Yausa in my Scura for a couple years. I only removed it because I'm going to put it in a different bike. The Odyssey is a little smaller, and fits a little easier.

We lost one of the blues greats the day before Chuck. James Cotton:

The clearance to the small eccentric was loose. Thinking back on it, it's probably my fault. When I initially did the shift-improvement on this bike, it was the first time I had ever opened any transmission - so it's not a surprise that I didn't get it right the first time. Then I just assumed all my problems were due to the clutch not being right. I did't notice the lack of bushing till I went to put the cover back on the spare trans. Two bushings. Wouldn't fit. So yeah... I'll go soak both bushings in some penetrating fluid and see if I can remove one easily. Then drain the oil, remove the starter, pop the cover (yet again). I might sneak in a few more miles before I do it though, cuz I am so happy on my red bike now - like this little fellow. Do you know why Moto Guzzi added the metal banana? What's it supposed to do? Cheese-head wants to know.

Thanks Phil - First the good news. I put the spare selector on and it's flawless. Just went for great little night ride and didn't miss even one shift. This includes 3>4 under hard acceleration around 7,000 RPM. Oh happy me! Then the "hope it doesn't bite me later" news... I didn't notice till after I had everything together that the metal bushing (in top left hole of RH selector above) stayed with the spare transmission. So it's all back together with no bushing on the top corner. I assume this is mostly to help with alignment when installing the pre-selector, but if I develop a leak there, at least I'll know what to do. And onto the learning curve. I did compare the two units carefully as you described, then adjusted the eccentric. It was loose beyond any feeler gauge, so I think that was the problem - and that it could have been fixed by the adjustment. But when I saw that the spare had the upgrade, I just had to install it.

Pulled the pre-selector off the LeMans (on right) and off the spare transmission (on left). The LeMans preselector goes through all the gears on the bench, up and down. So I'm really unsure what I would adjust. The spare also goes through all the gears, but it feels even tighter and crisper. And the spare has a metal banana on it. I think I've seen something about this being standard on the 2004 bikes, and that there was an upgrade kit available for the earlier bikes. So... is there any reason I shouldn't just put the newer preselector in?

10 plates - me - bbolesaz - k99 7 more available.

Thanks Docc - I just opened up the parts diagrams for 1999 and 2003 side by side: 1999: http://www.harpermoto.com/parts-by-motorcycle/1990-2000-moto-guzzi-motorcycles/v-11-sport-mandello-1100-1999-2001/frame-en-v11-sport-mandello.html 2003: http://www.harpermoto.com/parts-by-motorcycle/2000-up-moto-guzzi-motorcycles/v-11-cat-1100-2003-2004/frame-en-v11-cat-1100-2003-2004.html The spine frame has subtle differences but the subframes are clearly different. Part number 7 (the lower subframe) in both diagrams is the one I have offered if somebody want to try to fit it.

I'm not usually a hater... but I hate that thick black crinkle bubble peeling flaking farking paint. It peels off the inside of the engine and transmission cases too. What is actually longer compared the red frames? Is the spine itself longer - or is it just that the lower subframe has long arms? From what I can see, the red lower subframes are identical to the black (2002+) ones except for the addition of the bracing arms.

I'll get right on that. All I need is a bathtub and some wagon wheels.

Just throwing a thought out there for you red-frame guys... Maybe Guzzi engineers recognized that the engine (not the tranny) was not adequately supported in the early (red) spine frames. In the red-frame bikes, the engine is only attached via two large bolts in the timing cover, and the mated surface with 6 small studs between engine and transmission. Maybe these transmission cracks are due to the engine's torque reaction having nowhere to go but the timing cover and the transmission mounts. And maybe this is also part of the reason the paper timing cover gasket is prone to breaks and leaks. With the 2002 frame (I posted a picture in post #50 of this thread) the subframe is extended to solidly connect the lower rear portion of the engine block directly to the porkchops (the lower bolt that also mounts the tranny) and the main cross-tube of the spine-frame. This, it seems to me, prevents (or at least limits) twisting action through the transmission case - and maybe why we are not seeing too many cracked tranny cases on 2002 and later bikes. An offer you can't refuse? I have a spare lower frame and I would gladly donate it to anyone willing to try to fit it. It's black. You might want to paint it red - and maybe paint the arms silver to match the engine. You'd have to tap two big holes in the engine block - but the casting is very thick there and the holes would go through to the bell-housing (just as they do in the 2002 and later bikes). This means you can get all the metal shavings out and not be worried about getting metal in the crankcase. I might even be able to find a correct pair of bolts and washers. Anybody want to give it a try?

That's how I knoll, baby. I do some work for the US Army in Fort Leavenworth once or twice a year. The joke, of course, when one goes to Leavenworth, is: "Why, what'd ya do?" To explain for members outside US, there are a few prisons in Fort Leavenworth, including a Federal Penitentiary and the Army's maximum security prison. If you get sent to Leavenworth, you're gonna be there a while.

Maybe the guy has never done this on a V11 before, so his mind is not clouded by *conventional wisdom* and really has found a great way to get the gearbox out&in with minimal wrenching? Sign of brilliance . . . Yes, rather clever. The only thing connecting the rear wheel assembly to the frame is the brake line. I would not have thought it possible to get the tranny out without at least somehow disconnecting the engine from the frame.

I have installed the Phil 'n' Chuck shift extender on the foot lever/linkage. The overwhelming majority of shifts are smooth. I can get clean 3>4 clutchless if I engine brake 3rd, but it will usually miss if I shift under acceleration (with small throttle dip). I can get clean clutchless 4>5>6. I have also felt an occasional clonky, abrupt downshift in some lower gears, but I have not figured out exactly which gears or the conditions that cause it - and as Andy noted, it's kind hard to describe. Here's the layshaft diagram at Harper's website. http://www.harpermoto.com/parts-by-motorcycle/2000-up-moto-guzzi-motorcycles/v-11-cat-1100-2003-2004/driven-shaft-en-v11-cat-1100-2003-2004.html The gears are arranged on the two layshafts like this: Front ----1--5----3---- Rear --4-------6----2- Gears 4 is very far forward of gear 3, maybe that has something to do with why 3>4 is a problem (if the stacks are compressing under acceleration).

Thanks Marty. I went and re-read that thread. I made several posts in there, which are about the same bike as this thread. I never did touch the eccentric adjuster. I could do that - or even swap the whole pre-selector from the other tranny, instead of swapping the whole tranny. This is the kind of thing where it would be nice to have someone who knows what they're doing ride the bike. It's probably something simple - just as the clutch problem was solved by different springs. But I'm still puzzled by the fact that engine braking in 3rd followed by upshift to 4th is smooth - whereas running briskly through the gears under acceleration (with normal clutch and slight release of throttle) causes a false neutral (missed shift) between 3rd and 4th.