She finally arrived (introduction and some questions)

[Midle Age Warrior]

Hello guys

I am officially a proud owner of a very well preserve 2001 V11Sport I already post a thread asking for some advice to made the decision but now she's at home sitting in the garage.

30 years back I saw my first Guzzi, a Le Mans MK1 and I felt in love with those italian chics.

During all this years and althougth the lack of Guzzis here in Venezuela I was near to complete 3 acquisitions, 2 Le  Mans and one El Dorado with out succes until today.

This Guzzi tale could be a little bit singular since I did not really bought the bike. A causal conversation with a new costumer (I am a bicycle shop manager) lead us to motor bikes that ends up trading the V11 Sport by one of my bicycles.

Of course there is a catch here, the bike is not running at least not yet. The PO is a profesional motorcycle builder who lost the interest in this particular one and set her aside due some electrical problems (did somebody said Italian girls are temperamental).

So I talked with a guy who is reconized as a well trained mechanical and he assure me he could fix the electrical gremlins but I since I like wrenching around I would like to try to fix her by my own, I guess if i can not fix her at least we will end knowing each other.

What I found after ligth wash to see was lying under the dust was that the PO made a new ECU connector but this did not solve the problem, if you turn the key to the start position the fuel pump does not come alive, but after play a bit with the ECU conector I can hear the pump relay click (all the relays are the original Siemens) then the pump start to send and the engine try to fire up, fresh gas in the tank helps and after a few more attemptms she fires up screaming as crazy she is.

I let her idle for a while during a while to find an oil leak over the mufflers cross over , I gave her some time and when she was hot I said to me well this is the moment of true and hit the road with no luck, she start to cough and fail with ocasional scary revs up just to die on me about 100 yards later, she start again and I made my trip back home with the same beheivior but after some clutch abuse we did the last few uphill yards.

Once in the garage I did the ECU connection thing, the relay clicked and the fuel pump start to pump and she fire up, this time she was idling for long with some throttle twist to ear her screaming and she start coughing and spitting again, was late at night, wife was telling me that I need some food so I decided to let her alone and we agreed to see us again in the morning, we got a date .

Guys those are the first impressions I would like to share with you and I hope this could be the begining of a flow of help and wisdom that I promise to return when I be cappable of.

Thanks in advance for any input that can lead me to the solutions of my problems

  

 

   

[luhbo]

Make sure that the relais are sitting tight in their sockets. You can remove the whole socket bench from the bike, on the underside you'll find the connectors that grip the relais' connection tongues. To 99% those are the problem, not the relais themselves.

 

On one of your first pictures I saw that the previous owner had opened the harness, so it's probably a good idea to check whether all the cables still go to where they should. Most important here is the temperature sensor. You'll find it sitting in blue on the right cylinder head.

 

Another thing you should buy is a set of cables for the GuzziDiag software. Especially in your case it might be a good thing to be able to read out the ecu's fault tables and check all the sensor readings.

 

Is that Beetle in the background a '65 (or slightly younger)?

 

Hubert

[fotoguzzi]

Nice!

 

that new? connection to the ECU worries me some.. can you get pics of it? symptoms do sound like it could be TPS related.. I'd want to have the Guzzidiag set up before messing around with the TPS..

could be the ECU plug itself, does it plug in tight? is the seat pushing on it when you sit on it?

[Scud]

I recently got my first Guzzi too. Mine had also been sitting for a while (12 years, basically it's whole life) - but it was not modified at all. I totally understand the passion and enthusiasm - I am obsessed with mine. 

 

I had a problem with the bike not returning to idle - up to redline on one occasion. The cause was sticky throttle linkage - especially the pin on the connecting rod on the left side (can be disassembled after removing a tiny c-clip). After cleaning and lubing all the linkage connections it was fine.

 

As for your bike: If you have not done so already, it would be a good idea to change all the fluids and filters. Especially the fuel filter - a clogged one can cause all kinds of problems. Also inspect and clean or replace the spark plugs. Personally, I struggle with electrical problems, so I like to eliminate any potential mechanical problem before I get into the electric stuff.

 

That's good advice by luhbo re the software. I'm going to get that too. I found this cable on Amazon.com for US$10.00:  Golition OBD OBD2 16 Pin Connector Diagnostic Adapter for FIAT 3 Pin. Several reviewers said they used it with their Moto Guzzis. There are other threads about the software (which I will have to figure out too.)

 

Be safe. Get it running right standing still before you ride it again.

 

[Midle Age Warrior]

Wow guys thanks for your fast replays to my problems, I just had a couple of ours with her so not too much time to do anything really.

The computer cable and software sounds terrific, could you point me to where I can find the information about them (I will verify the archives of course) but first hand info is unbeatable.

I had a spare TPS on hand thanks to fotoguzzi if there is a need, I will replace all the relays I guess I read some fellow forum member sale the replacements.

Will look for filters and cables also, I found on the web a second hand main wire harness for sale, what do you think about to get it.

I have to work back too you soon

[Kiwi_Roy]

The coughing and spitting could be the ECU dropping out due to a high resistance in one of the following

Ignition Switch

Side-stand Switch

Engine Run Switch aka Kill Switch

 

The easy way to eliminate these 3 is to monitor the Voltage at fuse 8 with a small lamp to chassis, it should stay ON, no flickering.

 

Use the sketch I sent earlier to measure the switches.

[luhbo]

I doubt that.

An ECU reset needs 2 seconds at least. That's not coughing nor spitting, that's a dead engine. Anyhow, the lamp thing still would make some good exercise.

 

 

 ... I will replace all the relays I guess I read some fellow forum member sale the replacements ...

 

Before you do that make sure that the relais' socket is in good working order. As mentioned before, usually the relais are good, just the sockets are too cheap and don't provide a reliable contact after some time. Once the relais start to flutter because of that you might experience the described spitting and coughing.

It's also important that you change or 'repair' only one item at the same time. Check and alter one thing, then check the result. Only then make the next step.

 

Hubert

[Kiwi_Roy]

Hubert.

            At one time my bike was showing the coughing spitting symptoms, it was running but barely. I found the ignition switch was reading 18 Ohms and  so I concluded that relay 4 was fluttering, cleaning the switch fixed it.

 

Good point about the relay base, I fixed a bike recently where a connector had pushed out the back of base and was just touching the relay pin

 

I will send MAW a sketch of how to pull the pins out if they need tightening.

 

Also check that the fuse clips are nice and tight.

The fuse holder pulls off so you can check the wires at the rear. It looks like screws hold it in but it just plugs into a couple of rubber grommets.

[Midle Age Warrior]

I will stat tonigth checking the ECU following kiwiroy  directions, then the kill switch and relays and fuses box.

Keep in touch and thanks in advance.

Nobody said anything about buying a secons hand wire loom, I know is a second hand but the new one is around $500 and the one is already in the bike was cut and weld, any thougths about?

[Kiwi_Roy]

Originally the wiring loom went down below the seat release key then back up to the ECU. I suspect the previous owner shortened the loom and re-routed it along the top frame when he changed from the stock airbox to pods, I did that with mine.

If the joints are properly soldered and insulated there's nothing wrong with that, there's many soldered joints in the original loom.

 

Can you take a picture of the worst part.

 

If the loom on-line is cheap enough why not but you will have the problem of it being too long, I just folded mine back under the tank.

[fotoguzzi]

if the harness is cheap just get it in case..

 

in order of buisines I would be positive you have a good battery, these bikes do not run well if battery is low.. (altho yours sounds fine if you can start it right up).

and check that the sidestand switch is in good condition.

 

here is the relay guy,

http://dpguzzi.com/

[Midle Age Warrior]

Thanks guys

This is where we are at this moment, I start to disassemble for an easy access to the measuring points, I had a lot of fun undresing this italian chic  .

I decided to try to fired her up before working and found that when I turn the ignition nothing happens until I pull just a little bit the connector of the main wiring loom to the ECU, I did several times just a small amount of force and the fuel pump came alive, so there is a culprit in the connector it self or maybe a contact in the ECU and talking about the ECU somebody was looking around before I guess they open it look at the pics.

I will be getting some measures tonight

 

 

[luhbo]

Opened ecu? Good Luck!

[fotoguzzi]

when I had mine I flipped the CPU upside down so the plug was under it not on top, then pressure from the seat pan was not jiggling it..

the plug or input point may be deformed or some broken pins/solder points inside.

this is common on many Buell's.. as seen here,

 

 

[Kiwi_Roy]

Before you pull the ECU apart check the wires to the plug. If you can find an old computer serial cable the pins make a good test tool. 

 

You mentioned earlier that the loom had been chopped and re-joined, inspect those connections first.

 

From the joint you should be able to check continuity to the plug.

 

As fotoguzzi says If the ECU is mounted with the plug on top sometimes the seat will push down on it and may crack the circuit board, often around the pins, it's usually quite easy to fix, find the crack and solder a strand of wire across it or re-solder the pins.