Sorting out a multiple-owner 2003 LeMans

[Scud]

Thanks Chamberlin. I appreciate the candid disclosures in those links. I don't feel any play in mine (as you also noted about yours). So if there is no direct replacement bushing, I think I will benefit from your experience and leave it alone. Maybe I'll call MG and/or Harper's tomorrow and ask about it.

[Chuck]

Scud.. I haven't read this whole thread, but The final answer to my old Centauro's hiccup was a brass temp sensor holder. It also cured my Kid's greenie back in the day, and a couple of other Centauros that I tuned for guys.

[docc]

Scud.. I haven't read this whole thread, but The final answer to my old Centauro's hiccup was a brass temp sensor holder. It also cured my Kid's greenie back in the day, and a couple of other Centauros that I tuned for guys.

YMMV. I had to take the brass holder off to get my Sport running right.

[Scud]

Reaction Rod Bushings: The bushings in the stabilizer arm that connects the top of the final drive to the frame look cracked and I would like to replace these. Harper's only shows the entire arm available, not the bushings.  Does anyone know where to buy these bushings and how to replace them?  Here's a link to Harper's for reference (it's part #1 in the diagram):  http://www.harpermoto.com/parts-by-motorcycle/2000-up-moto-guzzi-motorcycles/v-11-cat-1100-2003-2004/transmission-complete-i-en-v11-cat-1100-2003-2004.html

 

 

Neither MG Cycle nor Harpers carry the rod or the bushings. However, I happened to talk with Curtis Harper when I called. He said they are currently working with their machinist to create a new rod that will will use replaceable bushings. I'm going to wait for that.

[Chuck]

 

Scud.. I haven't read this whole thread, but The final answer to my old Centauro's hiccup was a brass temp sensor holder. It also cured my Kid's greenie back in the day, and a couple of other Centauros that I tuned for guys.

YMMV. I had to take the brass holder off to get my Sport running right.

 

There must be more than one way to skin a cat.. 

[docc]

 

 

Scud.. I haven't read this whole thread, but The final answer to my old Centauro's hiccup was a brass temp sensor holder. It also cured my Kid's greenie back in the day, and a couple of other Centauros that I tuned for guys.

YMMV. I had to take the brass holder off to get my Sport running right.

 

There must be more than one way to skin a cat.. 

 

Right? True, that.

 

Looking back, my Sport had several dynamic issues that affected its run quality adversely. Routinely repeating the *regular* tune-up has always been helpful. The faulty 30amp fuse, glitchy TPS, and bad coil wire connection took a lot of fettling to find and sort.

[JBBenson]

 

Scud.. I haven't read this whole thread, but The final answer to my old Centauro's hiccup was a brass temp sensor holder. It also cured my Kid's greenie back in the day, and a couple of other Centauros that I tuned for guys.

YMMV. I had to take the brass holder off to get my Sport running right.

 

 

Me too. I think it had too slow of a heat-sink effect, meaning it took too long to heat up and cool down under different conditions, so the ECU was always a little behind in fueling and ignition changes. It ran much better when I put a new, OEM blue plastic holder back in.

[GuzziMoto]

 

 

Scud.. I haven't read this whole thread, but The final answer to my old Centauro's hiccup was a brass temp sensor holder. It also cured my Kid's greenie back in the day, and a couple of other Centauros that I tuned for guys.

YMMV. I had to take the brass holder off to get my Sport running right.

 

 

Me too. I think it had too slow of a heat-sink effect, meaning it took too long to heat up and cool down under different conditions, so the ECU was always a little behind in fueling and ignition changes. It ran much better when I put a new, OEM blue plastic holder back in.

 

While it is clear that having (or not having) a brass temp sensor holder can change the way the V11 runs, I am not sure about the notion that it slowed down the heating up and cooling down of the sensor. Having the plastic sensor holder, as opposed to the brass holder, more likely slightly insulates the sensor compared to the brass holder and allows for the sensor to always run a little colder than it may otherwise run with the brass holder. The brass holder would obviously better conduct heat from the head to the sensor but is incapable of being hotter than the head it is attached to. The plastic holder would likely insulate and slow heat transfer from the head to the sensor, resulting in a lower temp reading. A lower temp reading could result in a slightly richer mixture, often a good thing but not always. Thus, some run better with the brass, some run better with the plastic, depending on whether richer is better or worse.

[Chuck]

 

 

 

Scud.. I haven't read this whole thread, but The final answer to my old Centauro's hiccup was a brass temp sensor holder. It also cured my Kid's greenie back in the day, and a couple of other Centauros that I tuned for guys.

YMMV. I had to take the brass holder off to get my Sport running right.

 

 

Me too. I think it had too slow of a heat-sink effect, meaning it took too long to heat up and cool down under different conditions, so the ECU was always a little behind in fueling and ignition changes. It ran much better when I put a new, OEM blue plastic holder back in.

 

While it is clear that having (or not having) a brass temp sensor holder can change the way the V11 runs, I am not sure about the notion that it slowed down the heating up and cooling down of the sensor. Having the plastic sensor holder, as opposed to the brass holder, more likely slightly insulates the sensor compared to the brass holder and allows for the sensor to always run a little colder than it may otherwise run with the brass holder. The brass holder would obviously better conduct heat from the head to the sensor but is incapable of being hotter than the head it is attached to. The plastic holder would likely insulate and slow heat transfer from the head to the sensor, resulting in a lower temp reading. A lower temp reading could result in a slightly richer mixture, often a good thing but not always. Thus, some run better with the brass, some run better with the plastic, depending on whether richer is better or worse.

FWIW. It took me fully 2 years of fooling with my Centauro until I was happy with the way it ran. One thing I noticed was when I was caning the tits off it, I got *better* fuel economy than when just riding around. This was with the Creedon 5, Stucci x over, K&N's and Guzzitech mapped PC. Other things, too, but those were the major ones. There was also a hiccup (occasionally) at (sorry, Ive forgotten the RPM. 3400 rings a bell, but I wouldn't bet on it. I thought, "maybe the computer thinks the engine is too cold, and is enriching the mixture." Put the brass temp sensor on, and mileage suddenly went from the mid to high 30s to the low 40s. Magically, the hiccup was gone,too. I put 42000 on it before mistakenly hearing the siren song of the Norge. Everyone that has ridden it since remarks about what a great running bike it is. Just my experience, of course.. YMMV..

[Kiwi_Roy]

I'm sure the plastic holder runs a little cooler the amount of plastic hanging out in the breeze must conduct heat away from the thermistor. On the other hand the air box sensor must get very confused when sitting with a hot engine (it would quickly recover). Keep that in mind if you change to pods and mount the thermistor somewhere cool like near the headstock. I still have as couple of thermistors if someone needs one.

 

 

Sent from my shoe phone!

[Scud]

 

Questions:

[*]Driveshaft: Here's what I'm tempted to do and why: Use the front half of the driveshaft from the 02 parts bike and the back half from the 03 LeMans. Reason - those two U-joints are in excellent condition. The 03 front is clearly worn (I can feel sort of a flat spot when I move the U-joint) and the 02's rear takes more effort to move than the other two good U-joints (it's also a bit rusty and the O-ring is broken). My hesitation - I've seen so much about lining up the paint marks that I am apprehensive about mixing driveshaft halves. However, I did push them together and they fit and feel exactly the same to me - whether I line up the paint marks or not - they slide together smoothly in every position and combination that I tried. Am I missing something here?

Use the two halves and get the driveshaft balanced. I just had it done on my BMW 318Ti and it really helps with vibration, and should insure it doesn't shake itself to pieces at high speed. There's a place here in North Hollywood on Chandler that does it, old salt who has been doing it for ages. Any good hot rod shop should be able to, or know someone who can.

 

Make sure that you note whether the u-joints are "in phase", meaning they are aligned the same way, or "out of phase" meaning at 90 degrees to each other. I would guess out of phase, as this would allow either end to articulate smoothly at any one time.

 

Tell whoever does the work how it should be. Some lazy balancing shops just keep moving the u-joints further out of phase until it balances, meaning you end up with the u-joints at 37 degrees to each other or something like that. Probably doesn't matter but I like things clean. They will mark it with new paint.

 

 

I took both driveshafts to a driveline specialty shop (mostly they work on 4wd trucks). Explained the situation. The shop owner got a soft metal (probably brass) mallet and whacked the cast parts where the U-joints fit into the casting. It totally freed up the U-joint. He said sometimes the caps (behind the ring clips) just move around a bit and cause friction. Therefore, what felt like a flat spot (and a bad U-joint) to me was just a little misalignment that occurs during normal use. No new parts required - gave him a tip.

 

On a related note - I also showed him the reaction rod. He had no idea how to source the bushings, but would have been happy to install them if I could provide them.

[stewgnu]

scud, re the reaction rod:  I've got a rossopuro unit fitted on mine.  Two rose (heim) joints and a rod and two locknutz is all it is.  I might be wrong but if the bushings for the original unit are near impossible to source, two joints and a tapped rod shouldn't be too hard to sort?

[Scud]

Thanks Stew. I don't actually need the bushings now, but it'll be easy to find your post later when/if I do. I was only thinking about replacing them since I had the rod off the bike and noticed a few little cracks.

[docc]

There are those who have had Delrin bushings made and pressed in. Should last forever.

[Zoup2nuts]

...Wow, what a change!  I'm a recently picked up a Scura (#280) and love it, except for it's killing my knees.  Would you still happen to have the old peg re-location parts, or did you throw them away?  I've been doing some research on various kits and have yet to find one that will move them enough to help.  Do you remember where they ended up (height drop and how far forward) compared to the stock bits?  If you still had them, possibly you could trace them onto a piece of paper and I could have nice ones made up.  Feel free to PM me if you don't want to water down this thread.  I'd also like to pick your brain about the Scura if you had the time.  Thanks, Bob..