2003 Le Mans

[Guest Ragin' Pit Bull]

Just saw the black '03 Le Mans. Looks really good! I noticed that they changed the paint on the motor. Now it's a smooth black finish vs the '02's crinkle finish. Looks like it'll be easier to take care of, but I'm a fan of the way the crinkle finish looks when it's clean. What I really like is the balance pipe in front of the engine. I may have to update my headers...

[al_roethlisberger]

Yeah, the black sounds very nice indeed.

 

I've yet to see one in-the-flesh yet, or even via many photos really... but I'd love to see more pics posted by folks once they take delivery.

 

I also haven't seen hardly any reviews of a V11 Sport/LeMans in a while, either online or in the mags.

 

 

Regarding the new engine paint, it will certainly be very interesting to see how the paint holds up on the newer engines as well. Mine's not bubbling off yet(knocking on wood), but I'm fairly resigned to thinking that it eventually will one day based on everyone else's experience with the pre-2003 coating

 

What's also interesting yet to see is how MG really handles issues regarding the warrantee recall for the painted engine cases for those submitting it as a warrantee issue... because I bet that the "fixed" cases will have the new smooth paint, while your transmission and bevel-drive will still be painted with the textured stuff ...just a guess, but I bet. Certainly less than ideal.

 

I'm just hoping mine will "cure" with age better than others, and any small flakes/bubbles can be touched-up acceptably with the HD black textured paint. Time will tell though...

 

al

[Guest Ragin' Pit Bull]

So far no problems with the engine paint on my '02. I did have my timing cover come loose, the gasket was replaced under warantee and the bolts tightened with blue Locktite. I've done at least as many miles after the fix and no runs, no drips and no errors.

[Guest russ]

I've had the same experience as victor with my 02 LeMans.

[al_roethlisberger]

I think we all did

 

...mine was spurting oil like I had cut an artery!

 

al

[Guest Ragin' Pit Bull]

Yeah, I haven't seen oil spew like that since my '90 Harley Heritage Softail.

[Guest Buck]

I think we all did  

 

...mine was spurting oil like I had cut an artery!

 

al

I sure don't wish to jinx myself, but so far in 2200 miles I haven't had any real oil leaks or broken transmission springs. I only had the bike for 2 months of the riding season in '02, but it was long enough to fall victim to the fogging tach syndrome, an occasional stuck shifter when downshifting, a cracked right side cover, and a faulty speedometer.

 

I attribute my lack of oil leakage so far to due diligence with allen wrenches. I tightened every bolt I could get to at 200 miles per my dealer's instructions, and then again when I did the first service. So far so good, but the bike has been sitting in the shop for about the last month waiting for some parts to get here on the slow boat, or something like that.

 

Hopefully this year's riding season will be trouble free, but from what I keep reading here I'm not counting on it!

[Guest Ragin' Pit Bull]

If you diligently keep up with all of the screws, you shouldn't have any leaks, but I'd rather be riding than keeping track of screws. Blue Locktite is a good thing. My Cagiva Gran Canyon was pretty good at losing screws until I discovered the magic blue potion.