V11 big ends gone at only 9,000 miles

[Guest PhilP]

What a bummer! Was due to do a 14 day trip round Europe last week... Had the bike serviced and new tyres, picked it up and did a 100 mile blat to run the tyres in - bike ran the best it has ever run - got home and parked it up. Went out on it again the next day, 5 miles down the road and the right hand cylinder gave out a death rattle, so I pulled over and called out a recovery truck. Got the bike home and investigated. Head and barrel off - 1/8th inch play in big end bearing. Youch!

 

OK, the warranty expired 2 months and 3 days ago, but the bike has only done 9,000 miles, so it's not even run in yet!

 

I called Moto Guzzi this morning to see what they could do - their comment...

 

"If it's out of warranty, it's out of warranty" Not what I wanted to hear!

 

It didn't make any difference when I said the bike's been serviced regularly and it shouldn't happen at 9k miles. I got the same reply again.

 

Got the dealer onto the case now. Let's see if they have any better luck with Guzzi HQ.

[Guest ratchethack]

My sympathies, Phil. You didn't mention any symptoms prior to the "death rattle".

 

Had you noticed the oil pressure indicator coming on?

 

Would you have noticed if the oil pressure indicator were coming on?

 

Hard launches and/or wheelies that would expose the oil pickup in the sump?

 

Any evidence of the plunger in the relief valve sticking open? Loose oil filter?

 

[Guest PhilP]

My sympathies, Phil.  You didn't mention any symptoms prior to the "death rattle".

 

Had you noticed the oil pressure indicator coming on?

Would you have noticed if the oil pressure indicator were coming on?

Hard launches and/or wheelies that would expose the oil pickup in the sump?

Any evidence of the plunger in the relief valve sticking open?  Loose oil filter?

 

92700[/snapback]

 

 

No, none of the above! The oil light did have a habit of coming on but that was 7000 miles ago and it was repaired under warranty. Other than that the bike has always run fine.

 

I've only taken the head and barrels off one side so far. I don't want to investigate further until the dealer has got back to me. You never know, Moto Guzzi HQ might come good and still honour the warranty.

 

One thing I did notice after I came back from the blat to run in the tyres was the engine had run much hotter than normal and was pinging away in the garage as it cooled down. Didn't think much of it at the time...

[Guest ratchethack]

The oil light did have a habit of coming on but that was 7000 miles ago and it was repaired under warranty. Other than that the bike has always run fine.

This sounds mighty suspicious.

 

Oil starvation, like the left jab, is often a cumulative thing. . . . It doesn't usually have an immediate impact, but in later rounds it's long-range effects can take a devastating toll. . . . . .

[Martin Barrett]

Consider the Sales of Goods Act (1974?) that the goods weren't of merchantable quality, this is against the dealer not MG, your local trading standards should be able to advise. There is no time limit for this to apply. I would think you'd have a reasonable case given dealer service etc, and limited miles. It might be enougth that will meet you half way or something.

Obviously this is a major fault and could involve considerable cost on parts crank/bearings/rods let alone labour. I wouldn't bother on minor defects but might involve some posturing.

The underlying issue is what caused it to fail. I would have thought a defect in the bearing area would have failed earlier so I wonder if something else on the lube side went first? I'd wait for Petes input on big ends as "I know nothing"

[Guest PhilP]

Oil starvation, like the left jab, is often a cumulative thing. . . . It doesn't usually have an immediate impact, but in later rounds it's long-range effects can take a devastating toll. . . . . .

92709[/snapback]

 

So it seems!

[Guest PhilP]

Consider the Sales of Goods Act  (1974?) that the goods weren't of merchantable quality, this is against the dealer not MG, your local trading standards should be able to advise. There is no time limit for this to apply. I would think you'd have a reasonable case given dealer service etc, and limited miles. It might be enougth that will meet you half way or something.

Obviously this is a major fault and could involve considerable cost on parts crank/bearings/rods let alone labour. I wouldn't bother on minor defects but might involve some posturing.

The underlying issue is what caused it to fail. I would have thought a defect in the bearing area would have failed earlier so I wonder if something else on the lube side went first? I'd wait for Petes input on big ends as "I know nothing"

92710[/snapback]

 

Thanks Martin, I think you're right, the sales of goods act might be a useful tool. I'll wait for MG to come back to me and see what they offer before I start making lots of noise

 

Strange there were no earlier symptoms - 2500 miles across Europe last year and about 1500 since without any major problem

 

We'll wait and see...

[Greg Field]

This is a 1-2-hour job, plus about $60 worth of bearing shells (assuming the crank is OK). You do not need to take off the heads and cylinders. It can all be done from below.

[Guest PhilP]

This is a 1-2-hour job, plus about $60 worth of bearing shells (assuming the crank is OK). You do not need to take off the heads and cylinders. It can all be done from below.

92717[/snapback]

 

Originally I thought the noise was from the top end on the RH cylinder, hence the barrel-off jobbie. It didn't seem as though it was the big ends. Hopefully the crank and rods will be OK, but whatever, I'll probably change the bike once the job's done - maybe a Griso is in the wings...

[luhbo]

This is a 1-2-hour job, plus about $60 worth of bearing shells (assuming the crank is OK). You do not need to take off the heads and cylinders. It can all be done from below.

92717[/snapback]

 

 

If it was an old bike and if it was a result of 50,000 miles maybe. On this new one there should be reason for this failure that needs closer inspection, at least in my eyes.

 

But I do not run a shop.

 

Hubert

 

PS: I'd be surprised if the crank should need grinding. At least the old ones were more or less undestroyable.

[Martin Barrett]

This is a 1-2-hour job, plus about $60 worth of bearing shells (assuming the crank is OK). You do not need to take off the heads and cylinders. It can all be done from below.

92717[/snapback]

 

See I told you "I know nothing"

[jrt]

True, parts are cheap and it's easy to get to...but...I *rarely* hear of big ends going out except when the engine was starved for oil. I mean, seriously, the big ends are really, really long lived. I've got over 200,000 miles and they were fine on my motor. This may be the symptom of a deeper problem and I would suggest you make absolutely sure that oil reaches the mains.

[quazi-moto]

If it was a BSA A65 I could understand, but a Guzzi twin?

[Greg Field]

As I've been telling you guys, this is not unusual on the V11s. We've seen four now since April at Moto Intl.

 

Watch your oil level . . .

[DeBenGuzzi]

I used to have the light come on under hard acceleration and the first time I got the oil changed I was a quart, over a quart low. so I only hope the damage hasn't already been done!!!!! I'm way more dilegent with the oil level these days and feel 4qts is perfectly fine in the goose. I'm thinking of making a new hash mark so I can check the real oil level(that it should be for safety and such)