Ran out of gas doing 80 and had trouble flipping petcock on right side. Bike died so pulled over to left to restart after flipping to reserve.
Pulled in clutch, thumbed starter, didn't hear it start and when I hit the gas didn't get acceleration. Downshifted nothing. Dropped two gears (maybe 3) and popped clutch while doing about 50...
Bang! Pulled in clutch and upshifted twice and entered back on the highway with my exit being next.
Pull off and come to stop light bike dies. Hmm? Didn't do anything. Go to start it and it starts but dies right away. Hmm? Start it again but give it gas and it sounds metallic so kill and push 100 feet to fire department parking lot.
Get off bike... and see I left a trail of oil into the lot. Could get bike to start but had to give gas to run. Put in gear but felt like running on one cylinder. Was tempted to limp home but didn't want to amplify cool guy damage... so trailered. Left oil in trailer.
Diagnosis:
Popped heads off... don't see tell tail sign of piston and valve touching on either side. Very disappointing. Push rods look fine but will pull out and roll on flat surface. Think that would mean the penalty isn't the cheap, easy fix of valve, o-rings, and gaskets. Maybe should have started bike and pulled one spark plug and then other to determine side of damage? Was worried about amplifying.
Was going to drop pan and look for evidence of damage.
Some of you gentlemen have more miles on one Guzzi... than most riders do on all their bikes... so if you haven't done this stupidity... you may have helped someone who has.
Bike: 1980 1000SP with 46,000 miles
It had been mostly sitting for 20 years since mechanic was paid $350 to fix charging issue... didn't deliver...he was adamant he did. Fixed it myself year before while also doing starter relay rewire and just replaced the clutch two months before. Put ~1,000 miles on it while making it into a cafe race racer before stupidity occurred.
Many thanks for constructive directions. Have picture so pistons and cylinder head/valves.
Pulled in clutch, thumbed starter, didn't hear it start and when I hit the gas didn't get acceleration. Downshifted nothing. Dropped two gears (maybe 3) and popped clutch while doing about 50...
Bang! Pulled in clutch and upshifted twice and entered back on the highway with my exit being next.
Pull off and come to stop light bike dies. Hmm? Didn't do anything. Go to start it and it starts but dies right away. Hmm? Start it again but give it gas and it sounds metallic so kill and push 100 feet to fire department parking lot.
Get off bike... and see I left a trail of oil into the lot. Could get bike to start but had to give gas to run. Put in gear but felt like running on one cylinder. Was tempted to limp home but didn't want to amplify cool guy damage... so trailered. Left oil in trailer.
Diagnosis:
Popped heads off... don't see tell tail sign of piston and valve touching on either side. Very disappointing. Push rods look fine but will pull out and roll on flat surface. Think that would mean the penalty isn't the cheap, easy fix of valve, o-rings, and gaskets. Maybe should have started bike and pulled one spark plug and then other to determine side of damage? Was worried about amplifying.
Was going to drop pan and look for evidence of damage.
Some of you gentlemen have more miles on one Guzzi... than most riders do on all their bikes... so if you haven't done this stupidity... you may have helped someone who has.
Bike: 1980 1000SP with 46,000 miles
It had been mostly sitting for 20 years since mechanic was paid $350 to fix charging issue... didn't deliver...he was adamant he did. Fixed it myself year before while also doing starter relay rewire and just replaced the clutch two months before. Put ~1,000 miles on it while making it into a cafe race racer before stupidity occurred.
Many thanks for constructive directions. Have picture so pistons and cylinder head/valves.