Normaly I keep such experiences to myself but this one carries a few lessons
that I feel I should share to the wider Guzzi community.
Bike:- 1976 Le Mans 850
Symptoms: - Intermitant flickering lights, intermitant dulling lights and
solenoid click (but no starter) on starter button, midrange stumble on hard
acceleration and sometimes, if the lights were switched on at idle, the engine
stopped! Never when cold and only after running for about 30 minutes. One more
thing, a little squeak somewhere "down there" but I'll fix that after the other
stuff, right?
Thought processes:- It's 33 years old, it's Italian - it's GOT to be bad
electrics, just bite the bullet and do it.
Remedy: - Replaced battery, rebuilt carbs, new wiring with crimp, tip solder and
heatshrink seal on EVERY connection in the bike and Relays in all the right
places. Rebuilt the distributor and a very careful timing/tune up. ALL earthing
points wire brushed to shiny metal, reterminated, copper greased and tightened
till they cried for mercy.
YEEEHA - problem fixed, going like a beauty - for about 2 weeks then.... you
guessed it.
HMMMMM...
Back to the drawing board.
Occasional rides, increasing frustration, "Bloody Italian (insert many
blasphemous words) electrics."
Of course, the problem never happens when your actually looking for it - and I
am reeeaaaallly getting sick of that damn mouse sqeaking away. I GOTTA find it.
I can hear the conversation in the BMW approved Bluetooth headset intercoms
going something like "I say Darling, why is that man on that noisy Italian thing
acting like a contorted Chimpanzee and riding over all the bumps in the road."
"Wouldn't have a clue Petal, but he IS riding a Guzzi - What can I say?"
Finally discover the four bolts holding the battery tray to the gearbox are
loose. GOTYA ya little B#$%@&d. WHAT THE???
Now it's starting at a touch of the button, lights would fry Possums at 20
paces, not a flicker in sight and the engines pulling like a train right through
the rev range. HOW THE HELL??
Of course, hindsight is such a wonderful view. The battery earth strap bolts to
the battery tray. The regulator earths to the gearbox. The frame is powdercoated
so the mounting bolts on the engine are doing diddly squat to earth it. Hence,
if the tray bolts are loose, engine is not earthed and VIOLA!!! (Houston - we
have a problem.)
Lessons?
Look for the simple things first,
Assumptions make an ASS of U and ME,
Fix the little problems and sometimes you snag the big ones at the same time and
above all,
Engage the brain before grabbing spanners (or wire cutters in this
case).
And that, my friends, is how I came to do a rewire to tighten a bolt.
John M
