7-13-06

NOTE: this looks like a bunch of posts on the same day. It s a collection of post made so far at TrailPilgrim.com that I collected and put here for posterity.

Remember: you can click on the pictures to see the original size


The days are twindling. I pray my paint guy comes through for me on Friday (7-14). If I cant get this done and enough miles on it to satisfy me that it will do the whole 10k miles, I have to do plan B and ride my 2000 Moto Guzzi Quota. That wouldnt suck. But it will sort of take some of the edge off the ride.

Tonight we tackle what is (hopefully) the last real bastard task. Replacing the front crank seal. This goddam thing leaked from day one. This time I (hope) I'm doing it right.

What makes it such a bastard is this nut right here. This thing, like most crank nuts is a beyotch to remove. It has a lerge torque value and is attached to a reciprocating mass. You can spin on it all damned day and not budge it. Now there are two ways to go about it: The redneck way and the proper way. The redneck way is common and does work...although it can mean some damage. You put the 27mm socket on a breaker bar and put it on the nut and then brace it on some immovable object. Preferably the earth itself. The hard part is remembering how the motor moves...because you are gonna hit the starter and spin the bastard, breaking the nut loose. Get it wrong and you could end up with lots of expensive damage and possibly dead pets nearby as it all flies loose. BUT we dont have the starter hooked up or a charged battery. So we have to use the proper way.


The proper way means using an air hammer. But my shop is underpowered. So I had to shut off the lights, stereo, etc etc so that the air compressor wouldnt trip the weedy breaker feeding the shop. So I wait for a 10 minutes before there is 80-90 psi in the tanks and pull the trigger. After about 5 minutes and 3 loosened fillings the rattlegun finally breaks the bastard free
AFter that sucker is free, then you gotta pull off the lower pulley for the alternator belt. This thing is like 15 bazillion peices. The pulley is in halves with shims that fit in between to adjust the tension. The spares are mounted on the outside to keep them handy. Usually it is 4 in and one out.Next we pull the mount for the pulley. Now something to remember...and of course I didnt...is that the timing marks are notched on the inner pulley half. There is a way to easily remember the one of three ways it goes back on board. More on that in a moment

After that it is a pretty easy 14 bolts and the front motor mount bolt that have to be removed and we have the cover off.

I have referred to guzzi motors as catedrals to the gods of internal combustion with Vulcan and his forge playing high priest and alter. Lets take a moment and bask in the glory of a Guzzi Cathedral




Okay...enough stroking. Get a move on

Here is the front cover after a thorough dousing in concrete degreaser and a blast with a *very* high pressure water hose. pretty
And finally after applying a new seal and a gasket and a lot of sweaty ajusting to get everything back together..here she be. Newly sealed front cover.
I still have to polish and clean the belt cover and reinstall the front motor mount bolt. But the hard part is done.