Guzzi 1100 custom build

[buzzer]

well the frame is back from the powder coaters, along with the plating of all the smaller parts. Its always a dilemma what colour to go on the plated parts… I can have them silver, but the corrosion protection long term is much less than the yellow passivate, so yellow it is!

The frame has come out superb as usual, but the swinging arm is terrible. I knew it was pitted, but he said when he blasted it, big flakes of rust came off, and although he coated it, he knew it would not be acceptable to me.  The extent of the pitting was so much I decided it was a no go to tig braze the pits.   He did say he could improve it, but I decided to try and find one that’s less corroded. We will see.

[ungeheuer]

pics of the unacceptable swing arm?

[buzzer]

pics of the unacceptable swing arm?

I will post some when it comes back, I have sourced another one... 

While everything is on hold while I wait for the cases to come back ( blaster has Covid and is really poorly...) I agreed to help a friend of a friend who was struggling with two broken studs in a cylinder head, so I though I would share my knowledge on removing them...

removing broken studs is always a problem, especially where someone has had a go first! in this case they had drilled off centre and then broken an easy out in the bottom! in 50 years of doing this stuff I have NEVER seen an easy out remove a broken stud in alloy… My technique for broken stud removal is to first clean the head of the stud with a burr in a Dremel to get it nice and clean. Then use a half nut the same size of the stud, but drill the threads out so again its nice and clean.

Place the nut central on the stud and start off with the TIG on low amps and just puddle the weld on top of the stud.. This permeates the heat down the stud… Build up the weld inside the nut until its flush. I have the electrode sticking out a bit more than normal to get close to the stud top. Once its cooled a little, give it a tap with a small hammer for a bit of shock. then try working it back and forth… its its too tight, or squeals as you try to turn… it stop. Then if its possible drill a hole into the alloy from the side and JUST into the stud. over a couple of hours feed some Plus Gas (wonderful stuff!) in the hole and work the nut back and forth… I have had great success removing studs this way in alloy.

[ungeheuer]

... I continue to be impressed by your endless range of skills 

[buzzer]

... I continue to be impressed by your endless range of skills 

Thank you!  My only regret is that I don't have anyone to pass them onto...  Our kids are not interested, and its partly why I document things, and write a blog...

Looks like the guy that does my blasting is still poorly, so  I have turned to working on the next project until I get all the Guzzi cases back...  something I don't normally do as I like to do one project a time...  There are a few things I can get on without getting seriously into it, one of which was to make some tapered inlet manifolds.  This is another 1000DS Ducati build and I am exploring the Idea of using a small supercharger off a VW 1.4 TSFI...  we will see once I get properly into it, but for now here is how I made the manifolds.   

[koko64]

Thanks for sharing.

Be great to see what a blown 1000DS can do.

[buzzer]

All the parts are back from the blasters, so its cleaning time… nothing scraps an engine like leaving glass media in there so its important to get it all out. I have a process I use for this. First I wash it all off in petrol… paying attention to all nooks and crannies, holes and oilways with a long thin bottle brush. then I jet wash it off, and blow it all off, including all holes. (you need goggles for this!) then its into a stainless steel tray and another wash off with petrol, and then I use carb cleaner with a long spout into all the holes and oil ways… if there is ANY single bit of media in the tray, its back to jet washing and blowing off again. Its easy to see any media in the stainless tray. Here is the gearbox in the stages of being built up.

[buzzer]

Onto building the engine… of note is the tool to compress the clutch, which is actually the centre splines off the gearbox, and a threaded bar into the crankshaft. this makes the plates perfectly aligned and makes fitting the gearbox easy.

next the cylinder heads… it took three attempts on these to get the bead out of one oilway! note the new tin of grinding paste, the old one has run out of the fine end, but it was 50 years old, I can remember my Dad buying it me as a teenager! Good to see the company is still going and using the same tin! Just to be sure I checked the bores for wear… there is none at all! Got to love Nikasil bores!

here is the engine and gearbox all back together… I decided to add some accurate timing marks on the flywheel for each cylinder so I can use a strobe and see what’s happening in reality. used my new digital DTI gauge… not sure I like it… watching that needle go round is far more satisfying!

and finally its all back together and ready to go into the frame

[buzzer]

Here is the finished final drive with a new bearing and seals.

[koko64]

Onto building the engine… of note is the tool to compress the clutch, which is actually the centre splines off the gearbox, and a threaded bar into the crankshaft. this makes the plates perfectly aligned and makes fitting the gearbox easy.

next the cylinder heads… it took three attempts on these to get the bead out of one oilway! note the new tin of grinding paste, the old one has run out of the fine end, but it was 50 years old, I can remember my Dad buying it me as a teenager! Good to see the company is still going and using the same tin! Just to be sure I checked the bores for wear… there is none at all! Got to love Nikasil bores!

here is the engine and gearbox all back together… I decided to add some accurate timing marks on the flywheel for each cylinder so I can use a strobe and see what’s happening in reality. used my new digital DTI gauge… not sure I like it… watching that needle go round is far more satisfying!

and finally its all back together and ready to go into the frame

Such gnarly looking motors. Could run a Doodlebug.

[buzzer]

The engine is now back in the frame, a nice and easy job with the removeable bottom frame rails…

[Howie]

 

[buzzer]

I didn't want to use the frame as a breather as it can rot them out, and rust partials can drop down so I am told...  so I decided to make a new breather the vent the crank case and also the heads.  Here is is...  will it work?  Who knows, we will see!!

[stopintime]

Round barrel work 👍👍👍👍👍😎

[buzzer]

Round barrel work 👍👍👍👍👍😎

Apparently on one of the Guzzi Facebook pages I am a "redneck vandal"