I-Convert project

Total hours expended to date = 70.75

This is a 1980 Moto Guzzi Convert project bike that I purchased on February 18, 2008 from a gentleman in Phoenix, Arizona. It is mostly complete and is in good, solid condition. It does not run. During conversations with the previous owner, I learned that the oil filter came loose in the sump and destroyed the main bearings, etc. This happened to - perhaps - the first owner. The second owner had intentions of fixing the bike up, but never did anything to it. Then the previous owner purchased the bike in 1997 and proceeded to go through the engine. After repairing the damage and replacing numerous parts, the previous owner rode the bike for about 15 miles. The bike started running rough (perhaps due to rust in the tank), and he parked it. It sat untouched until I purchased it. That makes me the fourth owner (maybe).

Before starting any disassembly, I believed:

• the main and big end bearings have been replaced
• the original 1000cc pistons and cylinders were replaced with 850 Le Mans nikisil pistons and cylinders
• the wheel bearings were replaced
• the brakes were rebuilt
• the rear drive and transmission have not been touched
• the u-joint has been replaced

It is tempting to clean the tank, replace the fluids, shove in a battery and see if the bike will run. However, experience has taught me that sitting bikes learn to leak. I'd rather fix these bits preemptively rather than deal with it afterward. My goal is to perform what I call a mechanical rejuvenation. This will include:

• Evaluating all mechanical bits to ensure they are in satisfactory condition.
• Replacing all gaskets, seals, and o-rings in the engine, transmission, and rear drive.
• Rebuilding the carburetors.
• Sealing the fuel tank.
• Flushing the brake fluid.
• Rebuilding the forks with new seals.
• Replace the stock airbox with a larger, more efficient unit.
• Fit pod filters instead of the stock airbox.
• Converting the tires to tubeless (if they are not already).
• Replacing the battery.
• Fitting a 7" headlight bucket.
• Replacing the handlebars with something having a different shape.
• Replacing worn cables.
• etc.

I'll probably end up cleaning up some of the larger cosmetic bits along the way (chrome, frame paint) and I absolutely have to do something with the seat. But, I certainly do not want to perform complete, fully polished, cosmetic restoration. The idea is to turn this bike into a solid, dependable runner that doesn't puke oil all over the place.

What will it look like when I'm done? Well, I'm not certain yet. Right now I'm leaning toward leaving off all the crash bars, rack, bags, fairing, etc and keeping it slimmer and trimmer. But, we'll see how my desires evolve.

I plan to keep a very careful tally of the hours I spend working on this project (along with detailed descriptions of what I did with that time). Although there will be desk time involved (reading instructions, ordering parts, etc), I'll only keep track of actual garage time.

Jul 28, 2008 - Frame and swing arm (2.00 hours)

• Installed the VIN plate on the steering head...reusing the original rivets.
• Installed the front tank mounts on the frame. The original rubbers were in fine shape, so they were reused. I fit new stainless bolts, but reused the original plated steel spacers and special oversized washers.
• Fit new races for the steering head bearings (the original bearings were ruined).
• Refit the original swing arm races and bearings back into the swing arm. The originals are in fine shape, and I simply repacked them with grease after a very thorough cleaning. I fit new seals for the swing arm bearings.
• Fit a new carrier bearing into the swing arm.
• Fit the u-joint into the carrier bearing. It was a nice interference fit. The previous owner told me he put in a new u-joint and it certainly feels and looks brand new. It is in fantastic shape!

Jul 27, 2008 - Engine and transmission (5.00 hours)

• Mounted the flywheel to the crankshaft. Used the proper high grade bolts, Schnoor washers, and blue loctite...torqueing the bolts to the proper value.
• Secured the torque converter to the flywheel. Used a dial indicator to ensure the run out for the seal was less than .001" (as per spec). Secured the torque converter with Schnoor washers...torqueing the bolts to the proper value.
• Fit the transmission to the engine.
• Checked the new rings for the right piston for end gap. They were all within spec.
• Fit the new rings to the piston.
• Fit both pistons to the connecting rods.
• Discovered transmission fluid leaking from the bottom of the transmission. I disassembled the transmission only to discover the leak was coming out the hole that it is supposed to be coming out of. Duh! Fit the banjo bolt with a new hose.

Jul 26, 2008 - Transmission (4.00 hours)

• Completed the rebuild on the tansmission. It is now ready to bolt on. Fit new seals and o-rings throughout as well as all new ball bearings (both roller bearings were fine).

Jul 24, 2008 - Transmission (2.00 hours)

• Began rebuilding the transmission.

Jul 22, 2008 - Brakes and polishing (2.50 hours)

• Rebuilt the front master cylinder with new seals, piston, spring, etc. I used the Brembo grease to coat the seals, pistons, etc.
• Polished the front master cylinder body and lever. The original finish looked bad. I used a wire wheel to remove the original finish and then gave the aluminum a quick polish.
• Removed some paint from the top and bottom triple trees, revealing the underlying aluminum. I plan to polish the aluminum up a bit. It should give the front end a bit of a lighter look.

Jul 20, 2008 - Brakes (1.00 hours)

• Rebuilt all three brake calipers with anodized pistons, new seals, and new bleeders. One caliper already had anodized pistons, and I reused those. I used the Brembo grease to coat the seals, pistons, etc. Caliper halves were secured with new bolts and torque to the proper specification. Brake pads are well within specs and were reused.

Jul 14, 2008 - Engine assembly (0.50 hours)

• Installed the transmission oil pump in the timing cover using a new seal and o-ring. Torqued the retaining bolts.
• The transmission oil pump drive gear is in good, reusable condition, so I am reusing it.
• Installed the timing cover using a new seal and gasket. Fit all new stainless fasteners coated with anti-seize and torqued in place. Gasket was fully greased except for bottom part (up to the first holes on each side) to which Permatex Super 300 was applied.

Jun 04, 2008 - Engine assembly (2.50 hours)

• Installed the oil pump.
• Installed the timing gears and torqued retaining nuts.
• Fit a new bow-style timing chain tensioner in place.
• Tested the oil pressure relief valve for its blow-off point. Discovered it was leaking a lot at very low pressure and would blow off at 40 PSI. Not good. I used valve grinding compound to lap the valve for a better seal at low pressures. Then, I set the valve to blow at the prescribed 60 PSI.
• Installed the oil pan using stainless fasteners, a new filter, and a fully greased gasket.

Jun 02, 2008 - Wheel assembly (0.25 hours)

• Drilled and tapped the repaired hole in the hub.
• Completed assembly of the cush drive.

Jun 01, 2008 - Wheel assembly (3.25 hours)

• Installed the brake discs on the front wheel.
• Installed the brake disc on the rear wheel.
• Discovered I failed to chase the 6 mm threads that secure the cush drive retaining plate in place. These are the three threaded holes in the hub. So, I chucked my tap into my cordless drill and proceded to chase each hole. I've done this many times without any trouble. This time however, on the last hole, I snapped the tap off in the hole. It took 3 hours to extricate it from the hole. Then I repaired the damage with JB Weld. What a frustrating time waster. I should have known better. Ug.

May 27, 2008 - Tire mounting (0.50 hours)

• Mounted tire on front wheel. Tire went on easily. I struggled a bit to get the bead in place, but it went a lot quicker than the rear tire.

May 26, 2008 - Acid cleaning and engine assembly and tire mounting (4.00 hours)

• Cleaned all the cases with Eagle One Etching cleaner. It did a great job on the engine case. The remaining cases must be comprised of a different alloy mix. They cleaned up well, but just not as well as the engine case (and all cases were prepped identically).
• Cleaned the sidewalls of both tires with Bleche White. It worked very well at removing the brown gunk that had settled on the sidewalls.
• Installed the camshaft and cam followers.
• Installed new plug into the sludge trap of the crankshaft, red loctited and peened into place.
• Fit the front main bearing. Schnoor washers were used on all bolts. The pivot plate for the timing chain tensioner was fitted as well.
• Removed old outer race from the oil pump bearing.
• Installed inner and outer races of the new bearing for the oil pump.
• JB Welded the cam plug.
• Fit the crankshaft in the front main bearing.
• Fit the rear main seal in the rear main bearing.
• Fit the rear main bearing. A new gasket was fitted, coated with Permatex Super 300. The threads on the bottom two bolts were sealed with Threebond 1104. Schnoor washers were used on all bolts.
• Fit the oil return line from the breather, with new crush washers. A Schnoor washer was used at the securng bracket.
• Assembly lube was used on all applicable surfaces.
• Converted the rim to tubless. The powder coating took care of the internal sealing needs; a valve stem took care of the rest.
• Mounted tire on rear wheel. Tire went on easily, but I struggled to get the bead to pop into place. Plenty of tire mounting lube, more than a bit of struggling with a rachet strap, and I finally got it done. Took 1 hour just for this.

May 11, 2008 - Paint and powder coat clean up (2.00 hours)

• Painted the other side of the rotors.
• Chased all the threads in the parts that had been powder coated.
• Cleaned up all the overspray in the powder coated parts.

May 10, 2008 - Clean and paint (0.75 hours)

• Cleaned up the brake rotors and painted one side them with high-temp matte black paint (BBQ grill paint). I thought about going with a gloss, but I think I'll like the matte finish against the gloss wheels.

May 08, 2008 - Assembly (0.50 hours)

• Cleaned excess powdercoat off of the front wheel and drove both bearings into place, with the spacer in the middle. I applied anti-sieze to the bearing holes to make future removal easier. I liberally greased the exterior of the bearing spacer to prevent corrosion.

May 07, 2008 - Assembly (0.50 hours)

• Cleaned excess powdercoat off of the rear wheel and drove the rear wheel bearing carrier back into place. I applied anti-sieze to the bearing carrier to make future removal easier.

Mar 14, 2008 - Fixing (2.00 hours)

• Straightened up the fins on the oil cooler.
• Disassembled, cleaned, and resolder connections for the throttle, kill switch, and starter button.

Mar 13, 2008 - Order parts (0.00 hours)

• I placed orders today for the vast majority of parts I'll need to complete this project. There are a few outstanding things I've yet to order, but I've got the main stuff coming.

Mar 12, 2008 - Disassembly, cleaning (3.00 hours)

• Cleaned up a lot of remaining parts. Pretty much everything is cleaned up now.
• Disassembled both master cylinders and all three calipers. The master cylinders are in certain need of new seals. One of the calipers has been updated to the anodized pistons; the remaining two still have the steel pistons. I'll upgrade the steel pistons to anodized and install new seal kits on everything. All the pads are in good shape. Going to this much effort (not to mention expense) really makes me glad that I replace the brake fluid in my Quota once each year. Cheap and easy insurance compared to all this effort.

Mar 08, 2008 - Disassembly, cleaning, measuring (5.00 hours)

• Disassembled transmission completely. Things look very good inside.
• Cleaned up all the transmission and clutch components. Everything cleaned up very nicely.
• Measured up all the bearings and seals and o-rings.

Mar 07, 2008 - Trip to powder coater, disassembly (3.00 hours)

• Delievered all the parts to the powder coater. Gloss black for the frame and associated bits. A "chrome gloss" for the rims (really looks like aluminum).
• Disassembled the clutch. Things look very good inside.

Mar 06, 2008 - Powder coat prep (0.25 hours)

• Cleaned up the frame to get ready to take to the powder coater: filed down sharp edges, straightened small bent parts, etc.

Mar 05, 2008 - Shipping, organization, and disassembly (0.50 hours)

• Shipped both cylinders to Millennium Technologies. One certainly needs plating. I'm having them verify the other one.
• Moved some parts around the garage for better storage.
• Removed the front wheel bearings from the front wheel.
• Removed the rear wheel bearing carrier assembly from the rear wheel.
• Started disassemblying the clutch from the transmission. Made almost zero progress there.

Mar 03, 2008 - Disassembly (2.50 hours)

• Removed the rear fender.
• Removed the complete wiring harness, labelling each connecting as I went. It'll still take some work to get it properly sorted when I put everything back together, but the labels will help.
• Removed the handlebars and the complete brake system.
• Removed the steering stem and drove out the bearing races. The bearings are notchy. I'm not sure if it is due to hardened grease or worn out components.
• Removed the VIN tag by using a rolling head pry bar inside the steering neck to pry each rivet outward. Once the rivet popped loose, it was a simple matter of grabbing it's head with a pliers and twisting it out. No damage done to the VIN tag.
• Removed the steering head lock. I didn't have the key, so I drilled it out.
• Frame is now completely bare and ready to be blasted and powder coated. I need to gather up a few more bits and pieces and make sure I have everything together before I make the run down to the powder coater.

Mar 01, 2008 - Measuring and cleaning (4.50 hours)

• Measured the main bearings and the big end rod bearings. Everything measured out very well.
• Took the plug out of the sludge trap in the crank and cleaned it out. It had a little bit in it, no where near full. But, since the engine is this far apart, it only makes sense to clean it completely.
• Disassembled the floor boards/lower frame rails and cleaned up all the various bits.
• Removed the brake disks from both wheels. Cleaned up the discs and fasteners.
• Removed the cush drive from the rear wheel. Cleaned up the pieces.
• Removed the front and rear tires from the wheels. Cleaned up the tires and wheels.

I still need to strip the frame.I still need to strip the frame.

A bunch of (mostly) clean parts.A bunch of (mostly) clean parts.

Parts awaiting cleaning.Parts awaiting cleaning.

Striped frame components cleaned and awaiting blast and powdercoat.Striped frame components cleaned and awaiting blast and powdercoat.

Some parts from the rear wheel.Some parts from the rear wheel.

Polished shiny bits. The mufflers aren't perfect, but this picture sure makes them look worse than they are!Polished shiny bits. The mufflers aren't perfect, but this picture sure makes them look worse than they are!

Rims and discs.Rims and discs.

Tires.Tires.

Crank and mains.Crank and mains.

Feb 29, 2008 - Polishing (0.75 hours)

• Polished up most of the chrome and stainless bits. The chrome isn't perfect, but it isn't horrible, either. It will suite me just fine not to replace it.

Feb 28, 2008 - Cleaning (0.25 hours)

• Did the final cleaning on the rear drive case (inside had been soaking in degreaser for several days) the large bearing, and the needle bearing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the bearings cleaned up quite nicely. I believe that I'll be reusing them.

Feb 27, 2008 - Measuring (1.50 hours)

• Spent a bunch of time measuring fasteners. I'll be putting together a fastener spreadsheet similar to what has already been done for the loop frames, so I wanted to take the time to document the I-Convert fasteners.

Feb 26, 2008 - Clean up (0.75 hours)

• Spent some time cleaning up the garage of all the disarray that had begun with the disassembly of the convert. No real progress, just getting things in order.

Feb 25, 2008 - Disassembly and Cleaning (1.00 hours)

• Disassembled rear drive. Ring and pinion are in fantastic shape. Bearings have some light rust on them. I'll try to clean, but I believe they are bin-worthy.
• Cleaned all the parts. Case turned out very nice.
• Heated the rear drive in my turkey roaster until the outer race fell out. I love this technique. Painless and no damage to parts!

Feb 24, 2008 - Cleaning (2.50 hours)

• Scraped all the stuck on gasket material off of all the engine parts. Always a joy.
• Cleaned many of the engine parts. Case turned out very nice.
• Tom Short (Arizona MGNOC rep) came over part way through and we had a good time chatting for a while.

Feb 23, 2008 - Disassembly and cleaning (1.50 hours)

• Removed the swing arm bearings and races.
• Removed the U-Joint carrier bearing.
• Removed the only remaining bits off of the engine case: oil pump and distributor. The oil pump is missing its bearing. I thought perhaps it has fell out when I was moving and rotating the case around. But, I searched everywhere (including the trash) and could not find it. I'm glad this engine only saw 15 miles after rebuild...that missing bearing could have done some real damage.
• Removed the gasket material from the rear main bearing flange.
• Cleaned the front and rear main bearings.

Feb 21, 2008 - Disassembly (5.50 hours)

• With a lot of help from Mike Tiberio over the internet, I was able to determine:
  • My pistons were originally designed for an 850T/T3. The previous owner had remembered them being 850 Le Mans pistons and he had added a spacer between two base gaskets to provide sufficient clearance. I no longer have to worry about that...nor about trying to get 850 LeMans pistons to work well with small valve heads.
  • My block is from an 850. This is a good thing as I wanted the 850 cylinders to have a slide-in fit into the case with the proper case-cylinder clearance.
  • This means that somewhere along the way, the original convert engine was replaced with an engine from an 850. Probably an 850 T3.
• Both master cylinders were mostly dry (just a little damp brake fluid residue left in them). I filled them up and did a quick bleed of the brakes. Some pistons work fine, others are pretty stiff, and I've got a leak where the hose connects to the rear master cylinder (that explains the missing paint on the frame in that location much better than battery acid). These will need some work. Brakes cannot simply stay good without being used regularly.
• Pulled the rear wheel. Splines look good.
• Pulled the rear drive. There was silicone goop between the swing arm and the rear drive. The silicone goop was dangerously close to getting in the rear pinion bearing, but seems to have been spared that fate. I removed the pinion carrier and the pinion teeth look fantastic! I am very pleased the rear drive isn't trash.
• Pulled the front wheel and front fender.
• Removed the swing arm. U-Joint is in perfect condition.
• Drained as much ATF fluid as I could from the lines and reservoir.
• Removed the frame. I used the "crabbing" technique to do this. This was my first attempt at crabbing a Tonti frame. For the most part, it went rather well. It did get a little dicey when I removed the frame from the engine/transmission. But, no damage to any parts :>
• Separated the engine from the transmission and drained the oil from the torque converter.
• At this point, the garage is a bloody mess. ATF fluid everywhere from spills. I've not had this messy of an experience in a long time. I've got some cleaning to do.
• Tore the engine down close to studs. No measurements yet, but everything looks to be in fantastic shape. Mains and big end bearings look new. Crank is in fantastic shape. Cam journals are in great condition. Cam is in good condition. Cam followers are in great condition. This is all very great news!

Feb 19, 2008 - Disassembly (2.00 hours)

• Pulled the petcocks from the tank and drained the old gas. Petcocks were not clogged (although the inside of the tank certainly needs to be coated).
• Pulled and disassembled the carbs. They'll need new kits, but they don't appear to have been clogged.
• Pulled the heads...they look terrific!
• Pulled the right cylinder and piston. It is Nikisil and looks brand new. It is in fantastic shape.
• Pulled the left cylinder and piston. The oil ring is broken. Appears one end may have gotten hung up during reassembly and snapped off. All the nikisil plating is gone from this cylinder. It appears to be easily re-platable. I certainly cannot run it the way it is.
• Drained the engine. Normally cold oil drains pretty slowly because it is so thick. But, this stuff shot clear past the center stand almost to the rear tire. It had been diluted with gasoline that had leaked past the petcocks. It made a nasty, stinky mess.

Feb 18, 2008 - Purchase and disassembly (3.00 hours)

The previous owner delivered the convert to me this afternoon. We did the deal, took a couple photos, and then I proceeded to begin disassembly. Overall, I am quite pleased with how well things came apart. There were no rusty, crusty, stuck bits and even the exhaust slid apart like a dream. Good stuff. I think the bike has sat outside for the last couple months here in Phoenix. But, it most certainly did not spend the last 11 years outside. It is in too good of condition for that to have been the case.

I discovered a couple of surprises along the way...(1) an extra Dyna ignition! and (2) the wiring to the Pacifico fairing only tapped into existing wires...leaving the original wiring and connectors intact!