Subject: 73 Eldo - runs good cold, bad hot, need advice...
Author: Ron Hornbaker
Date: Jul 23, 2001, 3:41 PM
Post ID: 1707613213
Hi Everyone,
First time MG owner here, first post. Just bought a consignment '73 Eldo
from Harper's Moto Guzzi in Greenwood, MO (nice folks...
http://www.harpermotoguzzi.com/), but I'm having some engine problems.
I'll be calling them tomorrow, but wanted to get some advice from the list
prior to that.
The bike starts and runs good when cold. Took it out with my wife on back
(I'm 215 pounds, she's 115) last evening in Kansas City, about 98 degrees,
and after it warmed up it started running terribly: going up a gentle
hill, it was pinging like crazy (on premium unleaded), and couldn't get
above about 45 mph. I couldn't keep the idle going at stop signs without
revving it, and the usual valve clatter was magnified by about 10X.
Got it home (barely), and tried to adjust the idle, to no avail. I'm not a
wrench, and don't play one on TV. Took both sets of screws in tight, then
back out 1.5 turns, and tried to get it smoothed out from there. Once the
bike cooled off for a couple of hours, it started running better again.
Choke cable seems to have decent play in it when shut off completely, but
I wonder if the choke could stick and cause too rich a mixture when hot?
Any helpful hints on what to do/try next would be appreciated. I'm
concerned most about the pinging, as I've heard that pre-detonation like
that can wreak havok on piston heads and cylinder walls.
Regards,
Ron