Subject: '74 Eldo questions
Author: Prusnek
Date: May 5, 2005, 8:31 PM
Post ID: 1718820189
I've had personal experience with the engine locking up on my Laverda
SF1--the petcocks shut off in the opposite direction as the Guzzis and I
left them on (it also shifts on the right with the opposite pattern and
brakes on the left). When I went to start the bike the next day it
turned over slightly and stopped with a huge metallic bang that sounded
like someone shoved a wrench in the crank. It was hard to believe that
gas in the cylinders would make such a clang, and it took me quite a
while to figure it out. Fortunately no damage to anything, but I did
drain the crankcase to find thinned out oil.
I've always (or have tried to) remember to turn off the petcocks on
any bike I ride, if you don't the only thing keeping the tankful of gas
out of your crankcase are those teeny little needle valves.
"Mr. always turns his gas off except when he forgets",
John Prusnek
| Never seen it happen but I've heard of potential hydro-lock. I seem to remember seeing some photos of parts after hydro-lock. Bent rods, screwed up pistons, ect. Anyone expand on this? Kev I know a couple of people who left their gas on and filled a cylinder. They found out when the bike wouldn't turn over and they pulled the plugs finding more fuel than they barganed for. I don't know about bending parts. You'd need a pretty strong battery and starter - my opinion. "Mr. always turns his gas off", John C. |