Subject: More Eldo exploration.....
Author: Lannis
Date: Mar 29, 2004, 4:38 PM
Post ID: 1716429275
Did a lot of running around today on the newly-on-the-road Eldo, with
the following observations:
1) It seems to really like to run in the 65-75 MPH range. Below that,
it thumps and vibrates some, not bad, sort of a "here I am, I'm working"
pulsing normal to Guzzis; above 75, there seems to be a lot going on at
once inside the engine, although it's not straining. That's good,
because that speed range is what I usually do when I'm by myself out on
the highway.
2) Between the high sprung seat, the wide police bars, the windshield,
spotlights, footboards, and heel-toe shifter, it feels more like my '65
Harley than my '65 Harley did. (? see Yogi Berra).
That's good too, because it's big, soft, lazy, and not in a hurry, just
like the rider.
3) The starter will bear looking at. After cleaning ALL the connections
and making some new ones and replacing the relay, it did good for a few
days....but at the gas pump today it almost wouldn't turn the engine
over. You could feel the solenoid snapping into place and the engine
START to turn, but wouldn't go all the way around until I'd hit the
button a dozen times. Once it starts turning it spins merrily. Battery
connections and frame ground are burnished and shiny. I've already had
the solenoid apart and cleaned the contacts; the starter's next stop is
at my local auto shop for an amperage test. Anything I should look for
there in a Bosch starter? Are the engine mounts good conductors? Do
people run ground wires from the starter body directly to battery
ground, and if they do, what size?
4) How does the gas tank vent? On the way to town today, it suddenly
started cutting off like it was running out of fuel. I knew it had
plenty of (FRESH!!!) gas in the tank, so I popped the gas cap, and
watched the gas flow again through the clear fuel lines and the engine
picked back up. I rode the rest of the day with the cap loose; if I
tightened it up, it'd quit again inside 2 miles.
The cap is a plain round chrome cap with a "bayonet" mount (two ears
fitting the top of the tank) and a thick rubber gasket. Examination
shows there's no way that the tank can be venting with this setup. I'm
about to drill a little hole on the inside of the cap and a little hole
through the chrome top (offset so gas won't splash straight through) but
this might be an unnecessary bodge. What's the right way for this to
work?
Thanks for the continued input. I try not to ask any question that's
already answered in "Guzziology" but I didn't see these.
Lannis