98EV (P8) rev counter dead. long live the rev counter. Also, need help with diag

[Strom]

Hey guys.... I posted this question on wildguzzi as well, but I figure maybe some more gurus with more ideas cant hurt...
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=45766.0


Went for a ride the other day....
When I first turned the key, the dash lights greeted me like always, but as I was moving the bike in the garage (engine off), they went off for a bit.
I was... confused, turned the key a few times and it all seemed fine.
Anyway, started the bike and off I went, everything working.
Got some gas a few miles later, another few miles later I stopped to pick up a tire tube for a friend. Turned off the bike for a few min, when I started the bike, the rev counter was dead.

It was a bit twitchy in the past, which I cured by providing a good ground to the housing... so now wonder, what could it be?
If it was a blown fuse, something else would prolly die as well.
If it was a problem with the ignition lock, something else wouldnt work also.

Is there any way I can test the signal/whatever to the rev counter to see if its OK?

I have a banged up rev counter from a nevada... wiring diagram shows its connected the same way - to the ignition coil. Could I use that?
The only problem here is - Nevada has a 3 pin connector at the bottom of the meter, and I have no idea which wire goes where...

Any ideas are welcome... fast ones even more so, since theres a rev counter on ebay and auction ends in a few days, so if I have to replace it, I will be bidding.

[Strom]

Fixed it....  

[velofishy]

Nice work.  How'd you get the tach open?

fish

[Pete Roper]

Sorry John  

[velofishy]

Hell Pete, it's a guzzi.  Should be able to fix anything on it with kitchen utensils, chewing gum, and a clyster syringe.

fish

[Strom]

Easy....

1. Go to your local plexi glass shop. Have them cut two round pieces, the size of the glass in the dials.
2. Take the tacho/speedo out of the housing
3. Take two screwdrivers and pry the lip open. You will also need to have a rather large vocabulary of bad words to mutter while doing it.
4. When (hopefully not, but I managed to crack both of the glasses on tacho and speedo in about 4-5 sessions of opening them) you brake the glass, replace with plexi. Remove the protective tape from plexi when you do
5. Use a red marker and paint the rev counter/speedo needles while youre at it
6. When done, use a hammer, screwdriver and a lot of cursing to close it back up. Here is when the glass likes to crack if you are too enthusiastic. Plexi doesnt like to crack that much....

[velofishy]

Thanks Strom.  I have a poor command of tools but a great command of obsenities.  I think that qualifies me as a Guzzi mechanic   so I'll give it a shot.

fish

[Pete Roper]

Easy....

1. Go to your local plexi glass shop. Have them cut two round pieces, the size of the glass in the dials.
2. Take the tacho/speedo out of the housing
3. Take two screwdrivers and pry the lip open. You will also need to have a rather large vocabulary of bad words to mutter while doing it.
4. When (hopefully not, but I managed to crack both of the glasses on tacho and speedo in about 4-5 sessions of opening them) you brake the glass, replace with plexi. Remove the protective tape from plexi when you do
5. Use a red marker and paint the rev counter/speedo needles while youre at it
6. When done, use a hammer, screwdriver and a lot of cursing to close it back up. Here is when the glass likes to crack if you are too enthusiastic. Plexi doesnt like to crack that much....

John. This man has the *right* attitude!

Bad language and Guzzis go hand in hand, although I did get in trouble recently for telling a bloke he was a 'Knob Jockey'. He tried to tell me I was trying to lower the tone of the conversation to that of a schoolyard. So I called him a Frontbottom!

Pete

[Strom]

John. This man has the *right* attitude!

Bad language and Guzzis go hand in hand, although I did get in trouble recently for telling a bloke he was a 'Knob Jockey'. He tried to tell me I was trying to lower the tone of the conversation to that of a schoolyard. So I called him a Frontbottom!

Pete

ROTFLMAO...

Yeah, a lot of people dont know the terminology used by guzzi... enthusiasts and sympathizers (however you spell that, but I am sure it has a tard in it - dont know, English isnt my 1st language).

I got some excrement on one of the boards you (Pete) dont frequent anymore. They told me "my homophobic comments are embarrassing" and that I dont know how to spell.  

It was about a MCN review of the aquila nera or something and I wrote:
"It looks like it was reviewed by a bunch of chickenshit fags that want everything on a plate... preferrably someone else to ride the bike, coz they just cant be bothered since theyre too busy adjusting their tutu or something.

Cali needs to be revved between yellow and red marks on the tacho, thats why its there, centerstand scraped away as well as the right muffler/floorboard. And you have to kick the shit out of the heel-toe shifter to get nice shifts. It is ment to be ridden hard and fast and it will be waiting in the garage for more. Do regular oil/filter changes and it will outlast you and your children (except the electrics). And it will still return good mpg.

Its a proper motorcycle for proper riders. Or you can be a fairy and get a goldwing, then write stupid reviews about any bike that doesnt have integrated food processor."

So, Pete... Hows my spelling?  

[Strom]

Doh... found it:
"AN integrated food processor"?  

[Strom]

AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnyway....

I sorta forgot to do the regular service for a while (17kkm), so we did that....
Changed the steering head bearings, fork, engine, trans, final drive oil, rear brake fluid etc etc.... only to find a dead speedo.
Playing with the cable sorted it out.
Then I noticed the left fork was leaking oil... a lot. Changed the oil seals.
While drinking beer and admiring my now-assembled bike I noticed a missing bolt... which holds the left exhaust header on. The stud had snapped off bout 1mm inside of the head.

A lot of drilling and repairing the threads and 4 hours later we finally screwed in a new stud, which promptly ruined the thread. Drilled a hole for an M10 stud and went to bed....

I guess when things start to fail.... eh well, at least I wasnt in the middle of a long trip...

Advice for EV owners. Exhaust stud bolts like to break. This is my 3rd one.... dont know why I didnt replace all of them the first time.