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Moto Guzzi Metal Stone Oil Change
My Guzzi was due for its 50,000km service, so I took these pics.
 | I bought one of those cheap Chinese-made bike platforms. They're built like a Yangtze girder bridge. It's worth its weight in gold. No more lying on the floor, scrambling under the bike. The bike had just completed a 60km trip, so everything was pretty hot - including all the fluids. |
 | I begin by dropping all the oils - the engine oil, gear-box and rear-drive oil. (I use three waste oil containers. Cut the sides out of old oil containers. Then you can drain them out of the cap opening.) |
 | I change the oil every 5000km and the filter every 10,000km. If you don't like changing your engine oil, then you don't love your bike. It's the simplest thing that you can do to prolong the life of your Guzzi. |
 | The gear box plug is up behind the engine. |
 | Out she comes. Note how clean it is compared to the rear drive oil (below). |
 | Undo the gear box filler to let the air in as the old oil comes out. |
 | Now for the rear drive. This is always messy. Place some alfoil to guide the oil into the container. No matter how hard I try, some of it gets on the tyre. Wipe it off. |
 | Take the filler plug off to let the air in. If the bike is still hot, you'll find that there is some pressure in the rear drive that will be released as you undo the plug. |
 | Note the colour. This is the same oil as in the gear box, but the addition of moly turns it grey. |
 | While the old oil is draining out, undo the middle plug on the gear box. This sets the level for the new oil. Then reinstall the drain plug. |
 | Usually I use Penrite 80W/90 hypoid oil for the gearbox and rear drive but my auto shop was out of it. I suppose Mr Castrol knows something about oil. Pump it in until it starts flowing out of the hole (above). Let the excess drain away then replace the plugs. |
 | The Metal Stone handbook calls for 20ml of molykote to be added to the rear drive. Some say that it is no longer needed with modern hypoid (sometimes called extreme pressure) oils. Beats me. I always add it. |
 | From what I've read, it is very important that the rear drive is not overfilled. The pressure build-up, mentioned above, will blow seals if you over-fill it. Let the excess drain away completely, then replace the plugs. By the way, don't lean into these plugs when you tighten them or the steel plug will strip away the cast aluminium threads. Then you'll be in deep... um, trouble. Tighten them up, then add a nip. |
 | To replace the oil filter you need to remove the sump. I bought this long hex key from the Snapon website - it fits a 1/4 inch ratchet drive handle - which allows me to access the sump bolts. It is worth slowly collecting the right tools. They make the job a pleasure rather than a pain. There are 14 bolts around the outside of the sump, and four long bolts under it. Don't start belting the sump with a piece of wood or hammer. It will drop off if all the bolts have been removed. Also I use a table lift to support the sump as the last bolts come out. Use a car jack or similar. It will help to position the sump when you replace it, though it's not particularly heavy. |
 | The sump is off, and the sump gasket is still attached to the engine. This gasket is the original, though I always keep a spare. Note the hose clamp around the filter. I put this on every change now after seeing pictures on the Wildgoose forum of oil filters which have spun off and caused severe engine damage. Imagine how much pressure it takes to force oil through the filter! |
 | I also check the gauze filter. |
 | Make sure you clamp up the safety strip afterwards, too. |
 | Rub some oil on the rubber seal and in the threads of the new filter to ensure that it screws up correctly. |
 | I've been using Ryco oil filters on my cars and four-wheel drives for 30 years now without problems. Likewise, I been using them on my Guzzi for the past three years, too. I don't buy this notion that only UFI filters should be used on Guzzis. In fact, the only filters I've seen that have spun off and caused engine damage have all been UFIs. Put a hose clamp on and tighten it up so the screw housing rests against the pressure valve. This will prevent the filter from turning if it begins to spin off. |
 | Smear a thin coat of grease or oil along the sump where it will contact the gasket. Put the sump back on, with the aid of your jack, and replace the screws. This T-bar allen key, also from Snapon, makes the job much easier. Just spin them on. |
 | Want to start an argument on a Guzzi forum? What oil should I use and should I put a hose clamp on my filter? I use Penrite Diesel 20W-60. All the good stuff in the way of zinc, etc, for top end protection, high detergency which is called for in the Stone's handbook, and the viscosity to handle cold starts in Victorian winters and long, hot days in the Australian summer. A belly full of this and the Stone's ready to ride. It's so good, I pour it on my porridge instead of milk! Next month we are off to tour Tasmania - motorcycling mecca. |
Mackerz |
Latest page update: made by Mackerz
, Feb 20 2008, 1:04 AM EST
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