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Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Moto Guzzi seized engine bolt

If your front engine mounting bolt hasn't been removed and re-greased/copper slipped for quite a while then it could be worth checking.
  I bought a low mileage - stored for years - Cali 1100i project bike approx 3-4 months ago and checked the two main long engine bolts (I have come across at least one rear seized bolt before now) a couple of weeks back and found the front one stuck fast. I tried heating it up (plumbers type gas torch) and WD40 with no luck and even a heavy lump hammer had no effect.
   Left it to soak with a mass of WD and tried again a few days later with more heat and initially no luck at all. Tried again with a lot more heat everywhere including the frame and got a fraction of movement,so with more heat came more movement and so it went on. Still took the lump hammer and a drift to finally shift it completely.
  Now that's free I'll be happy to take the bike apart if anybody is interested in a 96' Cali frame ( rails chopped off behind shock mounts) with V5 for not a lot of money.  Got to decide what else I don't need,but definitely the swingarm,side panels,foot levers and ........??    

4 comments:

  1. Mouse Milk penetrating oil has never let me down http://www.mousemilk.com

    Out of interest what to you use when refitting? Nickel or Copper anti-seize?

    Happy Easter!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the info. I've had a brief look at the Mouse milk website and am wondering, as it's also a cutting oil, whether the bottle of similar that I have on the shelf might work as a penetrating oil too ?
    A friend once used a Acetone product - I think it was nail varnish remover - to free up a seized front bolt.
    I usually use copper slip and I check the bolts for movement occasionally,especially if it's a bike I use all year round,but I will look into the pro's of Nickel anti-seize over the copper.
    John

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  3. Cheers & thanks, I appreciate the tips. I cant recommend Mouse-Milk enough. Recently soaked a couple of grease nipples overnight where the spring and ball were corroded in the open position, sorted the next day. Always nice to keep the original parts rather than replace.

    Best regards, Dave.

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  4. Hi Dave, I've been looking into the availability of Mouse milk,but the price was looking a little prohibitive
    at $20 inc postage plus possible customs fees for a 8oz bottle. I now seem to have found a supplier here in the UK - glosterairparts - who sell the 8oz bottle for just under £9 so maybe I'll invest in a bottle in the near future. All the best John

    ReplyDelete