The Moto-Guzzi Nuovo Falcone VOC

Yes Sigean, I’m sure we have been in touch before.
Sadly, this forum has pretty much died, so nobody is there to answer your queries: I Bly found your post because you had replied to a previous one, and I get notification of that….
Everyone is on my Facebook group now, and you would likely get more answers there.
I don’t know where the valves were sourced, as the whole thing was managed by my friend in Austria. He took the head to a small scale specialist in Germany, and he fitted the 8mm valves, guides, seats and lighter springs.
There’s a post about it on here somewhere, I think, although the photos may have disappeared.
The valves are a little too short, and I was supplied with caps to extend them. Valve stem oil seals were also fitted. I have been told that some kind of Ducati valves can be used.
Not much help, I know….

Ahhhh.
Not a good result.
Try Schubert SMS Moto for a connecting rod. They have a lot of spares. Or Retro at Abbadia, just along from Mandello.
My head was repaired in Germany with 8mm valves, but I don’t know all the details I’m afraid…
Good luck!

....and advice not needed.  It took a long time, but heat and verrrry gentle leverage were my friends.  One of the location dowels was somewhat corroded and this caused the problem.  Now to check the internals!

Sigean

Ciou Falconisti

It's been a long time since I posted on this site.  I have been putting off engaging with the cold reality of my broken Falcone.  It was about 7 years ago when I was riding the Falcone back to the UK from southern France when disaster struck.  On a glorious summer morning, perhaps proceeding at a little more than the posted speed limit down an empty road near Moulins, the engine went "BANG" and I coasted to a stop by the side of the road.  The exhaust valve head had become bored with its attachment to its stem and had formed a permanent relationship with the piston.  It rather spoiled my day.  Hey ho, life is tough and then you die...

So, after all this time the engine is out of the frame and I can now survey the extent of the damage.  This initial examination reveals that the piston is shot, the combustion chamber is scarred (those scars now repaired by a friendly welder, but needs new guides, valve seats, etc.), and the connecting rod is slightly twisted.  I haven't been able to check the flywheel yet, that's the next job.

I will buy a new piston (any recommendations?) and have the (undamaged) cylinder rebored to suit, but I will need a replacement con-rod.  Might any Falconisti out there have one I could purchase?  And when renewing the valves, can anyone advise on replacement valve options?  I know there is a school of thought regarding the advantages of using lighter valvegear, and I am attracted to this: can anyone recommend any of the options available?

Finally - the internal crancase bolt...  Mine is super tight.  Apart from applying heat to the aluminium into which it screws, are there any other removal techniques that have proven successful?

Any thoughts welcome.  It's been a long time and it's good to be back!

Sigean

It's not my only long trip on the Falcone. Last year I rode down the length of France, over the Pyrenees at the Bielsa-Aragnouet pass, at 6,000ft it was a slow climb on a loaded Falcone, and back via Santander. That was with camping gear too. I wrote that trip up for Gambalunga and it was published a couple of months ago. The only thing that broke was the rubber band hold my pushbike speedo in place.
I quite enjoy doing distance on the Falcone. It is slow and definitely breathless on big hills, but 80-90kph is the speed limit on French/Spanish B-roads and is quite a nice pace to see the countryside at 250-300km per day.