How bad can it be?

Thanks for the update Pete. What was the story with ‘the Stelio from hell’? Nice to hear that my bike isn’t the worst ever.

I spoke to soon. Just recieved this from Michael is text.

Hi there. I’m in town after getting some parts. I pulled the sump and spacer. It’s as clean as a whistle in there. I think they might have had it off. It’s missing a bolt. I think there is a crack in the RH head between the exhaust valves.
The front cover has the paint peeling inside like Wyno’s. We will have to have it blasted.
The dudes at **** ****** need some of your cards.

Fuck! I'll look at it tomorrow but I trust Michael implicitly.

Shit!! The good news just keeps rolling in.

Matt, if it's any consolation I'm currently carrying the entire debt on the 'Stelvio from Hell'. That job alone owes me between $7 and $10K.bthat's not the only one either and Michael needs to be paid even if I don't.

My bank balance is pretty slim at the moment. I think the business account has less than $100 in it.

Pete

Yeah, no worries Pete. It’s all good - just feeling sorry for myself. I really do appreciate what you and Michael are doing and I know it will be all good in the end.
What is the story Behind that Stelvio?

You really don't want to know. Just let it be said that I don't know how anybody can bugger these bikes as quickly as some places do! They really are as tough as an anvil! You almost have to want to kill them!

(Edit) Not even Bill Hagan can kill them and by golly he tries!

Poor Bill, he resembles that remark...

Pete Roper is an angel. But I think we all know that already.

He does have devil horns though - sometimes he is downright evil - you should stay at a pub with him. Walks into the bar and shouts at the top of his lungs "BEER!" and gets one. The rest of us would just get turfed out. No, not always an angel, but he's a mighty fine Guzzi Guru, and will bend over backwards to make sure a job is done right, first time.

Definitely not an angel, just your run of the mill, flawed, human being but I do hate dealing with this sort of totally avoidable shit and all the crap that comes with it.

Pete

Alas the RH head has a crack you can probably stick a feeler guage in. Since the guides are knackered we're replacing the heads with some off a wreck we have.

That aside its all going well enough. Bottom end is fine, we've given it new chains and it's going back together.

Something of interest and it's the second time we've see it. The black paint on the inside of the timing chest is all falling off! We're getting the inside blasted to clean it up. It also had a wrongly installed front crank seal. When we opened the chest the spring was sitting on the crank!

Another thing, good news this time, is that it has a steel oil pump gear which is weird as its a 2012 and the official change over point was much earlier I'm sure!

Anyway, in another day or two it'll be back together, we'll tune it up and it should be golden!

Pete

Another thing, good news this time, is that it has a steel oil pump gear which is weird as its a 2012 and the official change over point was much earlier I'm sure!

Pete as a Google search didn't bring up anything, tell me about this cheapening of an essential component by the accountants. I do remember you posting a picture of a plastic oil pump gear with a void in it though.

Early bikes have a steel gear, later ones, (Usually, there are obviously exceptions.) use a phenolic 'Plastic' gear. The plastic gear seems to be fine in most cases. The one that I had that failed was obviously flawed.

Pete

Word Fromm paste is that my bike is just about ready but the cat con in the pipe is buggered. Following Pete’s advice and going to put on a Mistral high pipe. I want to get the whole thing done in one hit so I can get back to trouble free riding.

Hi Pipe! Hi Pipe! Hi Pipe!

Oh yeah!

I take it you approve, Mark?

Hi Pipe!

Yes!