Hi all,

went to my trusty (new) mechanic last night, Savage is on a hydraulic pedestal, engine off, the premises are clean and all the bits&bolts are neatly laid out in a rational way - gives you a snug comfy feeling.

The old camshaft was badly worn, apparently from running dry - which is odd considering I had been running with a more or less overfilled sump for the last year or so...

The old mechanic in Naples proved a cheat - charged me for fitting new cam chain and camshaft (Lancer's own) but never really did the job, just opened the packages, dirtied the new parts with old oil and said "there you are, kid - pay up !"... which I did, happily riding away in a supposedly "new" motor which possibly only had new oil...

Soooo...

Now I have a machined head, to burr away the ugly scrapings in the camshaft journals, just skimmed the mating surface to the cylinder (the more you machine away, the looser the cam chain gets... think about it) a new camshaft and my new chain finally fitted (along with Verslagen's modified cam chain tensioner, the only bit that sleazy thief ever did fit) and am looking at reinstalling the engine back to the frame.

Sooo...

Question : I understand there's a "service plug" hidden just behind the front right footpeg, from where many lead the plumbing for an oil cooler; I am not looking at an oil cooler, but a combined oil pressure / temperature gauge, such as this:



It costs a full 93 GB Pounds, plus shipping, but it really looks great and is the same size as the 2" tacho already fitted to the drag bars.

BUT : is it possible to fit both temperature and pressure gauges to the engine? Frome the same service plug ?

If this were not possible, then I'd opt for the oil temperature gauge (78 GB Pounds) :



I'm just curious... those of you with a temperature gauge, or in the know... what is the "hot" temperature a Savage can reach on a hot summer's day, in traffic ?
Will the Savage keep its cool (so a 110C - 240F gauge is OK) , or become hot (fo I'll need a 140C - 300F gauge)

By the way, these gauges come with a metallic capillary tube topped by a sensor bulb threaded 5/8th UNF - I understand the service plug is 14mm x 1.25 or something, so I'll also need an adapter.

Hints ? Ideas ? Whodunit ???

Hi Oldfeller, the workshop is CERIANI, Rome's leading Suzuki dealer - and has been the leading dealer since the late '60s.

They have "prepped " quite a few motorcycles for long range journeys, for then-unknowns who later became famous motoring journalists. And they always spoke highly of Cruciani.

The job was decided by the chief (head?) mechanic after a careful look at the camshaft journals. He said the camshaft rides in soft ... what do you call those half moon strips that protect the connecting rod where it joins the crankshaft? Well, apparently the journals were worn for insufficient lubrication and they were remachined to size.

I won't inquire too much, it's their job and... you wouldn't inquire the quality of the diamond-tipped drill with your dentist, would you?

I understand your feelings, and you do have a point, but all I can say is "they are the best official workshop within a few hudred Km/miles, and I'm not looking any further than that".

Now, back to that oil gauge business... please ?
PS anybody to suggest some fun, hair-raising fantasy torture for the sleazy b@st@rd back in the other place?

Oh, BTW there are 2 ports for your pleasure.

And I hope you abused your rank and had the thief shanghai'd!

Bound and gag'd, rolling about the bottom of a fishing boat, far out to sea... then ask for a refund.  

oops! did I say refund? I meant the bill to have the work really done by the primo shop.

If he says no, offer to throw it overboard then pin it to his shirt.

Did you know that the taste of chocolate is hidden in coffee?
A couple of squares of Ex-Lax in a cup o joe will make him go.
Maybe for more than a day or so.
Maybe you could go in & have a visit with the guy & haul him a cup. Chopping the "sweetener" finely will help it dissolve quickly.
I know I sound like I have experience. One guy brought 2 squares to tech school, another chopped it & rolled it into a tube of paper & I walked by the instructors coffee & dumped it in. No stirring at all & he never had a clue. He missed 3 days. I met him a bit over a year later & told him what happened. He laughed. Yep, he was the coolest instructor I had in the 9 months I was in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Our class got the last class of tube theory & tubes are cool. But the coolest class they forced me to attend was antenna theory.
Anyway, I ramble, sorry, BUT using this method you really CAN
               "Fix his Butt!"

There are at least two ways to repair a head with worn cam journals.  First is to bore out the journals sufficiently to remove scoring/wear then spray weld the cam surfaces and machine them back to the right size for the new diameter journals.  Second way is to tig weld the journals to buld them up, then machine them back to the right diameter.  Either of these is relatively straightforward for a well-equipped workshop with the right equipment and experienced staff. However, either is likely to be rather expensive which is why replacement is often preferred.

The two ports are behind foot brake pedal.

One facing forward (see picture below, is behind my Ed_L forward control extension)
One facing down .

Click -> Picture

The forward facing outlet would be flowing "out", the inlet on the bottom of the engine would be the "in". Just ordered my sender bushing yesterday(ordered a couple for you too Verslagen)..can't wait to install my temp gauge! Maybe an oil cooler is in my future too....

Got the adaptor bushing in the mail today. Got all excited, routed my temp gauge, thought I was good to go untillll I realized the gauge I picked up had too big a fitting at the end. So, guess I gotta go find a gauge somewhere with an 1/8" male to fit that adaptor I got. Any ideas?