The replacement piston
After the piston failed many pieces of aluminum were collected from the sump and the crankcase, flywheel oil purifier and oil pipes flushed with solvent. I had hoped that aluminum shards, being 3x denser than oil, would settle in the sump and that the sump's very efficient gauze strainer would catch any I missed but within a mile or two the return pump failed and the Ariel was laying a smokescreen through the neighborhood. So all the oil was dumped and replaced and the pump stripped and cleaned again.
The Norton ride shortly after switching to the magneto
This seemed sufficient for many months including a 100-mile ride with the Norton club but, at the end of May, on a fast ride with friends, it erupted another toxic smokescreen. I tried to clear the return pump at the side of the road but was unable to and the bike fouled my last plug a mile from home. The sump was drained and the gauze cleaned. Two days later it did it again and a friendly guy gave me a ride home.
The whole oiling system was stripped - oil tank and pipes flushed with solvent, cylinder head and cambox pulled and cleaned out (surprised to find aluminum flakes in the cam box), big end bearing flushed with clean oil and flywheel oil purifier flushed again, gauze strainers cleaned and adjusted to close up any gaps.
I also took the precaution of cleaning and lubing an old oil pump, wrapping it in a soft rag with all the correct tools, enclosing that in a heavy ziplock bag and putting that in the toolbox. After a couple weeks of ever longer rides I had the confidence to make a 120 mile trip to the mountains. I also wanted to check to see if the carb was too rich to run at altitude.
1946 bitsa project
Re: 1946 bitsa project
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1937 NG, 1946 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1974 Guzzi Eldorado, 2002 Guzzi Lemans
- fpassmore
- Holder of a Waxed Cotton Anorak

- Posts: 532
- Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:05 am
- Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada
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Re: 1946 bitsa project
Nice to see ! Not been riding for two years now we should talk and get together to pass on some things.
Recent woes involve throat cancer and likely never to ride again !
Frank
Recent woes involve throat cancer and likely never to ride again !
Frank
'51 SQ4, '56 NH, '56 VH, '37 VH500 Red Hunter, '56 SQ4 (on the bench),'49 Sq4 (basket case), '48 A7 BSA Twin, 10 other BSA's, 5 Norton's, 2 Triumph's, 2 Ducati's and 2 Japanese. Just crazed is all my problem is.
Re: 1946 bitsa project
Hey Frank, Great to hear from you! Sounds like a very rough road but that you are making the best of it. We wish you a full recovery. It would be great to see you!
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1937 NG, 1946 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1974 Guzzi Eldorado, 2002 Guzzi Lemans
Re: 1946 bitsa project
Last year my brother and I had planned a volcanoes ride over McKenzie pass, Crater Lake and Mt. Lassen and were snowed out of all of them (and rode many extra miles to get around them). This year I decided to make up the loss by taking this bike on a roadtrip to a family reunion and riding lost roads from last summer. I could have taken last summer's bike but taking the 46 project seemed more of an adventure or something
So here are some pictures from this summer's trip.
These views possible due to our very poor snowfall last winter...
Campsite:
Drying out from a little rain:
More camping
These views possible due to our very poor snowfall last winter...
Campsite:
Drying out from a little rain:
More camping
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1937 NG, 1946 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1974 Guzzi Eldorado, 2002 Guzzi Lemans
Re: 1946 bitsa project
My brother decided he didn't have to fly home from the reunion so we roadtripped back and he did most of the driving
The serpentine road through Mt. Lassen National Park was in beautiful condition:
Brian among the volcanic glass boulders at the foot of an old lava flow:
Volcanic glass and pumice: About 150 miles this day.
The serpentine road through Mt. Lassen National Park was in beautiful condition:
Brian among the volcanic glass boulders at the foot of an old lava flow:
Volcanic glass and pumice: About 150 miles this day.
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1937 NG, 1946 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1974 Guzzi Eldorado, 2002 Guzzi Lemans
Re: 1946 bitsa project
Brian finally decided to ride the Ariel back over McKenzie pass and seemed to like it:
We traded off after and hour or so. Camped along the Clackamas River after another 150 mile ride.
We traded off after and hour or so. Camped along the Clackamas River after another 150 mile ride.
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1937 NG, 1946 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1974 Guzzi Eldorado, 2002 Guzzi Lemans
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