MRC Forum- brought to you by www.morini-riders-club.com Member: g7AW3f

Hi after a 5 year love/hate relationship with a big British single, I decided to get a smaller more modern classic.
The Morini 3 1/2 was an obvious choice,and definitely on the bucket list!
After searching for a while, bikes were thin on the ground,so I decided to consider Mototrans Ducatis as well, not thoroughbreds, but in my budget.
After looking at a 350 Strada MT duke advertised as 99% there, but turned out in reality to be 60%, and an electric start 350 MT in the Pyrenees, which was uneconomic to get to the UK because of Brexit import taxes, I finally found the holy Grail--A Morini.
I usually searched in the usual auction websites and Facebook, but then I thought I would try just putting a general search into Google.
This flagged up a '77 Strada on the Car and Classic website, better still only 4 miles from home! Result!
After a viewing on a freezing snow laden morning,the deal was done and I collected the machine in my son's Transit.
Only a short wheelbase one ,so we had to have the front wheel on the handbrake and the rear light lens removed.
Started the bike up a few days later and was mildly concerned by a rattle at tick over , sounding like it's coming from the Generator area.
To add to worries,the Red 'oil light ' was on .Oh, no, it's all right, on early bikes , this is the ignition on light.Silly me, I don't yet speak fluent Morini!
Just a whiff of throttle at about 1750 rpm the noise goes and the engine sounds sweet as the proverbial nut.
Is this a normal noise? It's not loud, could it be loose stator windings?
I will pull the Generator rotor off tomorrow and take a look.
If any of you experienced people out there have any ideas , I would be grateful for your input?
TIA

Hi, and welcome.
Rattles in the generator area might be from the stator, but unless incorrectly assembled they are usually ok. Do check though, as replacements are relatively thin on the ground and some of the 'dick turpin' like breakers are asking a fortune for them.
Cam follower noise isn't unknown, amplified if the tappets are 'loose', and being just above the generator can be mistaken.

Give a clue as to where you live - there may well be other Morini owners nearby to bounce ideas off. Also many members meet up at various locations around the UK on a regular basis.
Let us know how you get on.

Regards, George

The dry clutch can also sound a bit rattly.

Welcome to the Forum.

Thanks guys for the input.
George, looking at your bike stable, we're already acquainted, I've met you at the White Horse on my Matchless.
You let me try your Strada for size?
The noise sounds like backlash, doesn't really sound like valve train,as it doesn't increase with revs, just disappears completely with just a few more revs. Is it possibly from the oil pump drive?
Tried pulling the clutch in, can hear different softer noise from the left side.
Anyway, I'll be able to check out the Generator parts for security tomorrow.I can either fix it or eliminate it.Then go from there.
Regards John

Hopefully it's not the left side crank bearing. These often "let go" at around 50,000 km...



Trevor

"George, looking at your bike stable, we're already acquainted, I've met you at the White Horse on my Matchless"

Hi John,
I aim to be at the White Horse next Thursday.
If you can make it (not necessarily on the bike!) we can chat about things Morini there.
Regards,
George

George, get John to bring his bike along to one of the Warks meets-funny noises are very difficult to identify through the internet! I'm sure you will be able to point John in the right directions for working out whether there is anything to worry about.
John-I hope you enjoy your new bike and get plenty of use out of it.

Thanks Steve

Thanks Steve

Thanks Trevor, hope you're wrong, bike is showing 26000miles, and I think a noisy main would be noisy through the rev range, it would be more of a constant drone , rather than a rattle,and louder as the revs increased.Have heard bad mains on 2 strokes , nothing like my noise
Although never having heard a failed Morini one,I could be mistaken?
George, I whipped off the side cover this morning to check everything.
The rotor looked fine,no play in any plane and the centre nut was FT.
Used the extractor to pull it off and it looks good on the inside, just a few marks , probably from road grit, certainly nothing to worry about.And the magnetism is good.Rivets tight.
The Stator also looks good, windings not discoloured, not loose bits ,or suspect bits.
Fixing screws tight , can't see anything amiss.Small debris marks on the laminations.
Checked out the belt , looks very new ,as the previous owner stated.Minimal side play and the centre nut tight.
Sprocket nut tight,slight weep from the seal, not serious,clutch arm has side play but looks like it's supposed to.
I'll try to get down to the White Horse on Thursday, with or without the bike.
Cheers John

The clutch arm will waggle about especially if the cable is disconnected, so as long as it is adjusted OK that will be fine. The little dimple on the arm that bears on the clutch pushrod usually wears eventually.

Thanks, good to know

John,

I’d be happy to come and have a listen sometime, we must be only 15 minutes away from eachother.

I’ll drop you a message on WhatsApp.

Tom

Big thank you to Tom who came round this afternoon to have a listen.With the side cover off,we came to the conclusion that the noise isn't something terminal,rather the generator rotor just kissing the Stator.
The Woodruff key is very shallow, hardly proud of the taper, making alignment really difficult,and it's possible to fit it incorrectly ( I had already achieved this before Tom arrived).
We agreed the first port of call would be to remove the key, lap the rotor to the shaft and fit a new higher key.
Tom also suggested, the correct torque (which is quite high), rotor / Stator missmatch , to which end he offered me another rotor to try if all else fails.
I'll be fitting a new belt too, while the rotor is off , thanks to Tom's recommendation.
Watch this space!