Failed Condom

During 130 miles round trip to Lancaster today (to fix daughters washing machine); and despite the wildfire smoking drifting across motorways, I noticed burning oil smell. Later at lights smoke coming up from exhaust manifold on LHS....

Pulled tank (will skip the crying & wailing about the 'quick release') and pulled the breather return & condom off the separator where most of the oil was lying. Pushing my FINGER in the condom can see it's worn through where it touches the alternator housing (pics below)....

Anyone got some easy fix replacements to avoid buying another OEM one (hopefully shorter so it doesn't foul alternator) ?? guess it has to be oil proof neoprene rubber but not sure cutting thumb off a garage glove will do the trick

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Failed condom?
DADDY!

Hi Paul, try a local auto parts shop. Silicone hose end blanking caps. Clean the spigot with acetone or similar , install with a smear of silicon gasket maker type stuff. On all of those hoses I use a single zip-ty or Ty-Wrap, wrapped around twice to prevent a pinch point forming.

If you have a local rubber store (here in Aust we have Clarke Rubber) you can buy pipe block off ends of all sizes.

Thanks guys - I'll go dig around for rubber stores/auto places...I checked the OEM one would cost 20gbp (mainly postage from Europe)....

i was told you dont need to replace the condom and stick a pill in the fuel every time you fill up?

Thanks Keith, I'll go to Boots and ask them for some pills to replace condom.....definitely best to cover all angles to avoid anything unwanted happening to the GRiSO

Vasectomy is even more reliable, just sayin'...

Street wrote:

Vasectomy is even more reliable, just sayin'...

Which bit do you cut off!!!

I already had one of them ......

BTW I stupidly decided to remove alternator belt cover whilst tank & oil separator were off (I have a spare alternator belt)....anyway, the second bolt sheared and unlike other GRiSO sheared and corroded in bolts; this one wouldn't budge with any of my 3 extractor sets. Luckily in process I somehow had managed to drill through dead centre of bolt (despite using a wobbly 90 degrees drill attachment to avoid removing wheel/exhaust/etc). So after failing to extract I just ran a quality & sharp 5mm HSS drill through it and tapped it back out to M6 removing mainly existing old bolt threads.....happy days for a change !


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nice job paul and love the drill bit attachment!

Sometimes you get lucky! Not often, but just often enough to keep from slitting your wrists!

Just a post note on case it helps.....after worrying about thermal-oil degradation of some of the many (silicon/EPDM etc) radiator caps that would fit, I ordered the OEM one on basis it will be spec'd for the application.  Looking at new and old it's clear that 9 years of heat and pressure have a big effect on the rubber - so I might as well have gone with cheaper local variant.

Either way I'm back on the road

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Refitting tank and the annoying small tank vent pipes which have gone hard ..... I found some cheap flexible replacement (and replacement T to match) in garage that is flexible enough to allow you to connect the two vents before fitting tank and still refit tank by twisting pipes back under the frame crossbar; then fit them onto the T.   For couple cents/pence of cheap pipe just makes sure they are fully fitted and you can lengthen them a bit

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I'll resurrect this thread as I don't see a need to start a new one.

As I chronicled in my [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], the Guzzi experts have me reasonably sure that I have an oil breather condom seal whatever-it-is thing leaking.

For the visual types:

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Is there a non-Guzzi part that might work? I've read some chatter that there may be an automotive equivalent cap that might work? Any suggestions? Or do I get to head down my local auto parts store and have a go with them on finding a reasonable replacement?

Personally I'd pull the tank and be sure where the actual leak is....and I don't think I could have removed the 'bastard to remove metal clip' (you can see it in the first picture) on the condom without the extra access.

There are lots of options once you've got the old one off - just need to take dimensions & look for 'next-best-thing' rubber cap/plug made of oil/fuel resistant rubber, and fix on with small jubilee clip or equivalent.

You should be able to get silicone hose end caps like this in US - just need internal size  Silicone Hose End Blanking Caps on Ebay

The world won't end if you use a non-Guzzi part. Just the leak.

beetle wrote:

The world won't end if you use a non-Guzzi part. Just the leak.

heh, yup. In fact, I was counting on using a non-MG part. It's probably easier to source.

Exactly....OEM part has 6-8 weeks lead time from AF-1 at USD 6.69...always a shortage of condoms somewhere

Bobcat,
I had a leak there and it ended up being the condensate breather hose on that side and not the condom. The original hoses begin to crack where they are clamped on to the nipple. I bought a condom along with the replacement hose ($45 usd) but have yet to use the condom on my 7 year old bike. If your hose is leaking, there are other solutions to buying the OEM one. But I won’t go there till you know what’s leaking.

The info and knowledge here is really quite tremendous. I appreciate the help.

In either case, I want to be prepared with the right parts... and who doesn't love another trip to the hardware or auto parts store?

I think I can source the rubber nipple/condom thing pretty easily. What are the recommended specs for the oil condensate hose?

Similarly; are the hose clamps re-usable? If not, what should I pick up? I do have a pair of ear-clamp pliers, if needed.

I used the replacement oem hose which is expensive with regular old hose clamps. If you look at the end that goes into the cylinder, it has quite a bend in it. So that’s where you have to get creative if you get a hose from the auto parts store. Someone here used a 45 degree plastic hose connector to make the bend. You can probably find that thread here some place. Did you see what is leaking yet?

AFAIK the condom is held on with a non-reusable crimped clamp. I replaced it with a baby jubilee clip.

The hoses on mine already had jubilee clips but PO may have done that.

JohnA wrote:

I used the replacement oem hose which is expensive with regular old hose clamps. If you look at the end that goes into the cylinder, it has quite a bend in it. So that’s where you have to get creative if you get a hose from the auto parts store. Someone here used a 45 degree plastic hose connector to make the bend. You can probably find that thread here some place. Did you see what is leaking yet?

45-degree bend with a plastic fitting; that's clever!

I haven't yet pulled the tank to confirm if it's the nipple or a cracked hose, but in looking up under the removed wing, and when rotating the horn out of the way; it's one of the two. Or both. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

When I looked, I did see a cracked hose due to an over-tightened clamp. I just need to push some bikes out of the garage and pull the tank to confirm. You know... procrastination.