Chrome Bores...

While I knew the 850T Guzzi had chrome lined cylinder bores, never knew they were a problem until I started reading up on it in Guzziology, the bible of all MG gear heads. So put it on the lift, dropped the sump, and dumped the oil to send it out for testing.

According to what I've read and seen on the Wild Goose Guzzi website, the chrome eventually begins to wear away, plugging oil ways and destroying bearings. Since it has no oil filter, just a mesh screen, there's nothing much to stop it. While it's true that most mogu's will go 50, 60, 70,000 miles before needing a rebuild, the older the bike, the more likely there's a problem.

So from what I've read, there's basically three solutions...
1. iron liners - honed to match the original pistons (if they're reusable) and new rings.
2. have the original cylinders replated in "Nikasil". This also requires the original pistons be used since it's hard to get good replacement pistons.
3. "big bore" kits - but the piston assemblies would be heavier than stock, so lighter pins and weight removed from the piston itself may be necessary to get them to weigh the same as original piston assemblies (and they still might not be).

The "experts" at Wild Goose think the easiest/best way is #2 - send the cylinders to be replated, buy new rings and piston pin circlips.

So will send an oil sample out to a lab and spend  $28 to see if there is any reason to be worried. Then watch the oil carefully when it's changed annually. If it's not OK, well it looks like there's going to be some time and money spent.