Gregory Bender
 

Starter bushing cross-reference (Magneti Marelli)

Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models

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The Magneti Marelli starter uses two bushings, one at the front of the ratchet cover and one in the end cover (MG# 12730751 or Magneti Marelli part number 95067113). The bushings are identical in size:

Thanks to Steve Hilhorst for sending me some excellent tips should you need to replace the bushes. In Steve's own words:

When installing new starter bushes, be aware that they are made of a porous material. They are full of holes which should be filled with oil to make them last longer. You may think that this is a bit of a joke, but trust me it makes a big difference to both the performance and longevity of the starter motor.

There are a few ways to do this.

  1. Store bushes in oil. This allows the oil to penetrate into the bushes. You may have seen this in older workshops. Requires forethought, need to soak in there for weeks to absorb.
  2. Drop the bushes into hot oil to allow them to absorb the oil. Hot oil is dangerous and this can get messy.
  3. My favourite. Balance a bush open end down on your middle finger, fill the bush with oil (must be full all the way to the top). Then place your thumb over the other end of the bush and squeeze as hard as you can (might need two hands to squeeze). You will see the oil seep through the pores in the bush when it is done properly.

Note - The pores in the bushes are tiny. If you have had bushes machined to fit your starter you may not be able to squeeze oil through the pores as the machining can close off the pores. This will lead to premature bush wear. Same for old bushes, the wear from use can make the running surface very shiny and close off the pores. If you can't get new bushes and have to use machined or second hand ones method 1 or 2 will be better.