Triumphrat

FrankD

So I picked up a 2002 thunderbird from a friend of mine for $1000. It's been sitting in a garage collecting dust and hasnt been touched in 3 years. Tomorrow I'm going to clean it up, make out a list of parts it needs, put in some clean oil, fresh gas, battery, and see if she starts up.
One question... It looks like theres oil leaking from the clutch cover. It's not leaking now so it probably only does it while running. Anyone have this problem before? I'm hopin it's just the gasket but the bike is so filthy I cant really tell. The oil might be leaking from somehwere else.
I appreciate everones help with my prior posts.
Anything in particular I should look out for on this bike? I ordered the service manual and should be getting it next week.

Wombat

If the bike has been sitting for as long as you say, I would be changing the coolant and the brake and clutch fluids as well.

The carbs are possibly gummed up and may need removing to clean the jets to get it started.

Give the bike a good clean before you assume that a leak is from anywhere in particular.
It will be a lot easier to diagnose when clean.

Don't be surprised if you find that you need to replace the fork seals in the not too distant future also..

If this is all that need to be done, you will have a great bike at a good price.

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Bob

Click to see My Photo Album

Age is of no importance, unless you are a cheese.

denny

If you are talking about this pic as the leak you are concerned about. It's not nearly as bad as it looks.



That is the breather cover. The streaks on the upper front of that cover look like radiator fluid, check the hose clamps above that area while you have the Tank off to rinse out the old gas, might as well take the petcock off and clean that up real good too.

There is a tiny little duckbill filter. It is inside the fuel line. Remove the fuel line where it attaches to the carb bank, and you will find that little filter. Don't remove it, but it does need to be cleaned. It's OK to add another filter between there and the tank if you want, actually that helps because that little duckbill filter gets clogged pretty easily.

The oil on the bottom of that cover.... Well when these bikes get dropped on the left side, oil gets into the breather cover. it then gets sucked up into the airbox, where it then drips out onto the sprocket cover.
So I'd check the breather hose, and clean out the breather too.

That small bolt just above the breather cover is the drain plug to drain the coolant from the block area. to drain the rest of the cooling system remove the bottom bolt from the water pump.

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Cheers,Denny

Kiwi Tiger

Well for $1000 you stole it. What a good winter project. I would do ALL the seals and fluids, maybee the wheel and head bearings. Then clean it up real nice and wait for summer.

FrankD

Thanks for all the tips. I plan on getting started tomorrow.
Where do you guys get your parts from. I've been searching eBay and BikeBandit? Any others?

Also, are parts with my bike interchangeable with other years or other models?

NoDice

BikeBandit will have access to all the stock parts... at a price. They also tend to end up with things back ordered. Ebay should be a daily check for you; every now and then someone wrecks a TBird and parts it out.

For aftermarket parts, there are a few dealers out there that still carry some stuff (Great Bay).

As far as interchangeable parts between models... I'm not the expert on that, but I'm sure someone is.

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-Chris

highcard

I have the same coolant stains from overheating when my fan went bad.

What's a good cleaner/polish to remove the stains and polish her up?

TIA

gregp

On my Adventurer, that elbow fitting came loose from the cover, and leaked just like that. I pulled it out of the case, cleaned it up, and epoxied it back in place. I has held just fine.
Also check the plastic elbow that is in the top of the coolant overflow catch tank. You must remove the tank, and then you will see it on the right hand side. Mine was cracked, and other folks have had trouble with it as well. I eliminated the plastic elbow and ran a longer hose directly into the tank. Again, no problems since.
Good luck with that bike! You got a bargain!

denny

3M Chrome and Metal Polish

If you ever used the old DuPont number 7 chrome polish, this is the closest thing I've found to that product. My Local Toyota dealer carries it. I've found it in some NAPA stores also. Works wonderfully on the polished Aluminum engine covers, Akront aluminum rims, and also on Chrome and Stainless. It makes Mothers look like junk.

click

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Cheers,Denny

Ryvere

I don't know if you can get it on your side of the pond but I swear by Solvol Autosol ..... brings up chrome, aluminium, stainless .. everything.