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W R E N C H I N G O N A C L A S S I C W I N G
By Nick Hoppner
How embarrassing! I’d just returned from a short ride
on GWRRA’s GL1000. Because this old bike wasn’t
expected to be ridden again for awhile, I had intended
to empty the fuel out of the carburetors by running it dry,
but I’d neglected to turn the fuel valve to OFF as I rode it to
the garage.
So, after turning off the fuel valve, I sat on the bike and ran the
engine for awhile. It took longer than I thought it would to exhaust the
gas in the carbs, and everything seemed fine—until suddenly the old
horse took a leak. If you’ve ever been horseback riding and this happens,
you know what I mean about embarrassing. Suddenly steaming
radiator fluid was gushing out between my boots, acrid steam rising
around me.
Obviously the bike had overheated, and the cause was simple. Its
32-year-old thermostatic switch had failed, so the cooling fan didn’t
come on to force cool air over the radiator.With no cooling air to flow
over the radiator, the coolant boiled inside the radiator, backed up
through the overflow tank and spewed out through the drain hose
under the bike.Time to install a new thermostatic switch.
I called Metro Motorsports in Glendale, Arizona.Wonder of wonders,
they had one in stock—complete with an O-ring in place! I paid
the $87.79 and rode the old girl out to Stu Oltman’s for the change-out.
After letting the bike cool for awhile, and with the bike on its centerstand,
Stu put a clean catch basin under the bike and removed the
radiator drain plug. A slow stream doubled in volume when he then
opened the false fuel tank and removed the radiator cap. Soon the radiator
was empty. He reinstalled the drain plug at this time.
To gain access to the thermostatic switch, he removed the horn,
tucking it out of the way, then unplugged the radiator fan.
Next, he reached into the narrow space between the engine and
the radiator fan and unplugged the two prong connectors of the thermostatic
switch. Stu uses some long-shaft, curve-tipped pliers for this.
As is often the case, when a mechanic has the right tools at hand, the
job goes much more smoothly.
This was born out again as he unwrapped the new thermostatic
switch. Going to his toolbox, he found a 27mm socket that perfectly fit
the switch. How many shade tree mechanics would have a 27mm socket
Probably not too many.
Reaching into the bike, he slipped the socket over the dome of the
old switch, then inserted a long-shafted, wobble-end socket wrench
into the socket and turned it.The old part unscrewed as easily as if it
had been installed a week ago, its O-ring compressed by a long-forgotten
Japanese assembly line worker over three decades ago.
The new thermostatic switch is a bit longer than the old part, but
Stu loosens the drain plug using a 14mm socket before
moving the catch basin (background) underneath the bike.
Draining the coolant.
78 Wing World