Tank

Tank
• Removal
• Fuel Filter
• Installation

General Comments
Tank removal is essential if you want to change the
spark plugs, fuel filter, coolant or check/adjust the
valve clearances. It is also useful to remove when you
are checking the steering bearings to reduce the risk of
accidently scratching it. The job is also made easier
when there is less fuel in the tank because it will be 4. With the screws removed the instrument panel
lighter and you may not need to drain the tank. will lift off to reveal the connector. Pull back
the rubber seal around the connector, depress it
and disconnect.
Tank Removal

What you need before hand

• Screwdriver with bits: 4Hex, 5Hex, Philips
• Tank support- see details below
• Socket wrench and socket: 8mm
• Spanner 10mm
• Some foam to sit the tank on to prevent
damage

Steps
5. Remove any accessories that may obstruct the
1. Remove screw holding in the rear seat and the
removal of the tank, such as a GPS attached to
two screws holding main seat with a 5Hex bit.
the handlebars.
2. Remove the black lead (negative lead) to the
6. Remove the screw at the front of the tank
battery using a Philip’s screwdriver. Place a
fixing it to the frame using a 4-Hex bit. Cut any
rag between the lead and the battery terminal to
cable ties attaching the cabling to the tank.
prevent the lead accidently touching the
terminal.

7. Triumph no longer sell the OEM tool that acted

3. Undo the three screws on the instrument panel
using a 5Hex bit. There are two screws towards
the front and one towards the back of the unit.
Turn the handlebars as needed to increase
access to the front ones.
as a tank support. However, an alternative can
be made from a piece of wood or stiff plastic.
Sufficient size is 26cm long x 10cm wide. The
gap at the top is 3cm long x 5.5cm wide. Lift
the tank up from the front and support it with
the brace.
2 Thunderbird Storm
8. It helps to take a picture of this view so that
you know how to return the wires and hose
back to where you found them. Note on this
picture someone has put the fuel pump
connector facing the opposite way to what is
depicted in the Triumph Service Manual- no
idea why but photos provide the evidence. DO
NOT disconnect the fuel hose at this point.
Gently bend the metal clips holding the
breather hose back from the tank and
disconnect the hose from the tank.
Fuel pump connector Fuel level sensor
Breather hose Fuel hose
9. Disconnect the fuel pump connector and the
fuel level sensor, squeeze and pull.
10. Re-connect the black (negative) battery
terminal while these two connectors are
separated. Put the ignition key in and briefly
crank the engine. The Triumph service manual
says nothing about having to reconnect the
instrument panel in order to crank the engine.
However, in practice the engine does nothing if
you do not temporarily re-connect the
instrument panel, so do this and press the start
button on the handle bar. Do this until the
engine turns over a couple of times then turn
off the engine and disconnect the instrument
panel. The purpose of this process is to de-
pressurise the fuel rail (Part: T1246007). If you
don’t do this there is a risk that fuel will spill
out under pressure or clot in the system. I am
unsure if this is true but it is what the Triumph
Service manual recommends and seems
sensible to follow. The down side is that the
engine light will be on following this procedure
but will clear with several cycle of on-off and a
run of the motorcycle. Alternatively you could
clear the fault codes using computer software.
11. With the system depressurised, disconnect the
fuel hose. Put a rag underneath the connector to
catch any fuel drips. Pull the blue part of the
connector away from itself. Then press the
sides of the black part and wiggle it free. I like
to wrap the hose in a bag with a bit a paper
towel because then I know petrol isn’t going to
go everywhere.

12. With the fuel line disconnected, remove the
tank brace and return the tank to its original
position. Undo the bolt at the back of the tank
using a 10mm spanner on one end and a 8mm
socket on the other. Undo the nut all the way
then support the back of the tank with your
hand and remove the bolt.
13. Place some foam on the floor or wherever you
will be placing the tank to protect the
paintwork. Lift the tank off the bike and place
onto the foam. Then move onto your next
maintenance task.
Tank 3
Fuel Filter
1. Remove the seat and tank as per the steps
above.
2. If you haven’t already, drain the fuel tank. Sit
the tank back into its usual position or on a
bench. Use a long clear hose, long enough that
it can reach from the tank down to the ground
and then back up again to your standing height.
Place the hose into the fuel tank. Suck on the
hose and as you see the fuel come out raise the
hose so you don’t drink fuel! Alternatively get
a hand pump so you don’t need to suck on it.
Then with it in air place the end into a fuel can
and lower and the fuel will drain out. You
don’t need to get all of it out but you do need
most of it out to turn it over without any
spilling out.

Fuel Filter Replacement

What you need before hand

• All the things needed to remove the tank 3. Detach the fuel level sensor harness from its
plus… clip on the fuel pump plate
• Torque wrench 5Nm, 10Nm
• Socket wrench, 8mm socket Fuel level sensor harness
• Bicycle/Small torque wrench capable of 3Nm
• Socket to screw-bit adapter
• Spanner 10mm
• Screwdriver with bits: 3Bit, T30
• Pliers
• Fuel Container 20L
• Clear hose for draining fuel
• Tap and die M6 1.0mm thread

Consumables To Order
• Fuel Filter T1240850
• Fuel pump plate seal T2400447
• Two new screws T3051069
4 Thunderbird Storm
6. Slide off the pump plate seal and inspect it. If
4. Turn the tank onto it’s back resting on a piece
of foam and release the 9 nuts on the fuel
mounting plate. Use 8mm socket and undo
them in opposites. For example you could do
the order suggested in the picture below.
1
you want to be thorough you can replace it in
accordance with the schedule but you may
make the decision that it looks intact and does
not require replacing. Below is a picture
showing a used one of several years on the
right and a new one on the left. It is safest to
replace it as recommended in the triumph
service manual but you are free to use your
own judgment.

6
9

4 3

8 7. There are two sets of spring clips on either side

7 of the filter. Undo the clips using pliers.

2 5

5. Once the 9 nuts are undone you can lift the fuel
mounting plate off the tank and carefully
wiggle the whole unit out from the tank.

8. Remove the bolt and strap securing the fuel

filter using a 3bit screwdriver adapter.

9. Move the hose out of the way and remove the

Fuel Pump Fuel Filter Fuel Regulator two screws attaching the pump plate to the
pump bracket using T30. The Triumph manual
says to replace these screws (T3051069). You
 Tank 5

may decide not to and simply clean the old
screws and put some lock thread on them and
let it dry before you reassemble. However, I
would recommend following the service
recommendations and obtain two new screws,
you don’t want these coming loose or breaking
off in your tank, its up to you. Either way,
clean out the threadlock with a tap and die M6
1.0mm thread.

12. Inspect the rest of the components, particularly

hoses and clips for cracks, splits and/or rust
and replace as necessary.

Reassembly
13. Reattach the pump plate to the pump bracket
inserting the hose onto the fuel filter as you do
so. Tighten two new screws using T30 bit and
socket adaptor and tighten to 10Nm.

10. Once the screws are out move the pump plate
away from the bracket and disconnect the hose
to the fuel filter in the process. Then pull the 14. There is a fuel pump wire that runs along the
fuel filter away from the hose on the other end. side of the fuel pump bracket. Make sure this is
under the fuel filter strap but is not trapped by
11. Look at the old filter and notice the direction of the filter or strap by giving it a wiggle to check
the arrow pointing away from the fuel pump on for some movement.
the left and towards the pressure regulator on
the right. Put the new fuel filter in facing the
same direction. The word “out” must read on
the side facing the fuel regulator.

15. Tighten the fuel filter strap using 3-Bit adapter,

the manual recommends 3Nm but just tighten
sensibly.
6 Thunderbird Storm
16. Reattach the two hose clips onto the fuel filter
using pliers.
17. Re-install the pump plate seal if you haven’t
done so already. Do not pull too hard on the
rubber lugs to get it through the hole otherwise
they will break off. It’s best to pull on them
while gently pushing from the other side using
something small and blunt-e.g. an electrical
screw driver. Then wiggle the fuel pump
assembly back into the tank. This might be a
tight squeeze but don’t force anything too hard.
• Spanner 10mm
• Screwdriver with bits: 5Hex, 4Hex, Philips
• Tank support- see details above
• Some foam to sit the tank on to prevent
damage
Steps
1. Place the tank back into position
2. Put the bolt and sheath at the rear of the tank
back into the hole and screw the nut on finger
tight but do not torque yet.

18. Hand-tighten all 9 nuts on the fuel pump plate

and then tighten each to 5Nm using 8mm
socket. Tighten the nuts diagonally- see below
for an example of such a sequence.

6
9
3. Once the rear bolt is in, lift the tank from the
front and put in the tank brace.

4 3

8
7

2 5

4. Reconnect the fuel hose and clip the blue bit

19. Put the fuel level sensor harness back into the
clip and the tank is ready to be re-installed or
left off for further work. With the tank off you
may as well change the coolant, spark plugs
and possibly inspect/adjust the valve
clearances.
back into the lock position. If it isn’t all the
way in and locked, fuel will leak out which
will be dangerous.
5. Reconnect the breather hose, fuel pump
connector and fuel sensor connector.

Tank Installation

What you need before hand

• Torque wrench 7Nm, 9Nm, 10Nm
• Socket Wrench and Socket 8mm

Fuel pump connector Fuel level sensor
Breather hose Fuel hose
6. Remove the tank brace and lower the tank into
position making sure that none of the hoses
become kinked or trapped.
7. Tighten the front tank fixing sensibly using the
4-Hex head (8Nm to be precise, but you may
strip it if not careful).
8. Now tighten the rear tank bolt to 9Nm using a
8mm socket and torque wrench on one end and
a 10mm spanner on the other.
9. Reconnect the main cable to the rear of the
instrument panel and slide the rubber seal into
place to prevent water and/or dirt getting in.
Replace any cable ties needed in the area.
Tank 7
10. Place the instrument panel into position
making sure the rubber seal around its edge is
in place. Running a small a small plastic
spatula along the edge of the seal can help with
this. Don’t push this into position, arrange the
cable so that it sits nicely before screwing it in.
Tighten the three screws on the instrument
panel using a 5-Hex adapter. The Triumph
manual says 7Nm but I have found that in
practice this has led to the plastic cracking so
just tighten sensibly, it’s not under load
anyway.
11. To return the fuel to the tank if needed connect
up a hose using either the pump method or the
suck method. Make sure the fuel is higher than
the tank and it should flow in. I prefer the
pump method as seen in the picture below.
12. Return any accessories to the bike, such as a
GPS.
13. Reconnect the negative battery terminal using a
Philips screwdriver.
14. Install the main seat and the pillion seat to both
using a 5-Hex head.
15. If you have any fault codes go to the ECM
section to see how to read them. If you have
reassembled everything correctly it is more
than likely that after several rides the engine
light will turn off but it is best to be safe and
find out if the ECM is throwing up any
meaningful fault codes and deal with them
accordingly.
16. Set the time on the clock. Press the (i) button
until it gets to the clock then hold it down until
it flashes. Press through to set the hour then it
will go onto the minutes.
Job Done!