cooling liquid leak at pump

[Anthony]

anybody ever had a cooling liquid leak around the cooling pump ?

looks like mine developped a leak in/around the pump area:
i had already noticed a few drops under the cooling pump, when i parked her on a hot day, but when i checked the reservoir the other day, it was empty...

First i thought it was just the copper gasket at the drain, but after replacing that, and a closer look, i see the drips come from where the pump is mounted to the block.



please tell that this could simply be a leaking gasket, and not that there is something wrong with my pump.

what do i need to order before i dig in ?
nr 12?


is there any generic part for that gasket ?

i checked the hoses above the pump, but everything stays dry there.
i checked the thermostat housing and the hoses there, but everything on top of the block is dry.

supercharged GL1500C F6C 1998, 80.000 km

thanks in advance,
Anthony

[big poppa pump]

You need #3.

[Michvalk]

Or, it might be a loose top hose clamp. The one on top of the motor that hooks to the cover for the thermostat. They are notorious for leaking. At least check it before you start tearing into it. If the top hose leaks, that is one of the first places you will see the drip

[sandy]

Note the wet trail to the left of the drip. It indicates it's coming from above. I agree it's the clamp at the thermostat housing. It might be tricky to get into but it's possible.

[sandy]

IF you do have to remove the water pump, be sure to drain your oil first.

[Anthony]

i first went on a ride this weekend, and took the waterpump out this evening:
there is leak visible at the weep hole, indicating a leak at the internal sealing,
and the honda manual says to replace the pump as a whole in that case.


i had the gaskets in house, but now i need to order a complete pump. bummer.

inside the pump there is a dirty brown hard build-up, attached to the rotors, anybody have any idea what this is?


is this anything that could also be the cause of the leak at the mechanical bearing?

thanks for the tip to first drain the oil, the honda manual forgets to mention that, but the clymers does mention it.

Anthony

[F6Dave]

Leaking water pumps were fairly common when our Valks were new.  The usual cause was changing to coolant containing silicates, which quickly damaged the seals.  Back then, most coolants contained silicates.  The orange colored Dex-Cool formulas did not, and they were a favorite of early Valk owners, myself included.

These days most coolants use silicate free organic acid technology (OAT) so the problem has mostly faded away.

[Anthony]

yep, i recently change cooling liquid to 'engine ice', and was very happy that my supercharged engine ran 10°C cooler.
but after a couple of thousand km's it starts to leak at the pump, 
while their website says :

Q: Is Engine Ice Hi-Preformance Coolant “Sillicate Free” and “Phosphate Free?”
A: Yes, Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant is both silicate and phosphate free.

Q: Is it safe for aluminum?
A: Yes, Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant is safe for aluminum and most all metals.

Q: My manual says to use “ethylene glycol” or their specific brand, can I still use Engine Ice?
A: Typically, this is due to outdated standardization and also because many OEM’s manufacture and sell an ethylene glycol based product. They want you to buy their stuff. You can use Engine Ice.

Q: Will it harm my gaskets or seals?
A: No, Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant will not harm your seals and gaskets. Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant meets or exceeds all AS™ (American Society for Testing and Materials) and SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Standards and Requirements. These are industry standards in most everything mechanical and engine-based, including motorcycles and cars.

so I better start looking for another type of cool running cooling liquid...

Anthony

[F6Dave]

I think Engine Ice uses propylene glycol instead of the common ethylene glycol.  It's non-toxic, and a few others (like Peak) use it too.  I've read it isn't as effective against corrosion.

Since E.I. doesn't contain silicates it should be OK for the water pump, but if the pump started leaking after changing I'd be suspicious and probably change back to something else.