Coolant/water pump

[jpduck]

I have anti freeze leaking from the "weep hole" on bottom of pump. Chilton says to replace pump. Is this mandatory, or can it be rebuilt? Currently unemployed and HDL wants $140 plus for a new one.
Suggestions please and is it fairly simple to rebuild/replace/
Thanks
John

[sandy]

John: First be sure it's the pump. Coolant will drip from that spot when a hose clamp up higher in the engine comes loose(top of T'Stat housing). It's very common for the clamp issue to happen. Wipe everything down and fire it up and watch carefully. If it is the pump, be sure to drain the oil first. If it's fresh oil, save it and reuse it. You're right about there being no way to rebuild it. Sorry you're out of work. Bummer!! If the leak is slow, just carry some distilled water with you and replenish as needed. This should get you by for several months.

[jpduck]

That's the typical warning sign.  Would advise you DO NOT use stop leak, it just clogs the radiator and then you need a new one.  Maybe you can find a better on-line price?  There is no way I know to fix the front seal.  Maybe a used on on ebay or such?  I wonder if it's the same as some Goldwing years...

Thanks, I will check around online and see what happens. I wouldn't have used stop leak, but was wondering if I could just change the two o-rings inside.

[jpduck]

John: First be sure it's the pump. Coolant will drip from that spot when a hose clamp up higher in the engine comes loose(top of T'Stat housing). It's very common for the clamp issue to happen. Wipe everything down and fire it up and watch carefully. If it is the pump, be sure to drain the oil first. If it's fresh oil, save it and reuse it. You're right about there being no way to rebuild it. Sorry you're out of work. Bummer!! If the leak is slow, just carry some distilled water with you and replenish as needed. This should get you by for several months.

I will look further for leaks , but I laid under there and watched the fluid drip this morning. I didn't think about it coming from further up. Thanks for the heads up.

[fudgie]

Yea try and run it. Some on here have a small drip every spring but goes away after it runs awhile. But if it is dripping while you watch it then it might be bad. Not sure about the o-rings. I have a oil leak right now.  Just a shifter seal.

[Airetime]

John: First be sure it's the pump. Coolant will drip from that spot when a hose clamp up higher in the engine comes loose(top of T'Stat housing). It's very common for the clamp issue to happen. Wipe everything down and fire it up and watch carefully. If it is the pump, be sure to drain the oil first. If it's fresh oil, save it and reuse it. You're right about there being no way to rebuild it. Sorry you're out of work. Bummer!! If the leak is slow, just carry some distilled water with you and replenish as needed. This should get you by for several months.

Just to followup with the above advice, take a strip of cotton shirt and tie it around the upper hose above the water pump and it makes it easy to see IF it is coming from a loose clamp or the pump itself. 

[MP]

Riding around home with it leaking slow might be allright, but I would not go very far.  That slow leak can suddenly turn into a gusher.

[Ricky-D]

"Stop leak" isn't the bad guy all the time and it can be very useful if properly used.  I'm sure if you poured a whole measure into the cooling system it could be a problem but a measured response can fix a lot of aggravating issues without any peripheral problems.

Naturally you need to be sure the problem is not a loose hose clamp which is an easy and predictable fix.

When your ready to try a "stop leak" to solve the problem, use a little bit like a spoonful or two. Give it enough time to do it's job. Ride it around for a few days to see the results. Still leaking? Add a couple more spoonfuls. That should take care of most all the problem leaks. Remember that the "stop leak" is temperature sensitive so it wont work on a cold system, the heat softens and allows it to circulate to where the leak is located. That's why you need to give it time to work. Don't just blindly keep adding more. Give it time.

If you have used a disproportionate amount of "stop leak" you may clog up the pressure release cap mechanism and the coolant return tube from the reservoir to where it connects at the fill. Simple take a tooth brush to clean the cap and you can gently probe the tube to clear the passage. siphon out any remaining "stop leak" that will collect in the bottom of the coolant reservoir.

[oliverjb]

I have also had this problem. I did replace the pump but still had a slow leak that I eventually traced back to a loose upper clamp. I replaced the clamp and the leak was gone.

[f6john]

"Stop leak" isn't the bad guy all the time and it can be very useful if properly used.  I'm sure if you poured a whole measure into the cooling system it could be a problem but a measured response can fix a lot of aggravating issues without any peripheral problems.

Naturally you need to be sure the problem is not a loose hose clamp which is an easy and predictable fix.

When your ready to try a "stop leak" to solve the problem, use a little bit like a spoonful or two. Give it enough time to do it's job. Ride it around for a few days to see the results. Still leaking? Add a couple more spoonfuls. That should take care of most all the problem leaks. Remember that the "stop leak" is temperature sensitive so it wont work on a cold system, the heat softens and allows it to circulate to where the leak is located. That's why you need to give it time to work. Don't just blindly keep adding more. Give it time.

If you have used a disproportionate amount of "stop leak" you may clog up the pressure release cap mechanism and the coolant return tube from the reservoir to where it connects at the fill. Simple take a tooth brush to clean the cap and you can gently probe the tube to clear the passage. siphon out any remaining "stop leak" that will collect in the bottom of the coolant reservoir.

I might try this on my old tractor at the barn but not on a piece on machinery like the Valk. It deserves to have it's hoses tight and it's pump replaced when it's leaking. JMHO.

[DFragn]

I have anti freeze leaking from the "weep hole" on bottom of pump. Chilton says to replace pump. Is this mandatory, or can it be rebuilt? Currently unemployed and HDL wants $140 plus for a new one.
Suggestions please and is it fairly simple to rebuild/replace/
Thanks
John

It is very very common for the upper radiator hose to leak from the clamp at the thermostat. Not hard to check and tighten.
Pull the upper radiator bolt (top & somewhat centered) and allow the radiator to pivot forward at the top. This will allow a view of the clamp and a chance to tighten it up.
Odds are if it's never been tightened it will need it. If that's not the true leak the procedure is good preventative maintenance anyway. If it is, you just saved a chunk of change.

[Madmike]

If the leak does prove out to be coming from the weep hole and this pump is constructed the same as every other pump of  this style that I have seen then the mechanical seal in the water pump is leaking which is usually an indication that the bearing is failing. 

The parts fiche doesn't show a breakdown for the pump but if worse comes to worse you could try pulling the pump and stripping it down and see if you can get a shaft and bearing assy. and mechanical seal from a bearing house.  Once you have it apart you can measure the parts up and then try and get compatible parts, you will need to have a supplier that will take the time to go through a catalog and identify the parts by spec. rather than application or you may be able to do it yourself if can get some accurate measurements to go by.

Here is a link that will start you off;

http://www.bearingexperts.com/WATER_PUMP_BEARINGS_WN__Series.htm

If you go to their site and to the home page you will see that there are several series of bearings available, just have to look through and find the best fit.

Here is a similar link for seals

http://www.americansealandpacking.com/springse.htm

Good luck.

[kickstand]

Pinwall cycle has one used $49.95   ph# 330-879-9910 item# 982-04-074  LBNC

[Highlander]

I had already checked the clamp and the hose before the post.  It took about 30 minutes to drain the oil, drain th ecooland, and replace the pump.  Then it took about an hout to buy new oil, new coolant and an oil filter.  Started her up and no more leaks.  Rode it about 150 miles, no leaks, rode it about 200 miles the next day, and no leaks.  The poor "Quickening" sat on a bike lift for three years while I rode the "Q-2."  It was all my fault, not hers.  Now to put another 100,000 miles on here.  Whooooo Hooooo!

Thanks for all of the advice.  I helped tpo know I had done the right things.  I even replaced the hoses and bought new clamps before I ordered the pump feom Hal at HDL.  Nothin' but the best for my baby!

You guys are the best.