Rebuilding Water Pump (UPDATE)

[CactusValk]

Hello all. I recently bought a 97 standard, and it's been a dream come true. I'm going through the bike and this forum has already helped me a lot, so thank you!

My water pump started leaking at the weep hole at he bottom. I'm sure you all know that replacement pumps are basically impossible to find. Does anyone have experience rebuilding?

I bought a rebuild kit on ebay. There are a couple of videos on youtube of similar honda water pump rebuilds. It looks doable, however I do not own a press and don't have the space for it.

I called local shop that works on hondas and they quoted me an hour's work if I bring the pump off the bike. I'm fine with spending the money but I want to make sure it's done right. Has anyone gone this route? Is there anything I should know before giving it a go? Any advice is appreciated.



I am located in Las Vegas if anyone may happen to know a good shop/person to go to. I tried searching this and did not find too much about rebuilds. My apologies if this has been asked a lot before.

[John Schmidt]

You might want to spend the $$ for new o-ring gaskets, get two sets in case the pump does need rebuilding and you have to pull it a second time. I seldom hear of the water pump needing a rebuild, but new o-rings...yes. Worth a shot and cheaper.

[sandy]

Don’t forget to drain the oil before you pull the pump.

[HayHauler]

Don’t forget to drain the oil before you pull the pump.

Sandy is spot on!!  Don't ask me how I know.....

Hay 
Jimmyt

[HayHauler]

https://www.amazon.com/HONDA-19200-MZ0-000-WATER-PUMP-ASSY/dp/B00I87G67S

$206, but it is new and your problems would be gone.

If it is leaking coolant via the weep hole, doesn't that mean that the seal around the propeller shaft is compromised?  I don't see that part as being sold separately.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[98valk]

If it is leaking coolant via the weep hole, doesn't that mean that the seal around the propeller shaft is compromised?  I don't see that part as being sold separately.

Hay 
Jimmyt

yep. that would be for all vehicle water pumps, weep hole leaking means seal and shaft are no good and beyond repair.
Except for rebuilders who would have to replace the shaft/impeller assembly along with the shaft seal.

[CactusValk]

https://www.amazon.com/HONDA-19200-MZ0-000-WATER-PUMP-ASSY/dp/B00I87G67S

$206, but it is new and your problems would be gone.

If it is leaking coolant via the weep hole, doesn't that mean that the seal around the propeller shaft is compromised?  I don't see that part as being sold separately.

Hay 
Jimmyt

If you look at the info, it says the order is fulfilled by partsfish. If you go on their website and search the part, it is not in stock. I have already been burned by two parts websites that had the pump available only to waste my time and inform me they don't actually have the part after I ordered it.

That's why I'm resorting to rebuilding. The kit I bought is like this:


Thanks for the heads up Sandy! That's something I learned from this board. I would have had oil all over my garage for sure.

[-mike-]

@cactusvalk:
I'm highly interested how well (or not) the rebuild kit will work
Please post the results, as I'm also considering the kit.

Shelling out 50 bucks for this kit isn't cheap, considering the 200 USD for a complete new OEM assembly.


Best,
-mike-

[98valk]

https://www.amazon.com/HONDA-19200-MZ0-000-WATER-PUMP-ASSY/dp/B00I87G67S

$206, but it is new and your problems would be gone.

If it is leaking coolant via the weep hole, doesn't that mean that the seal around the propeller shaft is compromised?  I don't see that part as being sold separately.

Hay  
Jimmyt

If you look at the info, it says the order is fulfilled by partsfish. If you go on their website and search the part, it is not in stock. I have already been burned by two parts websites that had the pump available only to waste my time and inform me they don't actually have the part after I ordered it.

That's why I'm resorting to rebuilding. The kit I bought is like this:


Thanks for the heads up Sandy! That's something I learned from this board. I would have had oil all over my garage for sure.

nice looks like everything is there to rebuild. do have a link to the product? 

[Hook#3287]

There are a couple of videos on youtube of similar honda water pump rebuilds. It looks doable, however I do not own a press and don't have the space for it.

I can't remember the water pumps construction, it was 20 years ago I replaced one that Prestone ruined, but it may be possible to use a bench vise instead of a press.

Okay, I ruined it using Prestone, but they did not list silicone in the ingredients and my dealer warranted it and I found out the oil is required to be drained from the motor first.

[Hook#3287]

Oh yeah, welcome to the board and congrats on the Valk ownership.

[Joe333x]

There are a couple of videos on youtube of similar honda water pump rebuilds. It looks doable, however I do not own a press and don't have the space for it.

I can't remember the water pumps construction, it was 20 years ago I replaced one that Prestone ruined, but it may be possible to use a bench vise instead of a press.

Okay, I ruined it using Prestone, but they did not list silicone in the ingredients and my dealer warranted it and I found out the oil is required to be drained from the motor first.

What did Prestone do to your water pump?

[Skinhead]

There are a couple of videos on youtube of similar honda water pump rebuilds. It looks doable, however I do not own a press and don't have the space for it.

I can't remember the water pumps construction, it was 20 years ago I replaced one that Prestone ruined, but it may be possible to use a bench vise instead of a press.

Okay, I ruined it using Prestone, but they did not list silicone in the ingredients and my dealer warranted it and I found out the oil is required to be drained from the motor first.

What did Prestone do to your water pump?

Any coolant containing silicates will destroy the WP seals.  Honda requires silicate-free coolant.

[Hook#3287]

Yes, silicates, I always say silicon by mental block.

It was well known at the time the Valk water pumps could be harmed by silicates.

I checked the ingredients listed on the prestone label and Silicates were not listed.

Turns out it was included in the "less than 2% other ingredients "

[Joe333x]

Hmm interesting, I used prestone all vehicle, doesn't say no silicate so I just started googling and what are the chances that this pops up https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/new-prestone-coolant-cor-guard.235766/

[Hook#3287]

It was 20 years ago and I believe the industry changed the formulas.

"Silicate Free" became a thing then, if my memory is correct.

50/50 on that.

[Joe333x]

It was 20 years ago and I believe the industry changed the formulas.

"Silicate Free" became a thing then, if my memory is correct.

50/50 on that.

Gutcha! I sent Prestone an email myself for the hell of it. Silicate free doesn't seem to be much of a thing advertised on the bottles now. I was at Walmart yesterday reading them and the only one I seen it on was the Walmart brand super tech yellow colored coolant which stated it in a paragraph on the back. And there was a diesel coolant that said low silicate but most of the standard coolants on the shelf don't mention it, not even the blue one that is meant to be a Honda replacement.

[SCain]

I see that the Water Pump Rebuild Kits are sold on eBay, they are listed for all the different models. Not sure if the kit is complete.

[CactusValk]

nice looks like everything is there to rebuild. do have a link to the product? 

As others have observed, they're all over ebay if you search for valk rebuild kit.

The kit finally arrived yesterday. I'm going to pull the pump sometime this week and bring it to a local shop. I'll update here for those interested on how that goes.

[HayHauler]

Thanks.  Waiting to hear how it goes.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[CactusValk]

Alright guys, so I went ahead with the rebuild. I'll give the details here for posterity.

I took the pump off and took it to MotoZone here in Las Vegas. There shop rate is $130 an hour, and they quoted me an hour with a week or so turnaround time. They also explained that they could not warranty these types of rebuilds because of the risk of old corroded internals of the pump. Exactly a week later, I received a call that the pump was done.

When I swung by the shop to pick it up, they let me know that they actually had to order another used pump on ebay because the one I brought in cracked when they were pressing the old seals out. He showed me the old parts, and sure enough, it had  a huge circular crack around the where the cylinder shaped end of the part meets the wider part. They did not charge me fort he new pump.

I took it home and installed it and everything is looking good. Overall, I'm glad I decided to take it to a shop. I considered getting a harbor freight press and trying it myself, but that would have been more than I paid for the rebuild, especially considering I would have most certainly cracked the housing myself as well and would have probably ended up getting a replacement and taking that to a shop anyway lol.

Of course, if you can find a new replacement, do it. I could not find one that wasn't a mirage online.

[-mike-]

Thanks a bunch for the feedback.

I'll buy a new OEM pump then. Not worth the hassle with the repair kit imo.

Again thank you for volunteering as a Guinea pig.  I really appreciate it

-mike-

[Bagger John - #3785]

I bought a couple spares several years ago.

Recently, one of my C14s developed a leak. The ONLY thing ever used in it was Hondaline 50/50 premix. Somewhere along the line they went from a green to blue mix and that's what I used for the recent change. About 150mi into it, an impeller leak developed.

No idea if the new coolant is really silicate-free or if it was just a bad pump, but that was also $200 plus oil plus 4qt Maxima Ice to replace.

That's what I'm planning to use in everything - Valks and Connies alike.

[98valk]

I bought a couple spares several years ago.

Recently, one of my C14s developed a leak. The ONLY thing ever used in it was Hondaline 50/50 premix. Somewhere along the line they went from a green to blue mix and that's what I used for the recent change. About 150mi into it, an impeller leak developed.

No idea if the new coolant is really silicate-free or if it was just a bad pump, but that was also $200 plus oil plus 4qt Maxima Ice to replace.

That's what I'm planning to use in everything - Valks and Connies alike.

I installed Evans in '01.  still in the valkyrie, zero issues. very cost effective

https://evanscoolant.com/

[Avanti]

I bought a couple spares several years ago.

Recently, one of my C14s developed a leak. The ONLY thing ever used in it was Hondaline 50/50 premix. Somewhere along the line they went from a green to blue mix and that's what I used for the recent change. About 150mi into it, an impeller leak developed.

No idea if the new coolant is really silicate-free or if it was just a bad pump, but that was also $200 plus oil plus 4qt Maxima Ice to replace.

That's what I'm planning to use in everything - Valks and Connies alike.

I installed Evans in '01.  still in the valkyrie, zero issues. very cost effective

https://evanscoolant.com/

I use Evans Coolant in all five of my vehicles. Changed all vehicles over in 2002. Still have all the same vehicles with the same coolant. All vehicles are using their original water pumps. Only one of these vehicles has less than 200,000 miles and it is not my Interstate.