Water pump

[Murray]

Hi,

My water pump is leaking coolant out of the drain hole. I've read that, that means I need to replace the water pump as it comes as an assembly.

Can anyone verify that please. Over $500 Aussie for a new one and the bikes only 4 1/2 years old.

Thanks
Murray

[Mudwiz]

That happened to me!

About £200+, and the engine needs to be loosened and moved up a bit to get it in!

Think we may have found the 650 TA's week point?

[Murray]

Thanks Mudwiz.

Gee, the Transalp is a pain to work on.

It looks like it's not a widespread problem going by the number of responses.

I've got one on order for $450 Aussie. I can get one through David Silver for about $400 delivered but figure I'm better off paying another $50 to get it locally.

[ogriofa]

Sorry im late boys. I had a different problem with the same part. I had a morse code/whistling noise coming from the engine.

Heres the final post from my thread on it...

"I finally got around to bringing it to the Honda Dealer - its a water pump.

I brought it to him last week and he said he never heard that sound before?! Maybe i should have brought it to someone else then

3 hours he spent on it and he had to replace the oil & coolant.

Not happy. He said that a new waterpump might go aswell. Is this not a part that has failed? Why should I have to pay?
He reckons i should replace the water pump in the next few months. If i didnt and the water and oil mixed what would happen? I know it would be bad news.

Anyways, there you go. Fair play Mr CCBaxter - maybe i should have brought it to you!!

Thanks again boys and girls - a knowledgable lot!"

It may well be a weak spot.

[the_earlobe_of_doom]

I had this problem, twice, on my Deauville 700 before 2000 miles. In all, it took three visits to the dealers, under warrenty thankfully, for it to be fixed. It turned out that the new 700 DV and XL engines uses a new waterpump with a tapered shaft, rather than a straight one, and the oil seal on the shaft can get caught during installation and be damaged. It was the dealer, not Honda, who eventually realised this and finally worked out a way of installing a new seal without damaging it. Quality control issue at the factory.

It may be that it is the seal alone is damaged and not the whole pump. It doesn't seem to crop us a lot, considering how many Hondas there are out there with this type of engine, it features a lot less that the TA underseat electrics problem.

[The Pheasant]

I had a similar problem on a water-cooled Kawasaki. Without checking the manual I can't say whether the whole pump will need replacement but I doubt it. If coolant is leaking, then the ceramic seal between the water impeller and pump body is at fault. If leakage is slow, repair need not be immediate provided you keep the expansion tank topped up. The ceramic seal should be available as a separate part. Unless the oil seal between the crankcase and pump is damaged, there is little chance of coolant getting into the oil supply.

[Murray]

My Haynes manual says the water pump is unserviceable for the inside seal. Looking at it, that looks correct to me.

Anyway, I've installed the new pump yesterday. I didn't have to raise the motor, just took the outside cover off first and it slipped in pretty easy. Phew.

Interestingly the bolt hole for the chains front sprocket guard, which is part of the water pump, is just slightly out of line with the cover so the bolt won't do up properly. Checked everything but it still wont line up.

I ran out of time to refill the cooling system and motor with oil, but hopefully that's the end of it.

[MR.T]

Hi, Murray, did it only start leaking when the engine got very hot or did it leak when just at normal running temperature?

Regards T.

[Murray]

Hi T,

The temperature never got above normal. I noticed it leaking while on holidays. I'd done about 1000 klms when I noticed it. There was a couple of hundred kilometres of dirt roads, some very corrugated and there was a lot of loose stones too. I wonder if it took a hit. No sign of damage though.

I kept an eye on it and didn't have to top up the coolant while away, about another 1000 klms. But when I got home it continued to leak until it completely drained the coolant resovoir.

When I filled it up to warm the motor last weekend it started to flow straight away.

Cheers
Murray