Seeping Coolant

I have just a bit of seeping from the drain bolt on the water pump cover. I've installed a new washer and tightened it as much as I dare, our torque wrench won't asjust as low as 10Nm. I can't help but be bugged by the seeping. Wrap the bolt in teflon tape and try again?

Sarah

Shouldn't seep from that hole, Sarah.
It's either not tight enough or there's some abnormality keeping the bitty sealing washer from sealing.

I'd remove the bolt, inspect the threads, and try again.
7 ft/lbs ain't much, as you say, and a good way to keep from over-torquing is to use just one hand on a small 8mm wrench.

I, too, never use a torque wrench on anything that small because they require a super-small one made for itty-bitty bolts like that. :)

check for pin holes in the coolant line directly above, mine had a pin hole there and it appeared as though the hose had worn from the inside. just a thought

OK, I'll look it over from one end to the other tomorrow. It's barely, barely seeping; it just bugs me. Thanks again.

Sarah

There is also a "weep hole" on the cover for where fluid will leak out when the water pump seal fails. Be sure to check and see if it is comming from there...

Most bikes that are water cooled have this hole, I am not sure if the WR does or not. It should as the water that leaks past the pump seal should be dumped to atmosphere and not into the crankcase...

SpaGuru wrote:

There is also a "weep hole" on the cover for where fluid will leak out when the water pump seal fails. Be sure to check and see if it is comming from there...

There is??? Where is it?

I changed my cover and gasket. I think it was around $30 US dollars. If you smash the gasket it will leak at the bolt. I wouldn't put Teflon tape on a blind hole, it can split it. Get a new gasket. Easy to change.

Dang! I don't reckon my cover or gasket have ever been touched. I may take a short wrench and see if any of the bolts will tweak. Thanks again.

Sarah

At my husband's suggestion, I put a dab of gasket dressing on the washer. Dry as a bone now.

Sarah

If that fixed it then you either got a bad crush washer, or maybe the under side of the head of the bolt is rough and cutting into the washer. Or the surface of the case itself is not flat enough to seal. Got to be a reason why it leaks. There is a reason for all things that leak. Some just aren't as obvious as others.

Something's up, as you say. I'd previously tried a new washer with no luck; the used washers seem to push toward the top of the bolt and look to be crushed more on one side rather than all the way around. I might get myself a new bolt and see how that goes. I'm relieved to have it dry for now. Thanks for all the help.

Sarah