Coolant leak, water joint, HELP!

ARRGH! I took apart my FI system to fix a slight coolant leak, which was coming from the jumper hose from the front cylinder to the thermostat housing.

I replaced the two short sections of hose with new, and also replaced all the hose clamps in the center of the VEE, just in case, because they are a beeyotch to get at.

While I was in there, I decided to take off the two water joints (see below) and replace the O-rings. Actually, I did the two on the LH side of the block also, but they are easily accessible any time.

The rear water joint leaked when I started the bike for the first time, and admittedly, I had put a SLIGHT amount of oil/coolant resistant silicone around the new O-rings upon installation, and I do mean SLIGHT.

Tried tightening it up, got a teeny turn on the wrench, still leaks. SO, I removed it, and cleaned both joint surfaces perfectly clean with ultra-fine sandpaper, and carefully scraped out the O-ring groove on the water joint so it was free of all sealant and anything else. Perfectly clean.

I reassemble the joint (dry this time, according to the FSM) and tightened it properly, filled the cooling system, reinstalled the FI system and started. Wouldn't you know it, it's leaking again.

Just to ensure it wasn't my imagination, I got some water and a length of hose, and blew water into the area where the leak was, then blew it dry with compressed air when the bike was running, and up to temp.

Area under the water joints was perfectly clean and dry, and yup, here comes the leak again. It's dripping off the lower bolt of the water joint. Haven't taken it apart again, I'm pissed, it's late, the engine is hot.


My question is: do these bolts penetrate into the water jacket, or are there holes blind? Without taking the bike apart again, I can't tell. The other 3 water joints are solid with no leakage.

I wonder if I should put some sealant on the bolt threads if in fact they DO thread into the water jacket, as that is common on cars.

Send sympathy cards to:
Manic Mechanic
Room 203
Bellvue Mental Hospital

Thanks.

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Man that sucks. I hate it when shit like this happens. You could try the sealant on the threads before you tear it apart again. Worth a shot anyway as won't hurt anything if it doesn't work.

Veefer... I feel your pain as well. Last spring the same hoses punked up on my '00. Replaced them, but over this winter I had a leak (bike just sitting there in the garage) Fortunately I had a loose clamp.

I don't fully disassemble the system to get in there... I simply loosen the rubber boots and pop the FI up then lean it to the left side of the bike. Sometimes I use a bit of mechanics wire to prop it up.

Hope that helps lessen the woe of diving in there again.

Getting good at pulling the FI rack. Actually just pop it off the boots and lean it to the LH side of the bike and work from the right, leaving almost everything connected.

Bolt holes are blind, not into the cooling jacket, I basically knew that, but was grasping at straws.

Cleaned everything �BER PERFECT, and got another NEW o-ring, but elected to try one that was the next size bigger. It's in there good, not pinched or cocked up.

About to reinstall the lower half of the airbox, refill coolant And test run for the third time.

Maybe I should sacrifIce something to the garage gods before I thumb the starter button?

Wish me luck, will know within the next half hour.

It may be the Bolt itself leaking , probably a washer on the bolt has a crease in it, you could try putting a bit of silicone under the sealing surface of the washer, I had this happen one time on another bike.

I just remembered what it was, it was a water pump drain bolt that was leaking

Leaks. I'm replacing the elbow, suspect it's cracked, can't see until I take it out, but it's coming from around the lower bolt head, and the threaded hole is blind. Ordering new elbow now. Shiznit frack, suminabatch.

$17.33

One week.

Got plenty of time to bleed my brakes now.....

The price is good, time sucks.

Shiznit frack, suminabatch.

:computer-noworky: :laughing6-hehe: That sucks man, I hate little leaks. Least it could do is leak like hell so it's easy to find!! Good luck sir, with the coolant leak and the brake bleeding, damn ass linked brakes with their PITA bleed procedure!!

Shiznit frack, suminabatch.

:computer-noworky: :laughing6-hehe: That sucks man, I hate little leaks. Least it could do is leak like hell so it's easy to find!! Good luck sir, with the coolant leak and the brake bleeding, damn ass linked brakes with their PITA bleed procedure!!

I think Veefer's reborn one of kind 2010 GL800RR-SP2 has de-linked brakes

The only thing you haven't done is to take the water joint elbow and lap the face of it. Could be warped, preventing the o-ring from getting totally squeezed, causing the seal to fail.

*edited to add that by lapping the face you're also reducing the depth of the ring groove, forcing more squeeze out of the ring, which should offer a better seal.

ps - have you heard the one about the penguin who dropped his car off at a shop and went out for ice cream? :goofy:

"No, it's just Ice Cream!" :laugh:

Yes Seb, I lapped the face.

I think I discovered a casting flaw. It was REALLY hard to find. I had to clean that sucker perfectly and do the X-ray vision thing on it.

The bike has always used a tiny bit of coolant, it's just gotten worse in the last year. I tightened the hoses, but it never really went away. I'd have to add like a cup of coolant per season, and occasionally I'd catch a whiff of antifreeze smell, like when pulling up to a stop sign.

It's been leaking (weeping) in the center of the cylinder Vee ever since I bought it, and so this year I decided to change the short coolant hoses to the thermo housing, plus the O-rings, and I think I found the underlying cause:

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That is right by the bottom bolt where it is leaking now. The other 3 joints I re-did aren't leaking, and I treated them all the same.

I've never had so much trouble with something so silly. I think it's a casting flaw that was always there, it always leaked, it was getting worse the past year, and removing the original O-ring and replacing it made it worse still.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

And no, I didn't overtorque it. I was using a 1/4" ratchet and taking it easy.

OK, so I'm NOT crazy.

I filled the coolant elbow with water, and plugged both ends with my thumbs and pushed mightily, and whaddya know? Water comes right out of the casting, and I cannot for the life of me see a crack.

I got a bum elbow, and it's been leaking for 13 years, lately, more.

I guess i really just needed to swap the throttle bodies on and off 5 times in the past few days for sport. :pissed: :rolleyes:

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A little JB Weld will fix that right up.

So will a new part. Done and over with. 17 bucks.

I would check the casting of that new part before installing.

Lightning can't strike twice, can it? :comp13: :laugh:

Now theres 1 in a million right there......... Good on ya for finding that leak Rob

Poor casting/porisity in the metal, happens, sucks that it happened to you!!

After going through a bent valves head change 'cause of a timing belt skip on a Porsche 944, I had a leak from a similar elbow. Believe it or not , it was two pieces glued together from the factory!!!!!! The replacement part was one piece (duh!)

I guess these thing just happen when you build a machine out of hundreds of parts coming from different factories and contractors. It is a failure of Honda's QA/QC process but maybe if we agree to pay twice as much for our bikes, we might get a perfect product in return, but it just lowers the chances of getting such and never elimintates it.....

A dusty & very informative thread as well!   :fing02:

Thanks Veefer.